Dimmu Borgir, Auckland NZ, 2018

Dimmu Borgir

14th October 2018
Studio, Auckland, New Zealand.

Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Doug Peters.

‘Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail…’

No truer words could have been spoken from the lips of Shagrath, lead vocalist of Dimmu Borgir as he stood before a salivating Auckland crowd last night; Dimmu Borgir having blazed their own trail for nigh on twenty-five years. Appearing for the very first time on New Zealand soil this was indeed an auspicious occasion both band and fans treating it as such, the energy flowing between the two creating an almost symbiotic relationship throughout the entiriety of the seventy-five-minute set.

To ensure that the audience was properly prepared for what was about to befall them, Australian band Earth Rot delivered a set of their own special concoction of blackened death metal. The ‘four fetid knaves’ that hail from Perth have slowly been gathering momentum since their inception in 2014, the current line-up consisting of band members J.P. Bridgeman, T.S. Waterhouse, C.A.X. Dickie and D.J. Maloney forming a strong bond over the last two years.

Heavily influenced by bands such as Dark Funeral and Emperor the quartet have quite a tidy little discography under their arm, their evolution from their EP ‘Dirt’ released in 2014 to their latest album Renascentia released in March last year evident. In between Bridgeman’s muscle tearing vocals, copious band member windmills and blast beats was a set that drew from across their releases, the primeval death metal Bloodbath-esque track ‘The Ancient Fire’ from Renascentia a particular stand-out. Finishing on ‘Black Tears’ from their debut album Follow The Black Smoke and it is safe to say that Earth Rot burnt their sigil into those that bore witness.

As the room heaved and swayed under the feet of hundreds of black clad fans, smoke crept across the stage floor, its tendrils searching out pathways in which to infiltrate. Lights dimmed, and voices rose in euphoric cheer, many New Zealand fans still in disbelief that they were about to baptised by the one and only Dimmu Borgir.

Arriving on stage in ornately decorative hooded sleeveless tunics that gave the impression that they had spent many years wandering the plains of the underworld; Dimmu Borgir hit the crowd square in their collective chests with ‘The Unveiling’ from their latest album Eonian, their first in eight years. The track is the perfect opener for the show encompassing all that Dimmu Borgir has been, is and will forever be. It is timeless, combining the best of traditional Norwegian Black Metal with the symphonic that Borgir adopted and raised as their own sadist offspring.

While Borgir has certainly seen it’s fair share of turmoil and member changes over the years – Shagrath and rhythm guitarist Silenoz the only members left from the original formation – the current line-up and musical direction of the band appears to be stronger than ever, in fact in many ways reinvigorated as evidenced by Eonian; several tracks gracing the set list tonight, each one triumphant, each one celebrated wholeheartedly by their New Zealand fans.

While the venue itself can often be renowned for less than ideal acoustics, the Borgir team must have indeed made the appropriate sacrifices to the deities as the nuances throughout the set could be picked out, the recordings of the choral arrangements by the Schola Cantorum Choir coming through crisp and clear yet without overpowering the live instrumentation. Borgir were engaged with their audience, looks and horn shaped hand salutes shared between both band members and audience, Shagrath pausing periodically to thank New Zealand for their tenacity and support.

Perched behind an impressive kit, Daray did experience some minor technical difficulties, but these were rectified swiftly, leaving him to pummel out, spine snapping work that could not be faulted, the guitar line slithering over the top and in between with their demonic finger work. While granted the usual grandeur of some of their overseas stage set-ups could not be replicated here, the visual aspect of the set was nonetheless breathtaking as beams of light tore through the haze of smoke illuminating the often-crucified pose of Shagrath.

Concluding their set with ‘Puritania’ from the 2001 album Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia and Dimmu Borgir bid the crowd goodnight, both parties safe in the knowledge that an encore would be demanded and delivered. Sure enough the six-piece returned, bestowing upon the hordes of soul bearing acolytes another three sermons that concluded with ‘Mourning Palace’ from one of their earliest albums, 1997’s Enthrone Darkness Triumphant.

As expended bodies and sated spirits filed from the building, behind them the smoke settled, Dimmu Borgir no doubt returning to their unearthly travels on the trail they continue to blaze.

Were you there at the Studio to check out this symphonic black metal ritual? Or have you seen Dimmu Borgir perform live some other time? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Setlist:

1. [Intro]
2. The Unveiling
3. Interdimensional Summit
4. The Chosen Legacy
5. The Serpentine Offering
6. Gateways
7. Sovereign
8. Council Of Wolves And Snakes
9. Archaic Correspondence
10. Puritania
11. Indoctrination [encore]
12. Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse [encore]
13. Mourning Palace [encore]
14. [Outro]

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