Abrahadabra (album)
Encyclopedia
Abrahadabra is Norwegian
symphonic black metal
band Dimmu Borgir
's ninth studio album
, released in 2010. The first single from the album, "Gateways", was released on August 20 in Europe and August 24 in North America. On September 14 a video for "Gateways" was released featuring Djerv
front-woman, Agnete Kjølsrud. On September 17 the song "Born Treacherous" was released on Dimmu Borgir's official myspace for streaming. On September 24 the band announced they would stream Abrahadabra in its entirety, until 7 p.m. EST that evening. This would mark the first official release of all the tracks on the album.
, totaling more than 100 musicians and singers.
Gaute Storaas, composer of the orchestral arrangements, released a statement on his role in working on the album. “Their music is epic, thematic and symphonic already from the creation; they are clearly having an orchestral approach to composing. My role in this is sometimes just to transcribe their themes, sometimes to take their ideas, tear them apart and build them back up in ways that are true to the band's intentions. The music must also be both interesting and playable for the musicians, and hopefully, meet the quality standards of the orchestral world.”.
", loosely translated as "I will create as I speak", was created by author Aleister Crowley
in his work, Liber AL vel Legis, or The Book of the Law. This album is the second in the band's repertoire to deviate from the traditional three-word title. Silenoz explained, "[It made] a lot of sense for us to move on from that. It has served its purpose. We are a band that's all about change and moving forward. An album title consisting of one word goes hand-in-hand with the new material." In addition, Silenoz referenced the changes in the band's "musical and lyrical content", as well as changes in the band's line-up playing a role.
The album cover artwork was designed by Joachim Luetke
, who described the artwork's setting as "icy, bleak, wintery, [and] post-industrial". Luetke added that the central figure's mask on the cover is representative of H. P. Lovecraft
's Elder Gods. "The mask/face personifies dominion of powers far beyond mankind. The nameless gods witnessed the birth of our universe and they'll watch it implode. To them, the age of mankind is but a blink of an eye."
After the release of the album, the band announced that all future pressings would carry a different album cover.
and Galder
, in an interview with Outune.net, the album presents musical influences reminiscent of Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia
and Death Cult Armageddon
, with more emphasis on orchestral arrangements.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal
Symphonic black metal is a black metal subgenre that emerged in the mid to late 1990s. The genre is known for its symphonic and orchestral elements and is centralized in Europe.-Characteristics:...
band Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir
Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1993. Dimmu borgir means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse. The name is derived from a volcanic formation in Iceland, Dimmuborgir...
's ninth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, released in 2010. The first single from the album, "Gateways", was released on August 20 in Europe and August 24 in North America. On September 14 a video for "Gateways" was released featuring Djerv
Djerv (disambiguation)
Djerv is a letter, but may also refer to:*SK Djerv 1919*Djerv SK*Djerv, old name of FK Jerv*Djerv, old name of Heggedal IL*Djerv, old name of Bygdø BK* Djerv...
front-woman, Agnete Kjølsrud. On September 17 the song "Born Treacherous" was released on Dimmu Borgir's official myspace for streaming. On September 24 the band announced they would stream Abrahadabra in its entirety, until 7 p.m. EST that evening. This would mark the first official release of all the tracks on the album.
Track listing
The albums official track listing was confirmed on July 23, 2010. All lyrics written by Silenoz, all music composed by Shagrath, Silenoz and Galder.Production
Abrahadabra was in production for eleven months. Silenoz explained that the growing periods of time between albums was because the band had stopped writing music while touring, which was affecting the quality of the music. He described the new album as having an "eerie and haunting feel to it," adding that the material is "epic," "primal," atmospheric and ambient. A promotional image released with the statement showed Shagrath returning to the keyboards. The album features an ensemble orchestra, the Kringkastingsorkestret (the Norwegian Radio Orchestra), as well as the Schola Cantorum choirSchola Cantorum (Norwegian choir)
Schola Cantorum is a chamber choir from Norway. The choir was founded by the composer and conductor Knut Nystedt in 1964, and has given valuable musical experience to generations of Norwegian musicians. Affiliated with the University of Oslo, Department of Musicology, the choir recruits most of...
, totaling more than 100 musicians and singers.
