Enthrone Darkness Triumphant - 1997
This is a great example of how even though a band can be called “sellouts” and “pop-black metal” and accused of commercialism, can still make great music! Although I would never consider them “true Norwegian black metal” and sound nothing like original black metal (just like Venom sounds nothing like Mayhem but they are still black metal), they have taken a great spin on it. They can actually play their instruments! I love true Norwegian Black Metal, but I hate those bands who try to recreate it. Their guitars are the best I have heard within the Norwegian scene! And their keyboards are near perfect, even those who claim to be “true black metallers” have had to admit these guys have got talent! Each song is full of emotion and hatred, and the atmosphere they put off is superior to that of poser black metal bands who claim to be true black metal but are only ripping off old DarkThrone and Marduk. If Dimmu Borgir really wanted money and fame they’d start a punk or pop band. They may not be black metal by some people’s definitions but they play damn good dark as hell music. My favorite songs are “Mourning Palace,” ”Spellbound,” “Entrance,” and “Prudence’s Fall.” I would recommend this album to any one into purely evil, hate-filled, and dark metal, but not to anyone who believes themselves to be a “true black metaller.”
Okay i wrote the above review for "Spiritual Black Dimensions" about a year ago, and since then have decided that the album is not a "barrage of sound," I don't know why but at the time I wrote the review I must have been smoking something...this album is excellent, but I still stand by all the other things that I mentioned in the review and believe this CD was step down for Dimmu Borgir.
