Spiritual Black Dimentions was Dimmu Borgir's second album switching form Norwegian to English. The music also began to shift with the change in language as well. The first two albums have this slower more majestic feel to them with decent but not great production. Spiritual Black Distentions in particular feels highly polished and incredibly professional in its presentation and production.
All of that means nothing if the music doesn't hold up, and to start out the album is exceptionally strong. Reptile starts off aggressively with a great mix of keyboard melodies intertwining with guitar melodies, clean vocals intertwining between the more typical black vocals. The track is immediate and catches my attention definitely. One of the better tracks on the record.
Dimmu continue this formula with various rates of success throughout the rest of the album. There are moments scattered throughout the songs that are excellent. The graceful piano passage of United in Unhallowed Grace is one section that continuously will make me stop what I'm doing and nod in approval.
That said the album starts to drag a bit towards the middle, some of the songs are lacking that "it" factor that makes a song good. The Blazing Monoliths of Defiance while speedy really lacks a strong riff to carry it forward. Most of the Insight and the Catharsis drags on for far too long aimlessly. Arcane Lifeforce Mystiria is a poor choose for a closer and would be better left off the album.
Ironically the ending of The Insight and the Catharsis may be the high point of the album for me. Vortex's clean vocals come soaring in over a beautiful piano led atmospheric section. Breathtaking.
Dimmu's fourth album is not as good as I remember it. There are highlights, but also too many forgettable tracks. Hopefully Enthrone Darkness Triumphant is as good as I remember it.
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