That's a really good review Infinity.

I think now is the time to give up on the future of Dimmu. They will never do well again if they keep handing us Symphonic Metal rather than symphonic black metal.

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Last.fm: Mercenarion

Thanks.
 
I gave up after In Sorte Diaboli. I just linger, check out their stuff, and see where they're headed. And hey, they haven't made a Black Metal album since Spiritual Black Dimensions, and PEM wasn't bad. I think they can do good from Symphonic Metal, I really do, but for now they just don't know what the fuck they're doing. Right now they need to throw out that choir/orchestra, and use relevant song structures. Not to mention the cheesiness. What Dimmu need now is subtlety, which they haven't had since Stormblast.

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Amen to that. All of the songs after Spiritual Black Dimensions (with the exceptions of some PEM songs) had an extremely cheesy sense to it. Like Progenies (good song, but still). Listening to that is okay, but it sounds so cheesy. Now we have Gateways, and it is even more cheesy.

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Last.fm: Mercenarion

Yes, Dimmu now has so much cheese, they could open a fucking deli.
 

 
 
 
 
Don't get me wrong though, I'm not condeming them for not being Black Metal anymore, I just think that what they're trying to be right now just isn't working.

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*skips to Bottom of thread without reading any previous discussion*
Dimmu Borgir has always sucked and always will suck. Even For All Tid, which is considered a classic in symphonic Black Metal circles, was a directionless, weak-kneed pile of doo-doo. I actually think the Shameless pop hooks they've thrown into their chaotic, spastic mix of crap have actually improved  their music, because, at least it makes it somewhat pleasant to listen to. Still, though, Nothing I've heard from them, or 99% of  "symphonic black metal" bands (yes, even Emperor) is all that great.
The only possible exception would be Limbonic Art.

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If you are a false, don't entry, or you'll be burned and died!

Try these symphonic black bands and see if you like them.

Nihternnes
Nauthisuruz
Transcending Bizarre (more avant-garde than the others)
Depresy
Mirrorthrone
Profanum

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Last.fm: Mercenarion

Mirrorthrone kicks ass, but I wouldn't really consider them Black Metal, not even sympho-black. Their sound is just diluted by too many outside influences to still be labeled "black metal". Kinda like Agalloch.

And I'll give the other bands a look, I've heard of most of them in passing but never really bothered to give them a look, mainly because I try to avoid anything with a symphonic Black Metal tag, since every band I've tried from said genre has disappointed me so far.

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If you are a false, don't entry, or you'll be burned and died!

I thought that their Serpentine Offering track was f*@#ing cheesy and haven't bothered with their releases since, including that album.
As far as this album is concerned, I decided to check it out and I like it! And I find that Gateways does tend to grow on one...
I think it's been quite a while since they were really considered to be a BM band, tho I tend to Judge a band on the basis of simply whether I like them or not, rather than how pure of genre they are.
PEM was a better album, tho, in my opinion...

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Video premiere of the new self titled track of Dimmu Borgir next Monday on Myspace in Europe! So, TWO more days to go!

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New Metal Release the latest Hard n' Heavy releases

I always thought the Dimmu song 'Glittertind' would have been perfect as the Dimmu Borgir title song... that's just my opinion though.

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I do album art for bands! Send me a Message or email [email protected] for more info. My website: http://curtisbotham.weebly.com/