Symphonic Metal: First Album

Psychedelic Paul wrote: Cristi wrote: Psychedelic Paul wrote: ^ I was being generous in giving Dimmu Borgir's debut  a 2-star rating. The singer was dreadful, although to call him a "singer" is giving him far too much credit. A few singing lessons wouldn't go amiss, instead of growling his way through an entire album.  That's probably the first and last time I'll listen to any Black Metal and thanks for the warning about Therion. You deserve a thumbs-up for that.   Black metal vocals are different from death metal ones.  The thing is that I bet the Dimmu Borgir vocalist can actually sing, but that kind of vocals he did there is a choice and definitely not easy to do. Same case for death metal growls. Just saying. And I do not like Dimmu Borgir, not my thing. Both subgenres are a hit and miss with me.  To be honest, I wish I'd never included Dimmu Borgir in the poll now, then I could have spared myself having to listen to those dreadful growling vocals on their debut album. Their second album can only get better, hopefully.

Edited by Cristi - November 02 2024 at 09:44

Psychedelic Paul wrote: ^ If I'd stuck to the bands I know, then there'd only be three albums in the poll, by Leaves' Eyes, Nightwish and Within Temptation.  Thanks for the advice. I'll gladly leave Dimmu Borgir out of the second poll if their albums don't get any better.

Archisorcerus wrote: ^ Dimmu Borgir surely have been doing symphonic music since 1999. Even their earlier stuff is arguably symphonic. They have been using real symphonic orchestras to be a fully-fledged symphonic metal band for a loooong time. Yes, they don't fit here (the "Prog Polls" section), but not because they are not symphonic.

Psychedelic Paul wrote: ^ If I'd stuck to the bands I know, then there'd only be three albums in the poll, by Leaves' Eyes, Nightwish and Within Temptation.  Thanks for the advice. I'll gladly leave Dimmu Borgir out of the second poll if their albums don't get any better.

I would not think that "if they don't get any better" (a subjective assessment) should be as important as "if they don't fit symphonic metal better".

I quite like Dimmu Borgir (can't say I've explored lot) and based on my limited knowledge, I would think that you might like their more melodic and more symphonic recent albums (while still being in the black metal camp). You might want to give Eonian a go at some time. I think it's a very easy-listening album while maintaining some elements that you might not like (or normally like) - almost epic black lounge metal to me at times. I like the variety.

Not posting this because I think it's most appropriate or you would like it particularly, but because I like it.



EDIT: As to this poll, really not familiar enough to vote.

Edited by Logan - February 26 2022 at 05:06

Logan wrote: Psychedelic Paul wrote: ^ If I'd stuck to the bands I know, then there'd only be three albums in the poll, by Leaves' Eyes, Nightwish and Within Temptation.  Thanks for the advice. I'll gladly leave Dimmu Borgir out of the second poll if their albums don't get any better.   I would not think that "if they don't get any better" (a subjective assessment) should be as important as "if they don't fit symphonic metal better". I quite like Dimmu Borgir (can't say I've explored lot) and based on my limited knowledge, I would think that you might like their more melodic and more symphonic recent albums (while still being in the black metal camp). You might want to give Eonian a go at some time. I think it's a very easy-listening album while maintaining some elements that you might not like (or normally like) - almost epic black lounge metal to me at times. I like the variety. Not posting this because I think it's most appropriate or you would like it particularly, but because I like it. EDIT: As to this poll, really not familiar enough to vote.

I'm no metal expert, but I think that Eonian (2018) by Dimmu Borgir would fit well enough with the likes of Epica. I think it depends on the album.

^ No man, we may have differing ideas. It is totally cool with me. But their albums in the new millennium (I wrongly said 1999, sorry) are clearly symphonic metal. Their previous stuff are surely melodic, but arguably they had symphonic vibes too. As far as I know, Dimmu Borgir was the first extreme (black or death) metal band that used fully-fledged symphony orchestras in their music. Or at least, they made it most widely known.

Logan wrote: Cristi wrote: Logan wrote: I'm no metal expert, but I think that Eonian (2018) by Dimmu Borgir would fit well enough with the likes of Epica. I think it depends on the album. I think Ozgur is the only one who cam make a fair judgement as he knows and likes Dimmu Borgir.  Metalheads' opinions are divided on Euonian.  https://metalstorm.net/bands/album.php?album_id=93524&band_id=86&bandname=Dimmu+Borgir I am only interested in two metalhead's opinions here, yours and Ozgur's although I'm guessing you haven't heard the album then? I like that album and associate it with the likes of Epica, but I've been told at this forum that things that remind me of something else sound nothing alike and in this case it is a category of music that I have not researched much or explored deeply. My point often in such things as that it's important to look at the album or even track level when approaching topics such as these. Dimmu Borgir, for inatance, might then be said to only fit this series well enough for its tenth album (not that I'm claiming that).

Archisorcerus wrote: The thing here is, Epica and Nightwish uses operatic vocals and Dimmu Borgir mainly uses growling and screaming vocals. But the term is "symphonic", not "operatic". So, as long as a band uses symphonic instrumentation, it makes symphonic music. Clearly, Dimmu Borgir fits this criterion.

Archisorcerus wrote: ^ Some say all of them are heavy metal, some say black and death metal are "abominations". All is well with me.

Edited by Cristi - February 26 2022 at 07:28