After eight years of silence, Dimmu Borgir return with Grand Serpent Rising — and the title alone sounds like a dark invocation from another world. What immediately sets this album apart: it doesn’t sound like a band chasing trends, but like musicians who know exactly who they are.
In 2026, Dimmu Borgir present themselves more mature and more epic than ever before — yet noticeably less brutal than in their most aggressive phases. The rawness gives way to a cinematic force: less direct assault, more dark epic cinema. Those expecting pure ferocity will be surprised — those who surrender to the atmosphere will be rewarded.
The opening tracks feel considerably rawer and more direct than Eonian, without sacrificing the monumental orchestral arrangements. That tension is precisely what makes this album compelling. Certain passages echo the energy of Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia or Death Cult Armageddon — more modern in production, but with more space between the eruptions. That space is what makes atmosphere possible.
Particularly striking are the Norwegian elements and icy Nordic mood that cast a darkness over the album — one that very few bands in this genre have ever pulled off so convincingly. Worth singling out are the piano passages scattered across several tracks — imposing, deliberate and hauntingly effective, adding yet another layer of depth to an already cinematic sound. If there is one track that captures everything Grand Serpent Rising stands for, it is The Exonerated — a song that moves between crushing weight and breathtaking atmosphere, and an easy highlight of the record. Combined with enough dynamic range to keep the album from simply escalating relentlessly, Grand Serpent Rising works as a genuine journey.
After such a lengthy absence, this could easily have felt sterile or overproduced. It doesn’t. Instead, Dimmu Borgir deliver an album that moves between coldness, grandiosity and epic darkness — powerfully proving why their name has been etched into extreme metal history for decades.
Grand Serpent Rising is one of the most compelling metal releases of the year.
Stream the album here: