Dimmu Borgir - Inspiratio Profanus (Album Review)
Dimmu Borgir – Inspiratio Profanus
Released: December 8th, 2023
Current Line Up:
Silenoz // Rhythm Guitars/Bass
Shagrath // Vocals/Keyboards/Bass/Drums
Galder // Lead Guitars/Bass
Dimmu Borgir online:
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The most commercially successful of all the Norwegian black metal acts, Dimmu Borgir’s evolution into a bombastically symphonic, polished entity may have turned off some of the more ‘trve’ fans of the genre – but have undeniably turned a huge number of new listeners onto the blackened metal underworld. With their last full length – 2018’s Eonian – over half a decade old at this point, the band have decided to keep their wheels turning with the dropping of compilation album Inspiratio Profanus. A collection of cover tracks, it sees the group paying tribute to the acts that influenced them – however, with all the material available across various international and deluxe editions of older releases, how vital Inspiratio Profanus is will certainly be one of its main discussion points.
Opening cut 'Black Metal' is a rip-snorting take on the Venom number that named the genre. Lifted from Dimmu Borgir’s In Sorte Diaboli’s sessions, it’s a song that has been covered many times over, yet the Norwegian's straight-to-the-point and high energy take makes for a perfect kick-off for the LP. The following 'Satan My Master' - originally by Bathory - keeps the power coming with the raw two minute blast again playing close to the 1984 original, with frontman Shagrath shredding his larynx on both the proto-black metal classics.
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The delightfully titled 'Dead Men Don’t Rape' (originally by American group GGFH) is arguably the least well known song on here - and also the most interesting interpretation. With production standards as high as they get during the latter-day Abrahadabra period, the band combine the original’s industrial aesthetic with some more pure black metal elements. Bathed in tonnes of mechanical atmosphere, Dimmu Borgir’s addition of epic orchestral parts, machine gun guitars and live drum work make it their own.
Dimmu Borgir’s 2001 version of Twisted Sister’s 'Burn In Hell' makes for an uptempo, almost-fun tune - you can hear the passion coming from this fist-pumping tribute. Deep Purple’s 'Perfect Strangers' - featuring prominent clean vocals from short lived bass player Snowy Shaw - is a little flat, while their 1998 take on 'Metal Heart' by Accept is held back by very-average production and some ropey guitar overdubs.
To sum it up bluntly, Inspiratio Profanus is not an essential effort from Dimmu Borgir. Outside of the fact that it’s convenient to have all their covers in one set - both physically and digitally - it’s a bit of a hard sell to both the devotees who may already have some of these tracks in their collections, and it’s definitely not the first Dimmu Borgir release you’d show prospective fans. There are some great takes on here, and Inspiratio Profanus sheds some light on a few lesser-known Dimmu Borgir cover versions, but ultimately it’s simply a stopgap until we get a new LP (hopefully) in 2024.
Dimmu Borgir – Inspiratio Profanus tracklisting
- Black Metal (Venom cover)
- Satan My Master (Bathory cover)
- Dead Men Don’t Rape (G.G.F.H. cover)
- Nocturnal Fear (Celtic Frost cover)
- Burn in Hell (Twisted Sister)
- Perfect Strangers (Deep Purple cover)
- Metal Heart (Accept cover)
- Nocturnal Fear (Celtically Processed) (Celtic Frost cover)
Rating: 5/10
Inspiratio Profanus is out December 8th on Nuclear Blast. Order here
Review By – Andrew Kapper. Twitter: @andrew_kapper
