Line #45 Music/DimmuBorgir


1	->''Dimmu Borgir!''
2	->''The deviants seek but one place''
3	->''Dimmu Borgir!''
4	->''Forward onward march!''
5	-->-- Dimmu Borgir, Abrahadabra
6
7	Dimmu Borgir are a Norwegian symphonic black metal band that, along with bands like Keep of Kalessin and Music/CradleOfFilth, represents the more commercial and accessible end of black (or quasi-black) metal. Instantly recognizable for their clean, keyboard-laden sound, and their [[ReligionRantSong staunchly anti-Christian lyrics]], Dimmu Borgir have carved out a unique niche for themselves both inside and outside of the BlackMetal world, particularly in recent times. Still, they are quite divisive in the anti-commercial black metal scene; many hardcore black metal fans lament their steady move towards a more commercial, less raw sound.
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9	In 1993, the year of their formation, Dimmu Borgir played pretty standard BlackMetal, very similar to what their fellow Norwegians were doing at the time. While you'll find the occasional fan of their early work, most of the black metal community agrees that it was nothing particularly special or innovative. Only with their third release, ''Enthrone Darkness Triumphant'', did Dimmu Borgir begin to do anything particularly original. While still quite similar to the work of a band like Music/{{Emperor}}, ''Enthrone Darkness Triumphant'' was where Dimmu Borgir began to set themselves apart from the stock standard BlackMetal tropes and techniques.
10
11	Since then, Dimmu Borgir have kept up a steady schedule of releases and tours, with no signs of stopping.
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13	[floatboxright:
14	Influences:
15	+ Music/{{Darkthrone}}, Music/{{Mayhem}}, Music/{{Bathory}}, Music/{{Emperor}}, Music/CelticFrost, Music/{{Immortal\|Band}}, Music/{{Venom}}, Music/IronMaiden, Music/FryderykChopin, Antonín Dvořák, Music/RichardWagner, Music/{{Enya}}
16	]
17
18	----
19
20	!! Tropes associated with Dimmu Borgir:
21
22	* BlackMetal: Particularly the ''symphonic metal'' variety.
23	* ConceptAlbum: ''In Sorte Diaboli''.
24	* CueTheRain: "Alt lys er svunnet hen" gets its plagiarized piano intro replaced with rain sounds in the rerecording.
25	* DarkIsEvil: To be expected, but then again, EvilIsCool.
26	* DramaticThunder: Both the original and rerecorded versions of Stormblast have this in their opening, though the MMV version's is longer and a little more dramatic.
27	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first two albums and the EP's and singles from the same era have fairly lo-fi production and lyrics written more-or-less entirely in Norwegian. Starting with ''Enthrone Darkness Triumphant'' they upgraded their production considerably (working with [[Music/{{Hypocrisy}} Peter Tagtgren]] probably helped there) and began writing lyrics in English, establishing the sound they've had ever since.
28	* EpicInstrumentalOpener:
29	** "Alt lys er svunnet hen" (Albeit plagiarized from British prog rock band Music/{{Magnum}})
30	** "Master of Disharmony" (The Devil's Path EP version)
31	** "The Promised Future Aeons"
32	** "Eradication Instincts Defined"
33	** "The Serpentine Offering"
34	* EpicRocking: Not that long, but the band does enough twists and turns in them.
35	** "Chaos Without Prophecy"
36	** "The Insight and the Catharsis"
37	** "Arcane Lifeforce Mysteria"
38	** "Kings of the Carnival Creation"
39	** "Eradication Instincts Defined"
40	* EtherealChoir: Occasionally synths are used to mimic the sound of one of these. They are mainly prevalent in the rerecording Stormblast MMV, arguably improving a handful of songs.
41	* EvilSoundsRaspy: Shagrath's HarshVocals have this going on, though that's not unusual given the [[BlackMetal genre of music they play]].
42	* FolkMetal: "Antikrist" and especially "Stien" could pass as such due to their flute atmospheres.
43	* {{Gorn}}: The cover of ''Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia'' ''just'' barely averts this.
44	* HarshVocals
45	* HellInvadesHeaven: "In Death's Embrace", where Hell not only invades Heaven, but manages to subject God to ColdBloodedTorture. A similar call to this is made in "The Blazing Monoliths of Defiance" through the verse: "Hunt the heavens". While in Norwegian, the songs "Guds fortapelse - Apenbaring av Dommedag" and "Allehelgens Dod I Helveds Rike" also follow the theme of heaven's fall.
46	* HotAsHell: In the video for "The Sacrilegious Scorn", Satan appears as a painting of Baphomet that morphs into a beautiful woman.
47	* IAmSong: "Puritania" is the best example. "Antikrist" could also fit in due to its final lines.
