Second wave black metal started as raw bursts of youthful passion and evolved into this, an extremely polished collection of mature compositions, in about the same amount of time it took rock ‘n’ roll to go from “Maybelline” to Days of Future Passed. In other words, it was inevitable. Dimmu Borgir’s audacious melding of kvlt darkness, industrial churning, and sweeping symphonic sounds here remains unmatched to this day – even by them.

– Jeff Treppel