This is the tenth album from Norwegian black metallers Dimmu Borgir.
Eight long years since 2018’s Eonian, the legendary Dimmu Borgir have returned. Bringing the world 72 minutes of new material, Grand Serpent Rising is an unexpectedly atavistic record, but is all the better for it.
Grand Serpent Rising offers up a slightly stripped back version of Dimmu Borgir, emphasising more of their second wave aspects. The orchestration is still used of course, make no mistake, but strategically for maximum effect. The entire record feels more old-school black metal, with the obvious caveat that it’s still wrapped in Dimmu Borgir’s professional delivery and production values. Underground black metal this is not, but nor is it trying to be. Grand Serpent Rising plays to the music’s and the band’s strengths, and it works a treat. The end result is a record that unexpectedly merges a few different eras of Dimmu Borgir into a compelling whole. Grand Serpent Rising is a beast.
With the bombastic grandiose side of the music dampened a touch, there’s more room for classic blackened aggression to come through. This is still augmented by Dimmu Borgir’s trademark symphonic grandeur, especially so at key moments, which means that the album benefits from its various influences. There are also classic heavy metal elements in some of the guitars, particularly the solos, which are deployed well.
Grand Serpent Rising is a surprisingly well-rounded and capable record, especially for one so lengthy. It probably shouldn’t be as surprising as it is, but Dimmu Borgir sound unexpectedly revitalised. Grand Serpent Rising has much of a feel of their classic late 90s/early 00s work, which is no bad thing at all. Importantly though, it doesn’t come across as a stale rehash, nor is it as overly polished as something like this could so easily have been. Basically, Grand Serpent Rising sounds like Dimmu Borgir showing off what they’re capable of, to remarkable effect.
Dimmu Borgir’s return is a strong one. In essence, it’s professional, song-focused black metal, with symphonic highlights and dark dramatic atmosphere. The band have roots that go back so far as to feed them vital esoteric elixirs, meaning that Grand Serpent Rising has a certain special something that most newer ostensibly similar acts lack. If your tastes run to classic black metal that can comfortably fill large venues, this is for you, and is far better than most.
Very highly recommended, and very enjoyable.
Wonderbox Metal 