It is no lie that the “noise” surrounding us these days is so deafening and stressful that, in order to remain on the surface, many choose the path of constant exposure, even when they do not really have a strong message to deliver…
That path, however, is clearly not followed by the giants of the extreme metal scene, Dimmu Borgir! The band returns eight years after Eonian, not simply to become relevant again, nor just to remind us of their presence, but because now they felt that time was right… Now there was a reason… Now there is something to be said to the fans of extreme sound!
The grand serpent rises, as Dimmu Borgir tell us, and through this, an entire world of symbolism and dark imagination is created around. The serpent here does not simply function as a symbol of evil… In reality, just as it sheds its old skin, it symbolizes rebirth, constant evolution and transformation. Through the darkness, the serpent rises once again, carrying more wisdom, knowledge and energy to move forward!
In a way, this is exactly how Dimmu Borgir move in this new era of theirs! They do not return in order to wear their old skin again, nor to recreate their glorious past. They return more conscious, more mature and with a dark confidence that shows the band is not here to prove anything. It simply rises once again through the shadows.
Eight years later, then, a new ceremony begins! Grand Serpent Rising is an impressive album, a musical journey through a dark and frozen atmosphere, majestic on one hand, threatening on the other. Dimmu Borgir frame their songs, as always, with orchestral and symphonic passages, adding depth and theatricality without overwhelming the listener or burying the essence beneath “theatrical” excess. The riffs remain sharp and aggressive, while the blackened aura of the album is present everywhere!
It feels like everything on this record has been placed exactly where it needs to be, with a very specific purpose. Nothing feels random here! And this is exactly one of the elements that makes Grand Serpent Rising to stand out. We are talking about a work that carries maturity, experience and a real need for expression, without relying simply on the weight of a massive name.
This album holds a living pulse. We are not talking about a soulless, “polished product”, but about a record that, no matter how grand it is, still preserves a living black energy within it. There is intensity, there is theatricality, there is this feeling that the band did not simply build another album, but an entire world breathing through its own darkness.
I am truly excited after listening to this new record. Dimmu Borgir are, of course, not some small unknown band, but a giant of the extreme metal scene. Still, just like in football, the shirt alone does not win any match. In the same way here, the band shows exactly why it has left such a massive signature on this musical genre, imposing itself with its own grandeur!
The album will be available from May 22nd through Nuclear Blast, and personally, I already know that it will find its place in my own Top 10 list of the year!
We greet the majestic Serpent and leave it with its crown upon its throne!
Favorite tracks? Ascent, Shadows of a Thousand Perceptions!
