85. Dimmu Borgir - Death Cult Armageddon (2003)
Genre: Symphonic Black Metal
01. Allegiance
02. Progenies of the Great Apocalypse
03. Lepers Among Us
04. Vredesbyrd
05. For the Word To Dictate Our Death
06. Blood Hunger Doctrine
07. Allehelgens Død I Helveds Rike
08. Cataclysm Children
09. Eradication Instincts Defined
10. Unorthodox Manifesto
11. Heavenly Perverse
Well if
Imaginary Sonciscape shows us what can happen when foreigners are allowed to take a style of music and mutate it into something amazing, then
Death Cult Armageddon shows us what happens when progenitors are not so imposed by others to keep things "real". Yes,
Death Cult Armageddon is an album that proves to all the diehard fans out there that the world wont end if black metal bands are allowed to expand their sounds and potentially their fanbase with bigger labels.
Death Cult Armageddon is an album that Black Metal fans love to hate because of its overly polished sound. To them that kind of goes against the entire concept of the genre, and in a way it kind of does, but I'm a sucker for good production. The album is so nicely polished that it works as a perfect entry point for potential new fans by giving them the traditional black metal approach, but with a nice veneer over top to buff out the scuff marks.
The coolest thing about the album is that it plays the like the soundtrack to some dark fantasy movie. I've been trying to write an short story out around the album, but I'm more of a sci-fi person than fantasy so it hasn't gone so well. But there are a few songs that sound exactly like what I'd expect, specifically "Blood Hunger Doctrine", which I always envisioned as some kind of Saruman like character doing a kind of thaumaturgy.
On a melodic note (get it?) the album is pretty much perfect in every way. The drums are on time, however they do not sound
too perfect so there is a human element there. I know it's kind of an odd observation, but there are too many albums out where I can't tell if the drummer is a human or not, so when I can it's something I notice.
Overall the album is a beautiful piece of poppy black metal that may not appease older fans, but is definitely something fun to put on and enjoy.
Well there you have it, two black metal albums that skirt the more traditional sounds of black metal in order to further develop the genre into something more than what the controversy has created. Both albums are excellent starting points if you're trying to get into it but don't know where to start.