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Rating:
Dimmu Borgir are back on track. After the very good 'Death Cult Armageddon', they once again offer us a mix of black metal and symphonic-melodic openings that, to be fair, both astonish and captivate.
However, the new album from the Norwegian combo lacks originality in its title and artwork. 'In sorte diaboli' is a rather standard title, nothing as evocative or complex as the past titles ('Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia', 'Enthrone darkness triumphant', just to name two examples), while the artwork is almost a common theme of Scandinavian black metal, depicting a demonic figure such as the goat, in the classic position. But, apart from this slight downside, the music speaks and dispels any doubt about the group's quality.
"In sorte diaboli" opens with a classic orchestral overture that serves as a prelude to the initial "The serpentine offering". A majestic, opulent, and masterly intro that leads straight to Shagrath's piercing screams. No longer does he have master Nick Barker behind the drums, but instead, there's a piece of black history known as Hellhammer. However, despite this small technical loss, Galder's riffs (formerly of Old Man's Child) provide power and new energy to the songs. The death-like influences of 'Puritanical Euphonic Misanthropia' are definitively abandoned in this album. The first song indeed is an example of this, rich in purely black inserts enhanced by the symphonic arrangements. The ending sends chills down your spine with Shagrath screaming "Share My sacrifice!". Also noteworthy are the clean vocals of Vortex, the band's bassist. It continues with "The chosen legacy", powerful from the start and pounding throughout its duration. The titling format quickly stands out: all introduced by the article 'The', and all necessarily three letters. A concept is not excluded, considering there are 9 tracks in total, so the numerical play is quite evident.
The third track "The conspiracy unfolds" continues the compositional line of the album: more black and more symphonic, heavily reminiscent of the dreamy and sinister atmospheres of "Enthrone Darkness triumphant". I had the same sensation with "The Sacrilegious Scorn", which seems like a continuation, almost a follow-up, to the majestic and unforgettable "Mourning Palace", if not for the equally majestic melodic development with Vortex's beautiful and fascinating voice which makes the atmosphere almost romantic, and noteworthy is the excellent work on keyboards that makes the atmosphere even more dreamy. "The fallen arises" is a symphonic interlude, enriched by sinister echoes of horse neighs which then leads into the black onslaught of "The sinister awakening", direct, solely powerful, emphasizing ever more the distorted guitar pounding on evil dark riffs, and the sampled screams dear to songs like "Blessing upon the throne of tyranny" return. Fortunately, this song is also enriched by orchestral choirs, as fitting as ever. "The fundamental alienation" starts ominous and cold, claustrophobic at times, then falls into musical distress and suffering, with an almost onomatopoeic sound of alienation. "The invaluable darkness" is the right prelude, grandiose and evocative, to the end of the album, which comes with "The foreshadowing Furnace", ominous enough, closed by sinister sounds of winds and distant storms.
It's pointless to describe this jewel any further. Dimmu Borgir return in style. Forget the hesitations of a different and controversial album like 'Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia', forget the ups and downs of 'Death Cult Armageddon', and forget the very bad idea of re-releasing 'Stormblast', depriving it of its dark magic. "In Sorte Diaboli" is a nightmare made dream, it's a journey through hell, it's an album that in just 9 tracks collects what the human mind fears most: sacrifice, bonds, alienation, and darkness.
An album divinely sinister.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 The Serpentine Offering ()
My descent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair
My descent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair
Evoked and entertained through centuries
Wrathful and sullen -- Dormant still
The ferocity pervades everywhere
Waiting to be released at last
Hear my offering
Ye bastard sons and daughters
Share my sacrifice
Share my sacrifice.
My descent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair
My descent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair
Reconcile not with the fear of the snake
But embrace it as your own
Inject its venom into your veins
And replant the seed that gives growth
Still shrouded in mystery
Until you arise above perception
A veil of ignorance is in motion
Continuing throughout generations
(A veil of ignorance is in motion
Continuing throughout multiple generations
Let me be the one that deliver you from the deceit
And back into perfect accordance with the laws of nature)
The snake is notoriously tempting
But the snake is fair
What is worse than not knowing?
To live or disappear?
