Review: Dimmu Borgir

Dimmu Borgir
““Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia””
(Nuclear Blast)

I have no idea how Dimmu Borgir’s eighth studio album Super-Puritanical-expi-Euphoric-alla-Misanthropiocius stacks up to their previous seven since I’’ve never heard them before, but this new album is some high quality, full blown, by the neck and by the balls, black metal to summon up goat lords by.  In what seems to be typical Black Metal style, Dimmu Borgir open with a Rachmaninoff-esque dark little synth-diddy that wouldn’t be out of place on the soundtrack for any Dario Argento flick.  After the peaceful introduction they blast into Blessings Upon the Throne of Tyranny, and from there with the wild, flailing yet tightly packed drumming and furious “how fast can I possibly pick picking” guitar thrashings, you’re on your own in Dimmu Borgir’s brightly painted canvas of hell until the very last track.  The last track brings some listeners back into familiar territory.  After all the well-orchestrated evil and infernal stink lord worshipping, the cover of Twisted Sister’s Burn In Hell was good for a bit of a chuckle.  Fans of Dimmu Borgir know this band has had a very loose line-up, shifting instruments within the band, losing members and gaining new ones.  On PEM they have “released” guitarist Astennu and replaced him with Galder from Old Man’s Child, a very capable musician and songwriter as one who has listened to any Old Man’s Child album would have to tell you.  If you like Black Metal that’s not afraid to play with itself then this is your album, doubly so if you like men in white face paint.  Could you imagine getting a blow-job from one of these guys?  Your bush would look professionally frosted by the time they finished.