Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Dimmu Borgir-Death Cult Armageddon (re-release)-Nuclear Blast Records-2004 reviewed by: Chaoslord

I know you guys are thinking "Oh Christ another re-release by a band after I already bought the original version!" Well rest easy because this is one re-release worth the cost. If you haven't heard the album you should definitely pick it up (preferrably in the re-release form) :). This is probably, in my humble opinion, the best black metal CD that has come out lately. This album is very impressive overall and will be the one that you listen to repeatedly when you get that evil streak running through you. Even after being floored by their previous effort, "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia", I wasn't prepared for this album in the least. This Swedish group totally kicked my ass with this album. Between Galder and Silenoz' (guitarists) searing and catchy riffs all the way to Nick Barker's (drums) skull crushing drums I was battered, beaten and bloody after listening to this album. But I still came crawling back for more. The band is rounded out by Shagrath on vocals, Mustis on keyboards, and Vortex on bass. A quick review of the actual album is that you need to by this if you are a black metal fan. Standout tracks include "Progenies of the Great Apocalypse", "Lepers Among Us" and "Heavenly Perverse". Also check out the Swedish language tracks "Vredesbyrd" and "Allehelgens Død I Helveds Rike". The previous tracks are similar to what you have heard on the albums "Stormblast" and "For All Tid". On to the bonus disc.

But the point of the re-release is all the goodies that come with it. This re-release features two orchestral versions of songs on the regular album: "Progenies of the Great Apocalypse" and "Eradication Instincts Defined". Also included is the video for "Progenies" and one more which eludes me at the moment. But forget all this stuff. What makes this re-release are the covers on here. Bathory's (R.I.P. Quorthon) "Satan My Master" from the album "Jubileum Vol.3" and Twisted Sister's "Burn in Hell" from the album "Stay Hungry". While the Bathory cover is sick and incredibly awesome, the Twisted Sister cover steals the show. I had heard this cover once before and was quite pissed that it wasn't featured on the last Twisted Sister tribute album released or on anything for that matter.

You can imagine my surprise when I saw this cover on here. Musically it is the same only with an ass-kicking dose of heaviness and Shagrath's eerie rasps at the beginning and his raspy vocals overall make this song creepy enough to appear in the equally creepy "Strangeland" movie featuring Dee Snider. But Vortex's clean vocals on the chorus just make this cover complete. If anyone has heard old Borknagar and heard his clean vocals they know what I'm talking about. Even if this album had been a single of the Twisted Sister cover I still would have paid full price for it because it is that good. So if you want a great Black Metal CD and a kick ass Twisted Sister cover, pick this damn album up and support metal!!!!


--Chaoslord 09.27.04