The ferocity pervades everywhere
Waiting to be released at last
Hear my offering
Ye bastard sons and daughters
Share my sacrifice
Share my sacrifice
02 The Chosen Legacy ()
Hence I will anoint
And whisper wholeheartedly
The creed of Hades and beyond
As I succumb to inevitable sin
For I can not enslave myself
With imaginary words of salvation
The hypocrisy that surrounds my temple
Is assisted by pretenders to the throne
The winds that blow purity
Signily my chosen legacy
I was born in opposition
A contender to creation
In sorte diaboli
In sorte diaboli
In sorte diaboli
In sorte diaboli
For my sins
I will ask no forgiveness
For my sins
They are not to forgive
So never speak of me quietly
Stand by my confession
I voice your rebellion
Against the traitor of the world
I am the first creature of this Kingdom
I will be The One
To outlive His time
With the triumph of free will
04 The Sacrilegious Scorn ()
Have I not
Been too long in the shadows of invention and creation
As I rightfully behold the flesh
Fear of the conscious mind will have you facing away
My word and world holds ground and is real
Your word is like floods of poisoned water
A language spoken with spit of different tongues
It all seems like an eternity
This battle between us two
"Good and evil"
Me and you
Time has come to step up
And take back what you took from me
My word and world holds ground and is real
Your word is like floods of poisoned water
A language spoken with spit of different tongues
You can never corrupt me again
Time has come to step up
And take back what you took from me
You can never corrupt me again
I protect every man guilty of sin
The ultimate sin being me
The vapor from the plague
That infested my mind, body and soul
Obscured my view from wisdom
The mist that had me wonder in resentment cleared
And troubles me no more
06 The Sinister Awakening ()
I sense the darkness
The desire overtakes
My devotion endeavors
Habitation changing course
Repentance oh not
No shame or remorse
Will I ever authorize
On this treasured path
I am warm by this fire
And its flaming desire
For what I can not fulfill
My destiny completes
I believe my truth to be
A much greater thing
Than a manufactured lie
Too great to comprehend
Where I come from
There's no higher authority but me
Being my own god
Is all I was meant to be
Antichristus Spiritualis
Antichristus Spiritualis
Antichristus Spiritualis
Antichristus Spiritualis
In Sorte Diaboli
07 The Fundamental Alienation ()
My eyes got blinded
And conned by the light
Like a fugitive on the run
I sought perseverance in the night
Deceptive icons were finally
Taken out of my sight
As the contender to origin
I will forever unveil His might
They say I am the cancer
On the back of the Inquisition
I may well be the cancer
In the heart of the Inquisition
They say I am the cancer
On the back of the Inquisition
I am the cancer
In the heart of the Inquisition
Through my years of sacrifice
Evolution came with lessons learned
Respect and fear
Is what I earned
So underestimate not your vision
Or you will be taught
Calculate your intuition
And you will teach
You all have been conned
And I always take the blame
For you do not understand
You are all the same
08 The Invaluable Darkness ()
Fear Tomorrow's Adversary And the wealth of uprising The final storm will be released And the unmerciful will erect Hidden from the eyes of your God I will proclaim original sin And have you all purged and purified From the lies that remain within Cleansed and draped in sulphur linen Black and pure since the Beginning Mercy is not truth Your sins are next to mine Mercy is not truth All your sins are next to mine My soul's ablaze Inflamed with rage and isolated In whirlwinds of hate My soul's ablaze Yet camouflaged in the haze Why did He not see this coming? Why did He not understand? One time forsaken But forgotten I am not I will win this war But never the peace I am my own free spirit Hence I will not rest
09 The Foreshadowing Furnace ()
Sparks fly and fire licks my wings
Tied to this wood - I was born for burning
I rebelled against the flock
Declined to submit to slavery
As a token from my legions of the chosen few
I reveal the secrets to the world's most famous forgery
As flames devour my skin
Flesh melting - peeling off
My days as an earthbound entity
Are outnumbered and have come to an end
I will never be laid to rest
But be free from oppression
Those of my kin - the black flame
Those of my sin - hail my name
Those of us that have been given eyes to see
Will never be laid to rest but be free from oppression
In this hour I finally separate
Carnal knowledge from divine will
In this hour I finally separate
Myself from your tyranny
Still our enemies will keep hiding
In the shadows with betrayal against reason
But with my reprisal I shall endure
And uncover the magnitude of this treason
I will arise from perdition
And let me presence known
I will author a new era
And have my Beast shown
My stigma is of damnation
I am from beyond your God
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Other reviews
By Stanne90
"'The Serpentine Offering' reveals itself not only as a great song but also as an excellent lead single to introduce the world to the truly commendable abilities of this group."
"In Sorte Diaboli is an excellent album slightly more black than symphonic but still will be very much appreciated by both old fans and those approaching this splendid genre for the first time."
By Hell
This CD is crap... it has no soul and its merits, if they can be so called, are a tenth of the flaws.
Almost all the songs aim to capture attention in the first 20-30 seconds, but the rest of the tracks do not turn out to be inspired or convincing.
