DIMMU BORGIR – Grand Serpent Rising

RELEASE YEAR: 2026
BAND URL: https://www.dimmu-borgir.com/

Norwegian legends Dimmu Borgir have returned with a new studio offering, and the good news is that it has been worth the eight-year wait. What immediately becomes obvious upon spinning the disc and digesting the whole of the splendid Grand Serpent Rising is how much thought and creative energy these chaps have poured into the project, and there is a life-affirming quality to the fact that they can still manage to enthrall and engage the listener after thirty-three years of churning out bombastic and epic black metal.  

Sweeping strings, soaring melodies, gothic grandeur, and sharply executed riffs are mainstays of their well-crafted symphonic sound and there is no shortage of either of the aforementioned trademarks and characteristics on Grand Serpent Rising, which is a joy to see and hear. Compared to the previous three or four records, the new opus strikes these ears as being more cohesive and richer in dynamics, and the song sequencing truly works in its favor and appears well thought out. There are simply more thrills to be had here compared to Eonian, for instance. Some compositions undoubtedly tickle the imagination and stir the senses more than others, and at roughly seventy minutes long it could certainly be argued that it is a rather ambitious piece of work, but the overall depth of this offering and its many captivating textures is undeniable, which is emphasized by the production rather neatly with its crunchy tone, widescreen feel, and subtle warmth. In addition, the mix leaves plenty of room for all the instruments to breathe properly and come to the fore. The many different moods that color the content of the LP and the way in which the band utilize their arsenal of tools to scale those towering, majestic heights while simultaneously conjuring up a dark, intriguing atmosphere is both commendable and utterly impressive. In many ways, Silenoz, Shagrath, and their skilled compatriots have churned out the harshest and most extreme-sounding album to sport the Dimmu Borgir moniker in what feels like a very long time, and in some respects, it feels somewhat old-school in the loose sense of the word.

Accessible, memorable, and perfectly melodramatic yet sufficiently layered and cleverly constructed to warrant repeated listens would be an apt way of summing up this one, and Grand Serpent Rising is without doubt a fine addition to the renowned act’s discography. There are plenty of juicy bits for fans of inventively written and catchy black metal to sink their teeth into, and to these ears, there is an aesthetic flair and a strange beauty to how the ideas that constitute such tracks as “As Seen in the Unseen,” “Repository of Divine Transmutation,” “At the Precipice of Convergence,” and most notably “Phantom of the Nemesis” are carried out and brought to vivid life. The latter track will make people lose their minds when aired in a live setting. Mark my words!