Gaute Storaas, composer of the orchestral arrangements, released a statement on his role in working on the album. “Their music is epic, thematic and symphonic already from the creation; they are clearly having an orchestral approach to composing. My role in this is sometimes just to transcribe their themes, sometimes to take their ideas, tear them apart and build them back up in ways that are true to the band's intentions. The music must also be both interesting and playable for the musicians, and hopefully, meet the quality standards of the orchestral world.”.
Title and artwork
"AbrahadabraAbrahadabra
Abrahadabra is a word that first publicly appeared in The Book of the Law, the central sacred text of Thelema. Its author, Aleister Crowley, described it as "the Word of the Aeon, which signifieth The Great Work accomplished." This is in reference to his belief that the writing of Liber Legis ...
", loosely translated as "I will create as I speak", was created by author Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
in his work, Liber AL vel Legis, or The Book of the Law. This album is the second in the band's repertoire to deviate from the traditional three-word title. Silenoz explained, "[It made] a lot of sense for us to move on from that. It has served its purpose. We are a band that's all about change and moving forward. An album title consisting of one word goes hand-in-hand with the new material." In addition, Silenoz referenced the changes in the band's "musical and lyrical content", as well as changes in the band's line-up playing a role.
The album cover artwork was designed by Joachim Luetke
Joachim Luetke
Joachim Luetke is a renowned cross-media artist. He is mostly known for his artworks for bands such as Arch Enemy, Dimmu Borgir, Kreator, Marilyn Manson, and Meshuggah. His 'dark' art has also been published in book form and compared to that of H. R...
, who described the artwork's setting as "icy, bleak, wintery, [and] post-industrial". Luetke added that the central figure's mask on the cover is representative of H. P. Lovecraft
H. P. Lovecraft
Howard Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
's Elder Gods. "The mask/face personifies dominion of powers far beyond mankind. The nameless gods witnessed the birth of our universe and they'll watch it implode. To them, the age of mankind is but a blink of an eye."
After the release of the album, the band announced that all future pressings would carry a different album cover.
Musical style
As stated by guitarists, SilenozSilenoz
Silenoz , is a Norwegian guitarist who is a founding member, along with Shagrath and Tjodalv, of the Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir which he is the primary songwriter...
and Galder
Galder
Galder is a Norwegian composer, guitarist, and vocalist whose birth name is Tom Rune Andersen. He is from the small town Jessheim, north of Oslo. He is a founding member of the melodic black metal band Old Man's Child as well as the lead guitarist in Dimmu Borgir. In 1993, under the stage name...
, in an interview with Outune.net, the album presents musical influences reminiscent of Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia
Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia
-Band members:*Shagrath – lead vocals, synthesizers*Silenoz – rhythm guitar*Galder – lead guitar*ICS Vortex – bass, clean vocals on tracks 3, 4, 8, 10 & "Burn In Hell" *Nicholas Barker – drums*Mustis – synthesizers, piano-Guests:...
and Death Cult Armageddon
Death Cult Armageddon
-Band members:*Shagrath – vocals*Silenoz – rhythm guitar*Galder – lead guitar*ICS Vortex – bass, clean vocals on tracks 2 & 7*Mustis – grand piano & synth*Nicholas Barker – drums-Guests:* Abbath – vocals on tracks 2 & 11...
, with more emphasis on orchestral arrangements.
Lyrical content
The album's lyrics are a notable departure from the usual style that Dimmu Borgir implements. Songs contain subjects that deal with redemption, power, rebirth, and astral planes among other, more vague concepts. Rather than focus on ideas that are often panned as Satanic and offensive, the band has instead opted to use more worldly and open matters. The start of track six contains a backward message: In Nomine dei Nostri Satanas Luciferi(English translation: In the name of our God, Satan the morning star Lucifer).Band members
- ShagrathShagrathShagrath is a Norwegian musician best known as the vocalist of Dimmu Borgir.-Biography:Stian Thoresen was born on November 18, 1976 in Jessheim, outside of Oslo, Norway....
– lead vocals, keyboards, effects - SilenozSilenozSilenoz , is a Norwegian guitarist who is a founding member, along with Shagrath and Tjodalv, of the Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir which he is the primary songwriter...
