Dimmu Borgir Abrahadabra
by Alex Barbieri
Staff Writer
Dimmu Borgir which means “dark cities” or “dark castles/fortresses” in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse, is about as mainstream as black metal gets. Back in 2007, they became the first black metal band in history to have a number one album in their native country of Norway for In Sorte Diaboli. And in the U.S., the band has an exclusive marketing deal with Hot Topic, a mall chain store that caters to kids into, well, chains.
Recorded in Sweden and Norway, Abrahadabra features Dimmu Borgir’s three (hard) core members: Shagrath, Silenoz and Galder, along with an army of guest musicians, including Snowy Shaw on bass, Daray on drums and Gerlioz on keyboard. The album is their first to feature a full ensemble orchestra, the Kringkastingsorkestret (Norwegian Radio Orchestra), as well as the Schola Cantorum choir, which totaled more than 100 musicians and singers. The orchestral arrangements were conducted by Gaute Storaas. The cover art — designed for maximum creepiness — is by Joachim Luetke. Like all great heavy metal album art, the cover intrigues and looks like the album sounds.
Dimmu Borgir is symphonic black metal. Their music is epic, gothic, intense and darkly beautiful. It would make a perfect horror movie soundtrack. (Here’s a tip, Hollywood: Make a horror movie called Dimmu Borgir with Abrahadabra as the soundtrack!) But you must be in the mood for this music. Because of its relentless brutality and maze-like arrangements, it is taxing on the ears and brain after a while. That said, when you are in the mood to release your inner demon, it is incredibly thrilling and invigorating. Some highlights, or this case lowlights, of the album are “Xibir,” the grotesque opening that sounds like Satan burping, the first single, “Gateways” and “Ritualist” the song that finally delivers a chorus you can clench your fist and chant along to.
Dimmu Borgir and bands of their ilk are a necessary evil. They maintain the musical balance in the world. They are the dark to Disney pop’s light. And they are a perfectly decadent guilty pleasure. Norway won’t be the only place this album will go to No. 1. Pick up a copy of Abrahadabra, play it loud Halloween night and watch the neighborhood kids tremble. (Dark, sinister laugh.)
Watch the video for “Gateways” on YouTube.
Order Abrahadabra from Hot Topic.
Genre: Black Metal/Death Metal
Band:
Shagrath – Vocals, Keyboards
Silenoz – Guitars
Galder – Guitars
Guest members:
Snowy Shaw – Bass, Clean Vocals
Daray – Drums
Agnete Maria Forfang Kjølsrud – Female Vocals
Kristoffer Rygg – Vocals
Kringkastingsorkestret (The Norwegian Radio Orchestra), conducted by Gaute
Storaas
The Schola Cantorum Choir
Track Listing:
1. Xibir
2. Born Treacherous
3. Gateways
4. Chess with the Abyss
5. Dimmu Borgir
6. Ritualist
7. The Demiurge Molecule
8. A Jewel Traced Through Coal
9. Renewal
10. Endings and Continuations
Label: Nuclear Blast
Online:
http://www.dimmu-borgir.com/
http://www.myspace.com/dimmuborgir
http://www.reverbnation.com/dimmuborgir
Hardrock Haven Rating: 8/10