Album Review: Dimmu Borgir - Eonian

It's been eight years since Norwegian black metal veterans Dimmu Borgir offered up their last release Abrahadabra, the ninth in their now ten-album catalogue.  

It's fitting and rather timely that the first to hit the double digits also doubles as the soundtrack to mark their 25th year as a band. Like many of their genre brethren, the band line-up was never safe from an ever-rotating cast of characters over the years, but they eluded tragic dramas that seemed to unfold around them (murder, violent alcoholism and church arsons riddled their compatriots Mayhem's softly beating career, for example). Despite what could easily be hindrances to a steady and quality output, Dimmu Borgir have kept a firm hand on the rudder to give Eonian depth, if not the fierceness and complexity they once proffered.

What Eonian lacks in their aforementioned qualities it certainly makes up for with some truly pretty orchestration throughout, but particularly in opener The Unveiling, which floats along with sighing, choral motifs underpinned by that ever-present double kick. Interdimensional Summit and Aetheric stick to a straighter line, particularly the former that busts out some sustained, '80s-metal guitar chords and big stadium drums. However, it's only further in that the demonic old Dimmu Borgir vocals and rampant pace deviate from the same old with Lightbringer and I Am Sovereign.