Customer Reviews

Diabolis Interium

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Much has been said and debated concerning the unconventional twists and turns that black metal has been taking since about 1998. The innovators and purveyors of all that is black, unholy, and enigmatically "necro" - Emperor, Mayhem, Satyricon, and Tormentor, to name but a few - made drastic shifts and changes in sound, philosophy, and image at the turn of the millennium, allowing various other extreme musical genres as well as unconventional sounds to creep into the mix. And while many of these releases were monumental successes in their own right, a it's pretty safe to say that a great number of fans and followers sincerely felt abandoned, longing for the days when black metal was still just that - traditional black metal. The genre that fiercely prided itself on being "true" and underground was, oddly enough, expanding into wildly experimental territories. And although it was exciting and fresh to witness such developments in the scene, it left many wondering where to turn.
Well, look no further - Black Metal is alive and well. Along with the likes of Dark Throne, Immortal, and fellow countrymen Marduk, Dark Funeral have consistently released albums of the finest order to prove that the haunting spirit of Black Metal is still as vital as its ever been, no matter from which country it originates.
Just like any other genre, Black Metal has its share of "high-profile" bands that have released albums generally regarded as essential listening, most of which have been previously mentioned. After juggling - and then finally solidifying - a superb line-up over the course of a couple of albums while fostering and developing their talents (and I mention this to prove their success is the product of dedication and hard work, not luck or chance), Dark Funeral has finally become a name just as legendary as the rest of the Black Metal elite. Granted, with their hunger and vision they have always deserved it, but "Diabolis Interium", without a doubt their best album to date, has broken Dark Funeral away from the pack of Black Metal multitudes and undoubtedly has firmly placed them in the revered major-leagues once and for all.
It's actually a little difficult to pinpoint and explain the actual evidence of this development; personally, I believe it's because the entire essence of Dark Funeral was just so "on-the-mark" this time around - the writing, playing, production, packaging, etc. All of the ingredients of a "classic" just came together so perfectly that you can't help but agree upon listening that you're witnessing a landmark. But above all else is something here that many Black Metal artists forget to prioritize: GREAT SONGS. Unfortunately, the reason so many lesser-known BM bands stay that way is because while they work so hard on getting the right speed, guitar tone, production sound, corpse-paint, and general over-the-top ambience, they forget that great songs make an album worthwhile. Dark Funeral hasn't forgotten this, and that's where "Diabolus Interium" ultimately succeeds. Specifically speaking of great songwriting, "The Arrival Of Satan's Empire", is very reminiscent of "Anthems" -era Emperor, minus the keyboards. That's not to say it's unoriginal - far from it - that's just to say it has all the great essences and blood of some of the best Black Metal ever. No matter though, this single song is likely the greatest track Dark Funeral has penned yet; here's hoping that it's a sign of things to come. This same vibe and spirit are carried through the entire album, as "An Apprentice Of Satan", "Armageddon Finally Comes", the title track, and all the rest can prove.
At a time in which so many bands are ready to deny or tone down their Black Metal leanings, Dark Funeral are here to say that Black Metal is not dead, nor is it going away any time soon. At least not while they keep putting out superb albums that completely capture the urgency, the majesty, the horror, and the violence - the cornerstones of Black Metal - like "Diabolis Interium" does. And as the translated album title represents, there is definitely a beast within - a devil inside. Whether or not Dark Funeral is exorcising or exercising that demon, they sure are making Black Metal all the better for it.

The music here echoes from the early days of Emperor (sans keyboards) and oftentimes fine Immortal tendencies. Okay, so this is not a "groundbreaking" album crashing through the proverbial threshold of past excursions through the grim lands of Black Metal, but they emulate their peers admirably. The attack is brutal and straightforward for the most part, but after listening to the CD a few more times the "wall of sound" begins to bear fruit with some excellent guitar work and a lead vocal performance that never loses its intensity. The production on this disc is solid, as well, the most evident studio tricks used to enhance the vocalizations into a state of menacing provocation. The occasional sound effect adds just the right amount of flavor to these already dark proceedings. Not every song here is simply a blast of Black Metal rage. There are variations in tempo, the most effective track being "Goddess of Sodomy" (sick title), but the fury peaks again with the title song, "Diabolis Interium," which demands immediate submission or death! Outstanding sequencing! While I won't call this album a masterpiece it is nonetheless a brutal excursion into the realms of classic Black Metal without the symphonic bombast or progressive tendencies of other bands who hail from the genre. This album is uncompromising, in-your-face, spitting blood, corpse-painted Black Metal. A wicked album cover never hurts either. Later.

If there is anything to like about this album it is the fact that it doesn't follow standard "true" black metal jurisprudences, but still manage to sound good without branching off into the mainstream. This album is not cold, grim, or necro like "true" black metal, it's much more polished and glabrous in sound and deliverance. The production is crystal clear without any rigid feel to it and every instrument can be heard with ease, with the exception of the double-kicks on drums. Most of the album is pretty damn fast, except for "Goddess of Sodomy," which is almost breaking the boundaries between mid-pace and fast. There are a lot of blast beats on drums, which only keeps things more chaotic.