48	* LonelyPianoPiece: "Sorgens Kammer", even though plagiarized from an Amiga game, still evokes a depressive atmosphere and gives the listener a sensation of loneliness.
49	* NamestoRunAwayFrom / NamesEndingInTh: Shagrath.
50	* NewSoundAlbum: ''Enthrone Darkness Triumphant'', most prominently.
51	* OminousLatinChanting: "Avmaktslave" features an 'Ave Satani' choir. "The Chosen Legacy" and "The Sinister Awakening" also have choirs chanting in Latin 'In Sorte Diaboli' and 'Antichristus Spiritualis'.
52	* OminousPipeOrgan: "Spellbound (By the Devil)", "The Promised Future Aeons" and "Kings of the Carnival Creation" feature a few of these.
53	* RearrangeTheSong: "Hunnerkongens Sorgsvarde Ferd Over Steppene", "Raabjorn Speiler Draugheimens Skodde", the ''entire'' Stormblast album, "Master of Disharmony" and "Devil's Path".
54	* ReligionRantSong: Pretty much Dimmu's modus operandi.
55	** "Antikrist", while its lyrics being in Norwegian, the violent anti-Christian message was still easy to decipher, hence Antikrist and Dodsferd were switched around by Cacophonous Records in a futile attempt of copping themselves out.
56	** "The Sacrilegious Scorn"
57	** "The Serpentine Offering"
58	** "Tormentor Of Christian Souls", whose lyrics were apparently so extreme that even their label at the time (Nuclear Blast) [[EveryoneHasStandards refused to print them in the liner notes]].
59	* RevolvingDoorBand: Shagrath and Silenoz are the only two members who have been in the band since the beginning.
60	* RockMeAsmodeus: Well, they ''are'' a BlackMetal band...
61	* SadBattleMusic: "Det Nye Riket" opens the album ''For All Tid'' with a pretty dark and depressing orchestral and piano instrumental that would fit well into a battle scenery. Its lyrics also speak about an upcoming kingdom and there are many symbols from the Book of Revelation reversed. Later in the album's rather chilling title track, the predicted battle seems to have begun.
62	* {{Sampling}}: A few times on the more recent albums. Usually a result of slight IndustrialMetal influences on their sound. Symphonic parts from Dvorak are also incorporated in "Guds Fortapelse - Apenbaring av Dommedag".
63	* ShoutOut: Shagrath's stage name is a reference to a certain Orc from ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. Silenoz's stage name is a reference to Silenius, a satyr from Greek mythology.
64	* SopranoAndGravel: On a few songs -- and, more often than not, a result of two male vocalists rather than a male and a female. Not normally, though.
65	* SpikesOfVillainy: In an interview, Nagash mentioned that the band make those spikes themselves by shopping for items from Gothic shops.
66	* SuccubiAndIncubi: "A Succubus in Rapture'' and "United in Unhallowed Grace" are about these.
67	* SymphonicMetal: One of the defining bands of the BlackMetal wing of the genre. Also, they've used an actual orchestra on several of their albums, beginning from 2001's Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia, though Mustis had tried imitating one with his keyboards on several occasions in Spiritual Black Dimensions and In Sorte Diaboli.
68	* TheQuest: Quite a few instances, such as the lonely Viking's travel from "Over Bleknede Blaner Til Dommedag", Attila's journey from "Hunnerkongens Sorgsvarde Ferd Over Steppene", the quest of hell to defeat heaven from "In Death's Embrace", the journey of souls to the afterlife in "Nar Sjelen Hentes Til Helvete", "Dodsferd" and "Entrance", the quest to conquer Azunda in "Chaos Without Prophecy", and to an extent, the quest of one through occult meditation to other worlds which is a prevalent theme in Spiritual Black Dimensions, especially in "The Insight and the Catharsis" and "Arcane Lifeforce Mysteria".
69	* TitleTrack:
70	** "Inn I Evighetens Morke" (both parts)
71	** "For All Tid"
72	** "Stormblast"
73	** "Devil's Path"
74	** "Prudence's Fall" ("I, Enthroned Darkness Triumphant, with the searing trident of the inferno")
75	** "The Insight and the Catharsis" ("Join the forces, the Spiritual Black Dimensions")
76	** "Puritania" (of ''Puritanical'' Euphoric Misanthropia)
77	** "Blood Hunger Doctrine" ("A reality so convincingly justified, feeding from the Death Cult's gown")
78	** "The Chosen Legacy" (has "In Sorte Diaboli" chants)
79	** "Endings and Continuations" (has "Abrahadabra" chanted by choirs many times)
80	* VoiceOfTheLegion: Sometimes this effect is achieved by overdubbing multiple layers of HarshVocals. "Monster vocal" effects are also used in "The Night Masquerade".

Context Music / DimmuBorgir