ABSOLUTELY EPIC ORCHESTRAL METAL // DIMMU BORGIR - Gateways // Composer Reaction & Analysis

[@houdini8172]

You're right, there are indeed flute trills, there's actually a full symphony orchestra, the Norwegian Radio Orchestra (Kringkastingsorkesteret). I was at this concert, and one thing I remember well was how low the PA was, they were avoiding too high volume to get a better recording.

[@QVIRINVS]

So glad you've reacted to THIS song of DB. Just a reminder.. u know, the "satanist" shape of the band concept.. So, these lyrics are about freedom, rebirth, self-made I.. etc etc.. and it's a good plot . The fact is that is so similar to the luciferian doctrine and that "do what thou will" of Alester Crowley.. But nothing weird, maybe sometimes we're frightened by ideas just for the labels XD About the clean voice, i dont know if i got what u were saying.. but Dimmu Borgir had for many years a clean voice.. and he was Vortex ICS, imho a fallen angel embodied in a voice. If u want, just check "The Insight and the Catharsis" of Dimmu.. album version if u want to stay focused on both music and voice, or live version just to check that VOICE live.... Cheers from Italy Bryan

[@TravelingHC]

I was at that concert, it was absolutely fantastic! Love your reactions :)

[@Rose-From-the-Dead]

I've seen this video so many times and I tear up at that exact same moment every time.

[@ovidiu_nl]

I love that horn at 5:00

[@Freddespelarspel]

It would be interesting or fun if you ever did a full reaction to this specific concert, instead of a Full album review, it would be like a Concert review, instead.

[@lasseiversen1815]

🤘

[@Godless-Being]

I wonder what the Moshpit was like

[@bymyenemy]

You have the best metal reactions bro

[@en_og_to_og_tre]

You really have to watch the full concert "Dimmu Borgir - Forces Of The Northern Night Live in Oslo Spektrum 2011". 1 hour and 30 minutes of perfect metal harmony. Dimmu Borgir has also written music parts only for orchestra and choir, and these parts seamlessly completes the performance.

[@rayv0125]

I'm so happy galder is going to be focussing on old man's child again!

[@Bottna]

A pint for that! 🍺

[@ZanbarBehrami]

Bryan. Check out Mechina-Xenon full album is a must. So many details added and well blended. Enjoy

[@Radean1]

You should start with either Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia or Enthrone Darkness Triumphant. Definitely top 2.

[@ErikGrimms]

Such a sick ass performance. I love the climax with the brass and the call and response from the vocalists, peak epicness right there. On another topic, swedish band "Allt" is gearing up to release their debut album and I've been obsessing over the tracks they've released so far. Try to get around to checking out Aquila by Allt, it's an insane banger and hopefully they break big.

[@IllustriousCrocoduck]

Check out Satyricon live with the symphony. "Phoenix" with Sivert Hoyem

[@Matiwe]

Bryan you are the fucking man! Do some KNOWER! Epic, jazzy, funky stuff, you will love it. Songs to hear: Nightmare or overtime, both are awesome.

[@CriticalReactions]

YES! I love Knower. I've been jamming to "I'm The President" and "Do Hot Girls Like Chords" all year. Knower Forever was a highlight last year but I didn't feel it was consistent enough to put in my AOTY for 2023.

[@ToonamiAftermath]

I love Dimmu, they bring different looks on different songs, some are brutal some are heavy metal this one is just epic in every way

[@rykehuss3435]

they dont have any real black metal songs, except perhaps from For all tid and Stormblåst. They have long since moved on from that sound

[@Benobot99]

@rykehuss3435 You don't think Relinquishment of Spirit and Flesh, and Tormentor of Christian Souls are black metal?? Even Silenoz says Relinquishment is his favorite because of how dark it is.

[@rykehuss3435]

@@Benobot99 No. All that is trash

[@zyrphath]

Love these comprehensive reactions/breakdowns, especially when they include lyrics

[@JarkkoToivonen]

Dimmu’s best moments which sounds great. Unfortunately today’s live Dimmu sounds like guys are old and tired and their live gig was not good when they played at Tuska, Helsinki, Finland without orchestra.

[@Benobot99]

Their older albums are super incredible.

[@rykehuss3435]

theyre lame

[@Benobot99]

@@rykehuss3435 Not their 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2003 albums. Those are masterpieces. Their 2010 and 2018 albums are nowhere near as good.

[@JeremyBarbell]

Their old albums are the only good ones. Abrahadabra is terrible, as is this song Gateways. Eonian is ok but not great. Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia is the last phenomenal album they released.

[@rykehuss3435]

@@JeremyBarbell its all shit

[@landrec2]

Wow that was sick!!!!!

[@markblaauw4961]

One of the best ever written metal compositions. You've got to be a sort of freak to think up something like this?....

