NTTR - No Time to Review

Grand Serpent Rising is a clear step up from Eonian . The guitars have more weight, the symphonic elements are better integrated, and Dimmu Borgir sound less interested in pure spectacle and more focused on actual riffs again. “Ascent,” “Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel” and “The Exonerated” are among their strongest tracks in years. The main problem is still excess. At nearly seventy minutes, the album badly needs editing, and several songs rely on scale and production rather than truly memorable writing. The orchestration is impressive, but the best Dimmu Borgir records made grandeur feel dangerous; here it too often feels controlled and familiar. Still, there is enough strong material to make this a convincing return to form. Not remotely close to their peak, but considerably better than just “solid.” Pros Stronger, more prominent guitar work Several genuinely memorable tracks Symphonic elements feel better balanced Cons Far too long Some interchangeable songwriting Still lacks the me...

I like the ambition more than I love the execution. Necropalace clearly wants to be monumental — gothic, theatrical, layered with symphonic textures and doom weight — but for me it never quite crosses into truly commanding territory. The atmosphere is thick, the production is polished, and the riffs are competent, yet the album feels more curated than dangerous. I hear the references — ’90s symphonic black metal, blackened doom grandeur — and they’re done well, but I rarely feel surprised. There are moments where the scale clicks, especially when the tempo drops and the doom elements stretch out the tension. That’s where the band sounds most convincing. But across the full runtime, the impact plateaus. It’s immersive, yes — but not transformative. I respect it, I don’t fully surrender to it. Pros Strong atmosphere & aesthetic coherence – The gothic, necromantic tone is consistent and fully realized. Solid production clarity – Dense arrangements remain readable; nothing c...

Genre : Symphonic Black Metal Country : Australia Final Verdict : 71% (Good Album) Yearly Ranking : 13th / 357 Highlight : Nigh to Her Gloam Made me think of: Dimmu Borgir Wolves in the Throne Room Emperor #newalbum #newalbum2024 #albumrelease #newmusic #albumoftheday #nowspinning #NowPlaying #musicdiscovery #SymphonicBlackMetal #Aquilus #Australia #LP #Album #release