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"The empire of Satan is coming" is with this cry that Dark Funeral announces the advent of the best album the Swedish band has ever created: "Diabolis Interium".
The decay of previous works like "The Secrets Of The Black Art", the rawness of the first demo bearing the group's own name, merge with a new type of compositional refinement showcased by the new "Dark Funeral". This work was released in 2001, after "Vobiscum Sathanas", bearing the mark of Abyss Studio, which seems to foresee the result that the recorded album will achieve, thus producing a record with perfect sound, fully reflecting the listener's needs.
It is no longer a monotonous CD where the only atmospheres evoked were an impressive iciness and complete detachment, but a blend between the blackest coldness and a sort of approach to the proposed music, and it is precisely in this novelty, which seems trivial but is not, that Dark Funeral surpasses every previous release. It will always be the frost and wind of the North that influences them, but something has changed for the better. It is still an album not difficult to assimilate, direct and unequivocal, but capable of surprising once again. Indeed, there is always a new element hiding behind the darkest corner, in this case, we speak of a new type of rhythm that finds ample space between the violent lashes and the very fast periods, and it is the slow and cadenced rhythm, an absolute musical novelty for these artists.
Yes, the album is not just a "machine gun" that fires devastating riffs and "pedals" in bursts, rather it alternates heavy and light weaponry with astonishing results. The finished product is complete and leaves one fearfully attracted by its stylistic content, which for some aspects is so innovative. It is pointless to discuss the lyrics or their substance; one would end up being repetitive and pointless. It is better to talk about the music itself, the one that is really played. The CD begins or rather invades our ears with "The Arrival Of The Satan's Empire", a very fast track that almost terrifies with its violence, a long scream of rare vocal ability opens the dances preceding furious guitars and a "murderous" drum. There is no time to recover before the Swedes attack the listener again with "Hail Murder", a slash similar to the one Ocham implemented around 1200, determining the demise of Scholasticism. The riffing is already more elaborate but not yet completely. Just wait for the subsequent "Goddess Of Sodomy" to understand the true technique possessed by the band, a black metal masterpiece that shows melodic traits combined with the usual iciness; if one can conceive of a perfect track, this comes very close.
The fourth song is the title-track, a return to the first in terms of timing and compositional similarity, but it's just a preamble to "An Apprentice Of Satan", another masterpiece faster than the previous one, as well as melodic and decayed. But also the strongest malice and fury can transform into gloom and extreme darkness, and this is what this song expresses, which has the ability to first assume cruel and raw tones only to later move to a sort of "sadness" or better yet almost melancholy, showing us the Dark Funeral close to their work, those we weren't used to listening to. The continuation immediately contradicts the previously created atmosphere, but it's right this way, a return to reality is necessary: "Thus I Have Spoken" is a monolithic and martial track, the rightful continuation to "An Apprentice Of Satan" with an equally guitar-wise mastery and towering images of Evil. "Armaggeddon Finally Comes" soon becomes the worthy companion of "Hail Murder" but is, in this case, just an interlude to finally reach the eighth and last track: "Heart Of Ice". This is the fitting conclusion of "Diabolis Interium", it is the right description of the "feeling" projected by the whole album, the ice truly dominates within the hearts of these Swedes. It is precisely in this last ascent on ideal cold glaciers that the Dark Funeral masterpiece ends, putting an end to everything, transgressing into the nothingness beyond the glacier just conquered.
An album that I recommend to all the "true" black metal enthusiasts, to listen to once and to embrace the musical concepts for their true essence, not because the band is trendy or for anything else. Only thus will one be able to see who has a "heart of ice".
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Hail Murder (05:01)
[Music by Lord Ahriman. Lyrics by Emperor Magus Caligula]
In the dungeon so cold, sits the Nazarene son.
His eyes filled with tears, his soul with fear.
Asking himself, where is my god now?
Preacher of lies, soon to be nailed.
Hail murder, your god of filth wont help you now.
Hail murder, soon to meet the evil one.
Carry your cross, to your own doom.
Meet the people's hatred.
You will die amongst the dirt, where you belong.
Christian blood soon will cover the ground.
As I drive the nails of evil, deep inside.
A crucified whore, that's what you are.
The only crown you have, is one made of thorns.
Hail Murder, your god of filth wont help you now.
Hail murder, soon you to meet the evil one.
Hail murder, as the nails are hammered in deep.
Hail murder, I am the spear in his side.
Carry your cross, to your own doom.
Meet the people's hatred.
You will die amongst the dirt, where you belong.
The demons fly high, they circle above.
Waits for his blood to stop flow, and to collect his soul.
The lord of lies, soon to die.
Thousand of years of pain await.
Hail Murder, your god of filth wont help you now.
Hail murder, soon you to meet the evil one.
Hail murder, as the nails are hammered in deep.
Hail murder, I am the spear in his side.
03 Goddess of Sodomy (04:11)
Come forth, the goddess of sodomy.