[@MaartenT]

The second vocalist, Agnete Kjølsrud, is a guest vocalist that was used on 2 tracks of the album this was on from what I can see and I am pretty sure she was only present for this track during this performance. She has her own band called "Djerv", but I haven't heard them yet. For bands that use orchestras on their albums you can check out Septicflesh (their later albums, starting from their 2008 album Communion) and Fleshgod Apocalypse. I don't know how many albums Dimmu Borgir have done with orchestras, but I don't think it's a huge amount. They are probably switched out with electronica/synths instead on most of their albums.

[@fe2rr]

djerv is like hard rock with black metal vibes. a bit experimental but doesnt sound bad

[@CriticalReactions]

I need to find a band that makes orchestral metal like Dimmu or Fleshgod but with a permanent clean vocalist in the group. Every time I find an excellent song like this I'm informed about how the vocalist is a guest for just this track and I get disappointed 😅 edit actually that's kind of Seven Spires, which reminds me that I need to check out their latest album

[@MaartenT]

@@CriticalReactions Septicflesh has an official member who does clean vocals, but I am pretty sure his cleans are not present on every track. Their main vocals are certainly harshes. That said, they released a live album/blu-ray in 2020 called "Infernus Sinfonica MMXIX" which was recorded in 2019 in a theater in Mexico City and I absolutely love that live set. It was apparently the full Toluca Philharmonic Orchestra that was there, so they had a LOT of people on stage (and around) including I believe 2 choirs, one adult and one children choir. I don't remember if the children were around for the full set, it might have been for a couple of tracks only. One of the members of Septicflesh studied composition at the London College of Music, so he knows a bit about composing classical music. I can't really think of any other bands that use orchestras other than the ones I mentioned.

[@fe2rr]

@@CriticalReactions imperial circus dead decandence maybe(?

[@houdini8172]

@@CriticalReactions These Norwegians make orchestral extreme metal and has a permanent clean vocalist (who also plays the guitar), you should lend them an ear: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f33MY2eNptxsgaM

[@Sgtstd]

I was really waiting for a reaction on 6:01. And I got it :)

[@forrest705]

Besides Therion’s “Miskolc Experience “ Dimmu really brings the classical component live!

[@gustavmetal]

Plus SepticFlesh

[@odedeliyahu1756]

you are correct its the only song with a female vocalist, her name is Agnete Kjølsrud from the band Djerv

[@MMasterDE]

jeez, Dimmu Borgir took off hard back in late 90s and early 2000s, and that was interesting and commercial BM for sure. I quite like their earlier Stormblåst album though, but whatever. uuuh, nowadays, idk... is it even BM anymore? idk They do put on a show though. Oh, and also, this song is from after they kicked out two of the people that really made their sound in their popular period, because of credits dispute. Morons for doing it, can't really play their old stuff anymore because of this either.

[@TheGiiant]

This is so fantastic. For so many years I have written to "reaction people" that they should listen to this one and Satyricon Mother North at the Opera. This is magic in all aspects

[@iancraig5415]

Lorna shore's "welcome back o' sleeping dreamer" honestly feels like a refreshingly modern but heavier take on dimmu borgir. It's got one of my favorite choruses ever with this insanely cool dual tremolo lead with what sounds like synth organs and strings over top harmonizing with the guitars, and an awesome thematic focus around lovecraftian imagery with tons of tempo and style shifts that call back to previous era black metal sounds and symphonic metal.

[@Ruija27]

Clarinet can blast, as evidenced by the Necrophagist covers

[@TheGrav666]

Another fantastic analysis, Bryan. Perhaps someone else has mentioned this, but Dimmu's previous clean vocalist, ICS Vortex, is now in Borknagar. Also, just wanted to give you a heads-up of the brand new Iotunn track, 'I Feel The Night'. Fantastic track that I would love to hear you dissect. Previously, you analyzed their full album, Access All Worlds, and I agree with your point about the production being sub-par. I believe they have addressed that with this newest track. Absolutely epic song, imo. Thanks for all you do! kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2i8p5R8gLCjabM

[@ShadinCore]

20:33 i'm not the biggest dummy burger understander, but i do remember then when album from which this track is from, "abrahadabra", came out, people were complaining that they almost completely abandoned black metal, so it might be the best to start for you or, since at this time it's penultimate one, you can go in reverse order i remember on livestream we had song "the sacrilegious scorn" from album "in sorte diaboli", which is right before abrahadabra, and it didn't clicked much with you (which might have been just that song, maybe you'll like album as a whole much better, but still), so i have a suspicion that maybe it would be a little too "blackened" for you but you can never know, i guess, and maybe you will appreciate their progression with time as a band and such, but, again, i think last two albums would probably be more your kind of tea

[@CriticalReactions]

Yup, if metal fans aren't happy then it's probably a clear sign that I'll enjoy it :)

[@thegrimner]