– rhythm guitar, backing vocals - GalderGalderGalder is a Norwegian composer, guitarist, and vocalist whose birth name is Tom Rune Andersen. He is from the small town Jessheim, north of Oslo. He is a founding member of the melodic black metal band Old Man's Child as well as the lead guitarist in Dimmu Borgir. In 1993, under the stage name...
– lead guitar, backing vocals - Daray – drums, percussion
Session members
- Snowy ShawSnowy ShawSnowy Shaw, born Tommie Helgesson in 25 July 1968, is a Swedish heavy metal musician , based in the port city of Gothenburg in the west coast of Sweden. He has played with many heavy metal bands, like King Diamond, Dream Evil, Mercyful Fate, IllWill, Notre Dame and Memento Mori...
– bass guitar, backing vocals, clean vocals (on tracks 4, 6, 9 & "Perfect Strangers" (Deep Purple cover))
Guests
- Agnete Kjølsrud (ex-Animal AlphaAnimal AlphaAnimal Alpha was a five-piece Norwegian rock group formed in 2002 and disbanded 2009.The band spent much of 2004 playing shows around Norway...
, Djerv) – female vocals (on tracks 3 & 10) - GarmKristoffer RyggKristoffer Rygg , also known as Garm, Trickster G. and recently also God Head is a Spellemannprisen nominated vocalist, musician and producer known as the frontman of Ulver and former vocalist for Arcturus...
– clean vocals (on track 10) - Andy SneapAndy SneapAndy "Undie" Sneap is an English record producer, recording engineer, mixer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is best known for producing and mixing many acclaimed heavy metal albums.-Musician:...
– leads (on tracks 3 & 9) - Ricky Black – slide guitar (on track 10)
- Orchestration and choir arranged by Gaute Storås and conducted by Rune Halvorsen
- Recorded with the Kringkastingsorkesteret (Norwegian for "Norwegian Radio Orchestra")
- Schola CantorumSchola Cantorum (Norwegian choir)Schola Cantorum is a chamber choir from Norway. The choir was founded by the composer and conductor Knut Nystedt in 1964, and has given valuable musical experience to generations of Norwegian musicians. Affiliated with the University of Oslo, Department of Musicology, the choir recruits most of...
– choir
Technical staff
- Mixed by Andy SneapAndy SneapAndy "Undie" Sneap is an English record producer, recording engineer, mixer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is best known for producing and mixing many acclaimed heavy metal albums.-Musician:...
and Dimmu Borgir - Mastered by Andy SneapAndy SneapAndy "Undie" Sneap is an English record producer, recording engineer, mixer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is best known for producing and mixing many acclaimed heavy metal albums.-Musician:...
, Russ Russell and Dimmu Borgir - Engineered by Daniel Bergstrand, Russ Russell and Shagrath
- Joachim LuetkeJoachim LuetkeJoachim Luetke is a renowned cross-media artist. He is mostly known for his artworks for bands such as Arch Enemy, Dimmu Borgir, Kreator, Marilyn Manson, and Meshuggah. His 'dark' art has also been published in book form and compared to that of H. R...
– cover art
Release history
| Country | Date |
|---|---|
| Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
September 22, 2010 |
| Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
September 24, 2010 |
| Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... |
September 27, 2010 |
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
October 1, 2010 |
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
October 12, 2010 |
| India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
October 15, 2010 |
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
Certification | Sales/ shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norwegian Albums Chart | 2 | - | |
| Finnish Albums Chart | 8 | - | |
| German Albums Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
15 | - | |
| Swedish Albums Chart | 17 | - | |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 20 | - | |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 24 | - | |
| Croatian Albums Chart | 25 | - | |
| European Top 100 Albums European Top 100 Albums The European Top 100 Albums chart is the European adaptation of the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was created in March 1984.The European Top 100 Albums, commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums shows the sales of an act in 19 European countries based on IFPI data.The European Top 100... |
33 | - | |
| Belgian Albums Chart | 41 | - | |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
42 | - | |
| French Albums Chart | 43 | - | |
| Polish Albums Chart | 50 | - | |
| Dutch Albums Chart | 100 | - | |
| UK Albums Chart | 117 | - | |
| Japanese Albums Chart | 282 | - |