Dimmu Borgir - _Stormblast_
(Cacophonous Records, 1996)
by: Henry Akeley (8 out of 10)
It's a shame that the black metal scene isn't home to more bands like Dimmu Borgir - not bands who simply copy their sound, but bands, like this one, who take the traditional black metal formula and make it the basis for something comparatively unique. Dimmu Borgir are definitely a black metal band (and definitely one of my favorites), but their music is marked by a kind of quiet, majestic sadness which seems to be way beyond the emotional range of most other outfits in the genre. On tracks like "Nar Sjelen Hentes Til Helvete," they flex plenty of black metal muscle, yet balance their brawn with a unique feeling of sadness and solitude built up through the crafty use of synthesizers to introduce melody and ambience. The slow and haunting "Broderskappets Ring" shows them in top form, forging a genuinely somber mood out of ringing guitars, morose narration, and stirring keys. At their best, Dimmu Borgir conjure up a distinct melancholic feeling much more genuine than the cornier efforts of most other bands. Of course, they're not at their best through all ten tracks of this, their second full-length release. The very best songs appear early on the CD, which doesn't quite succeed in maintaining the same level of depth and originality all the way through. Still, there are some great moments to be heard among the later tracks, and this album (along with their debut, _For All TId_) comes highly recommended to those looking for a very solid black metal band that is willing and able to add some real feeling and creativity to the standard sound.
(article published 12/8/1996)
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