Cruella deVille saves the track for me, pretty much. She projects a lot of emotion into her vocals and a lot of anger and energy for someone not even directly connected to metal. She collaborated with Dimmu, and with Solefald as well (another band you must check out sometime), but she's more from a rock milieu. Dimmu did have a clean singer prior, ICS Vortex/Simen Hestnæs, who's one hell of a vocalist, and can be seen on a lot other bands, from Borknagar (where he shares singing duties with a guy from Solefald) to Arcturus (the former band from the singer of Ulver, and another one you definitely, absolutely must check out for intersections of metal with the symphonic and the theatric. And yes, you are probably seeing the absolutely incestuous nature of the norwegian scene by now, everyone played on everyone else's band at some point). Dimmu are good either on shows like this, or in smaller doses. More than that and the cracks in the armour become very apparent. I always maintained the metal aspect of Dimmu Borgir is their weakest point and seldom does enough on its own to make the tracks good. And they do rely on a fair bit of outside help for the orchestrations. I know it's not so much a point for you, but for someone like me who's accostumed to praising bands on composition more than execution, it does detract from any praise further than the skin deep. But still, their concerts are a good enough time.

[@Nelly666x]

Glad to see you enjoy some black metal! And I would recommend to start in this order below: 1. Eonian 2. Enthrone Darkness Triumphant 3. Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia 4. Death Cult Armageddon 5. Spiritual Black Dimensions 6. In Sorte Diaboli 7. Abrahadabra

[@paolosmeazzetto6357]

I think that metal with the addition of an orchestra really has a great effect and in my opinion this is one of the best examples Another excellent (softer) example that I recommend if you've never heard it is Illumination theory by Dream Theater

[@thereference2337]

AAAAaaaaahhhhhh!

[@fysy9989]

Dimmu Borgir are black metal for people who don't like black metal. And by that I mean myself

[@CriticalReactions]

I'm in that same boat! 😄

[@rayv0125]

React to old man's child please!

[@maudjito]

I'd like a new Vildhjarta reaction! It has been 4 years since the last one and they released some sweet singles since then. Try: + den spanska känslan +

[@darrenbooker8144]

Wait till you hear Vortex on bass and clean vocals, he legit is more powerful then an entire choir.... Listen to puritanical misanthropic misanthropia And the the next album, Mustis, wrote all the string sections, hes classically trained.... Just brilliant 👏 👌

[@soleywolfgangsdottir]

if you want to experience some intense music with choir and orchestra you need to check out the symphonic viking voyage, a two hour journey into the viking aera. the concert with eivor, einar selvik and the danish national symphonic orchestra is more than stunnig. no metal, though. you can find single tracks taken from this concert here on youtube. the whole concert is to find on the app for danish television, DRTV. and one of my absolute top favourit performances of all times is "Du måste finnas (English subtitles) - Helen Sjöholm (Kristina från Duvemala)". this is taken from a musical by börn and benny from abba. the vocal intensity of this track is otherwordly.

[@ajariel]

the theme of songs featuring a choir and orchestra, yet no Xanthochroid. cmon man :(

[@ShadinCore]

6:24 you liar! 🤣you definitely would be!

[@PedroMotaAS]

I don't think it's that good. Doesn't it lack subtlety, dynamics, instrumental distinction? It's all there in terms of composition but isn't it just a spiritless display of musical games?

[@CriticalReactions]

It really depends on expectations set. In fact, in the past I've made these same criticisms towards orchestral/classical metal. But I've come around to understanding intent and purpose and weighing them more heavily in how I respond to music. Is this a good piece of classical music? No. But it IS a great metal song that goes for a near constant high energy writing style and has more complex composition than most metal songs. And if that was their intention then they absolutely nailed the execution. But even if the song is a perfect recreation of the creator's vision, there's still the bias of the listener. You didn't think this was that great of a song and that's a totally valid opinion. Not everyone is going to like everything.

[@PedroMotaAS]

How are you? As for me, a musical piece is not evaluated solely by the technical-stylistic sophistication of a composition. There are works that are supposedly complex because they demonstrate great knowledge in harmony, dynamics, counterpoint, canon, polyrhythms, etc. However, there is often only exhibition and virtuosity in them, where they lack innovation, spirituality, expression of the social and philosophical movements of a time. There are, like this, spectacular pieces, but what are they worth in comparison with the simplicity of Eric Satie's piano works or, in popular music, with the poetic-musical symbolism of the sometimes flawed songs of The Doors?

[@CriticalReactions]

@@PedroMotaAS Spectacle is sometimes great and often times effective. While spectacle tends to be a bit more temporal, that is that it doesn't age as well as overall exceptional art, I don't think it should immediately be dismissed either. Sometimes I'm in the mood for a high budget action flick and other times I'm wanting a cerebral arthouse film. Both can co-exist and be sought after by the same audience.