My body is the source of pain, bow.
Worship me.......And suck my soul.
Every single hole in you is mine, so now.
Obey.........
Deep inside, you feel me pulsate.
More and more and more.
I hear you groan, you want me inside.
Again, again, again, again......
You give me pleasure, I offer you pain.
The highest level of ecstasy, sexually insane.
Behind my mask of pretending, I hide.
In my dominion of pain.....
I am your god, I am your believes.
I control your desire, with my godlike white salted wine.
Behind my mask of pretending, I hide.
In my dominion of pain.....
I am the way to the land of your pleasure.
I am the way to your eternal lust......
04 Diabolis Interium (04:20)
[Music by Lord Ahriman. Lyrics by Emperor Magus Caligula]
Diabolis Interium
I wander along the path of darkness.
Heart so cold, skin so pale.
Driven forth by the question,
My answers are written in blood.
Sweet Christian blood.
You can't escape my wrath,
For I am one of the lords.
I am the keeper of your pain,
I am the holder of the spear.
Like a serpent I'm slithering,
In a maze of sin and filth
Look down, you so called god.
Step down, from your heavenly throne.
Let your divine tears of blood, rain over us.
And behold what I do to your servants.....
And behold what I do to your servants....
I am a demon that dwells in the darkest flame.
The evil from inside....
I am a demon, king of the darkest realm.
For I am Satan......
Diabolis Interium.
Diabolis Interium.
You can't escape my wrath,
For I am one of the lords.
I am the keeper of the key to the cosmic pain,
I am the holder of the spear.
Like a serpent I'm slithering,
Through your world divine.
Diabolis Interium.
Diabolis Interium.
05 An Apprentice of Satan (06:04)
[Music by Lord Ahriman. Lyrics by Emperor Magus Caligula]
A darkened place beyond the eternal death,
Hung many victims chained lifeless.
Stolen of all their dignity.
The dried blood on her pale skin,
Witness her beliefs.
She's an apprentice of Satan.
The wind is blowing strong from the north.
While the demons force their way through the flames,
To grant her with their wisdom wide.
Inside the circle she feels safe.
She can feel the power grow.
She's an apprentice of Satan.
A sigh echoes through the woods.
Like a winter storm it spread through the maze.
When she's finally embraced by the darkness.
That she has finally welcomed into her:life!!!
The wind, cold as the full moon high in the darkened sky.
Carries a weak fragrance of blood.
She can hear the demons call out her name.
Whispers in the shadows, evil forces everywhere.
The wind is blowing strong in the north.
While the demons force their way through the flames,
To grant her with eternal life.
She's the evil messenger of Satanic beliefs.
She's an apprentice of Satan:.
High in the sky flies the evil apprentice.
She has turned to the dark side.
With her beauty and her power of Satan.
She consumes the dead to get more life.
High above all, stands our evil apprentice.
Now seduced by the dark side.
With the power of Satan,
She will never see the dawn until the end of time.
A darkened place beyond the eternal death,
Hung many victims chained lifeless.
Stolen of all their dignity.
The dried blood on her pale skin witness her beliefs.
She's an apprentice of Satan.
She's an evil apprentice.
06 Thus I Have Spoken (04:59)
[Music by Lord Ahriman. Lyrics by Emperor Magus Caligula]
Hear me now; let this be the day of reckoning.
The gauntlet has been thrown, and the challenge is met.
With death-rattle chains, and brimstone from below.
I will come with black-hearted rage, and eyes of burning coal.
Let the fire burn and blood flow, let skulls and bones tower up to the heavens.
Cloaked in shimmering stellar glow, radiant with the cosmic light I will come...
From the liquid darkness I appear,
My unholy fire is needed to cleanse this world.
Free from my cursed bounds,
I once again will trample the earth.
Bound to evil, carrier of Satan's mark.
Wherever I will walk, the world will tremble.
Thus I have spoken, thus shall it be....
Chaos swallows the earth when I release my Christian hatred,
A hatred older than memory.
I move across the worlds like a dark plague,
Across boundaries unseen.
I ask for the gates to open,
And for my legions to be set free....
I call upon the power of darkness, form and shadow.
I call upon the power of the elder ones, whose fate is bound to mine.
I call upon master Satan, give shadow form and lend me your eyes.
Grant me your crystal vision, and teach me what you would have seen.
The chain of Christian force is broken,
And the great darkness is loosened upon this world.
Thus I have spoken, thus shall it be...
12 Pagan Fears (06:33)
[Mayhem cover]
The bloody history from the
past deceased humans now forgotten.
An age of legends and fear a time now
so discant.
Less numbered as they were their lives
so primitive and pagan
superstitions were a part of the life
so unprotected in the dark nights
Pagan fears.
The past is alive.
The past is alive.
Woeful people with pale faces
staring obsessed at the moon
some memories will never go away
and they will forever be here.
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