When the guitars play, it feels like a steamroller is coming to run me down, because the entire sound is very thick and turbid, leaving no timbral space unoccupied. They provide a lot of melody with fast tremolo picking that doesn't let up once it starts. This album isn't the kind of black metal that resides in the cold forests on earth; instead it submerges into the pits of Hell and exhumes the elements of chaos and scorching fires. Yes, the name "Satan" is thrown around very much, but since when did lyrics or the band's image decide if the music was good or not? Ignore the nay sayers who call this mall core; they are stuck in their own close-minded world with their own stupid ideologies of what makes a black metal band tr00 and kvlt.

The vocals are like a growling scream, fairly raspy, but not very high in tone. The vocals are also fairly consistent and don't really change much in pitch, but that isn't an issue for me (nor others, I'm sure). None of the songs sound the same, but are constructed in a fairly similar manner. This is probably their best album when it comes to variety in songs; all of them are marvelous. It's evidencing that Dark Funeral really put their effort into this, because I find all of the songs to be equally enjoyable, which means they didn't run short of ideas and decide to throw any filler songs in. Everything about this album screams with aggression and energy that consumes listeners in a wake of inferno.

This is a nice solid album from Dark Funeral; probably their best so far. Ignore the super tr00ps and at least give this a chance before passing it up. However, if you're only into black metal that is cold, dark, and atmospheric, then you'll probably dislike this.

I just got my copy of Dark Funeral--Diabolis Interium.
This CD is melt your walls heavy.By far the greatest
metal CD ever made.If you have'nt heared Dark Funeral,
Then get a CD and hear an awesome Band.Secret's of the
black arts, Is also a great CD.
(...)Get your copy
today.

First, let me start out by saying that this a truly excellent album. It's easily as good as "Vobiscum Satanas" or "In the Sign..." and even louder and heavier than the rest of their discography. Unlike "Secrets...," however, each song stands out in its own way and every song is classic, except for maybe the title track, which I really don't care for. My favorites include Hail Murder, An Apprentice of Satan, Thus I Have Spoken, and Armageddon Finally Comes. If possible, get the red leather digipack; they're individually numbered and will hopefully become a collector's item. This album is simply killer; don't miss it.

Once again, Dark Funeral have given the black metal community another classic album. The intense and dark atmosphere set by this band is so unique and has placed Dark Funeral as one of the genre's top names. With Klosbin back on guitar with his heavy, unique and fast playing style and Virgil on vocals, this is the ultimate album I would recommend to any black metal fan. Go get it now!

In my opinion, this is the quintessential Swedish black metal sound: a strong sense of modality and a heavy reliance on harmonic minor scales played at furious speeds. There is no album that better exemplifies this technique than Diabolis Interium, with the possible exception of Pariah by Naglfar. This album, without exaggeration, is a landmark for this genre. But Dark Funeral breaks no new ground with this release. The drumming is solid but standard, and this approach to black metal has been done a million times before. What sets this album apart from most of the others is that the songwriting is excellent. Forgive the pop reference, but the reason the Beatles were better than everybody else was not because they were better musicians or that they played music that was completely new, but that their songs were better. Oftentimes, inventiveness is only a substitute for genius.

The Arrival Of Satan's Empire, the album's opener, is by far the album's standout track, charging head first into the album with two crushing riffs and cord sequences. These riffs are probably the best on the CD, except for the cord sequence to the chorus of Goddess Of Sodomy. That track is a nice surprise with its mid-paced rhythms and reliance on structure to get its point across - this song forces you to absorb it. An Apprentice Of Satan is a fairly rewarding listen as well, though it takes some time to build.

The only real negative about this album is that the best songs are at the beginning, making the last half of the album a little boring in comparison. This is a pretty good problem to have, actually. All the songs are solid; it's just that the first couple songs are extraordinary. Depending on your black metal bent, you may not like the fact the production is very clean. This doesn't bother me in the slightest. Honestly, I think it's a good thing. There are a number of instances when in order to truly appreciate the music, you have to be able to make out everything that's going on musically, and necro doesn't lend itself to clarity.

To me, Diabolis Interium stands next to Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk, Sons Of Northern Darkness, Nemesis Divina, and Armada as one of the best black metal albums ever.

This has been Dark Funeral's best work yet. All the songs are simply amazing. My two favorite tracks are An apprentice of satan and thus i have spoken. But all the rest are very good as well. I recommend this first. Then you can move on to Secrets and Vobiscum.

Chances are, if you're reading this review, you've already made up your mind about dark funeral. You either love them, in which you will love this release more than anything in the world, or you hate them, and in that case this CD won't make you love them.

The Tatgren production on this CD makes the guitar like a steamroller of sound, a total timbral assault. The drums are unrelenting, and fast too, and the vocals are consistently demonic. So, really, there's nothing much that's new, it's just old Dark Funeral x 1000 and even more.

Again, if you don't like Dark Funeral, you won't like this. If you like Dark Funeral, you won't be able to stop listening to this. Thus I have spoken.

Fav. songs: Diabolis Interium, Hail Murder, Apprentice Of Satan, Armaggeddon Finally Comes

Dark Funeral have made a furious assault upon your ears with this one. Some of the fastest and most brutal black metal made in the 21st century is on Diabolis Interium. Maniacal, grim, melodic and as serious as a nailgun held to your head, Diabolis Interium's intensity is so high that you might need to take a breather in the middle of the CD. Its just that relentless an assault of sublime blasphemy, these guys mean it.