Celebrating the 20th anniversary of their first truly brilliant album, Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia, Norway’s Dimmu Borgir has completely remixed and remastered their modern masterpiece.
An essential album that is improved upon in all ways Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia reminds you and the uninitiated how powerful and ritualistic Dimmu Borgir was compared to many, many others. It is dark and brooding, the grandeur majestic, the arrangements complex and the music quite simply extreme. The original release heralded the arrival of drum Talent Nick Barker and the original favours his considerable talents.
Is the new version of the album? Quite simply stunning. The primal urgency of the original is still present yet the brittle harshness of the original that maintains the true black metal aesthetic has been replaced by a richer textured sound that not only allows you to enjoy the fullness of the live orchestra but also the fantastic riffs of at the time new recruitment Galder. ‘’The Maelstrom Mephisto’’and ‘’Hybrid Stigmata’’ sound magnificent with a larger symphonic element however ‘’ Blessings Upon the Throne of Tyranny’’ is now an even more beastly and massive as is the equally brilliant ‘’ IndoctriNation’’. The new release enhances the bottom end without distracting from what is an incredibly dynamic record with many elements fighting for dominance. It is a deeper more immersive experience that introduced for the first time many of Dimmu Borgir’s now recognizable motifs. “Perfection or Vanity” is now a sorrowful harmonic piece of introspection albeit still far too brief whilst the guitar precision of ‘’Puritania” still remains.
Exhaustive in their efforts to release the complete package’’ Dust of Cold Memories’’ is a complimentary release of demos, rehearsals and pre-production which is a must for any fan and lover of music to track the progression of an album. Plus, you also get the fantastic cover of Twisted Sister’s ‘Burn in Hell”
A monumental piece of work that sounds as vital as it did upon release. ‘’Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia’’ demonstrated their burgeoning greatness. Consider this an alternate release to the original created with much affection for the source material. This is pure symphonic Black Metal as it was intended, lavish, layered and simply unmissable.
Dimmu Borgir: Facebook
Release Year: 2022
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Category: Album
Country: Norway
Reviewed by Sparky
