Dimmu Borgir
KB Hallen, Copenhagen - 2026
Text: Tobias Nilsson Photo: Lunah Lauridsen
Dimmu Borgir was the final band to play on this, the final day of their co-headlining tour In League With Satan that they played together with Behemoth, with Dark Funeral supporting.
They had about 70-75 minutes to play, and the tension in the hall was high for what they were about to bring.
Like Behemoth before them, Dimmu Borgir had tried to hide the stage behind a curtain before the show, and when the intro had changed from the tick tock of an old clock, supported by a low-pitched rumbling atmospheric soundscape, to the same soundscape now overlaid with what sounded like throat song-like chanting, the curtain finally dropped, revealing an extravagant stage filled with nicely built décor. There were pillars, ramparts, carven figures and shapes with hidden light fixtures, and a host of gargoyles. A stunning design well worth dropping as a surprise!
The band too had updated their style since the last time we saw them, and they were now sporting semi-militaristic outfits consisting of long overcoats more or less decorated with shoulder cords and other things and markings. Hell, Silenoz was even wearing a beret! Shagrath was the only one not complying with the semi-militaristic look as he was wearing a far more traditional outfit with skin-tight pants and a flowing, ragged, gossamer thin shirt. I’m not entirely sure what the military look was all about.
Now, while the stage and the costumes provided something for the eyes, I’m sad to say that the performance didn’t reach the same level. Dimmu Borgir came out with a fairly good setlist with a good dealing of live staples, and of course a few tracks off this year’s release, Grand Serpent Rising, but the performance felt a bit tired and by the numbers. Damage rocked out in a good way, and Victor Brandt was good, even though there was only a fraction of the energy we’d seen from him when he played with Cemetery Skyline a few months prior. Silenoz walked about a bit, and did some in sync headbanging with Damage, but nothing exceptional.
All of this was never more evident than when the band played the Venom cover In League With Satan with Nergal on guest vocals. The energy and presence that Nergal brought to the stage, not only during Behemoth’s show earlier, but even for this short guest appearance, outclassed Shagrath’s shuffling by worlds and dimensions!
The set was played tight and with a good sound, I’ll give Dimmu Borgir that, but I have to say that it was also apparent what a loss it is that, even though it’s been a long time, ICS Vortex is no longer with them. The recorded vocals they used to fill his spot sounded weird and could in no way live up to his uniqueness.
It wasn’t that Dimmu Borgir did anything specifically wrong or poorly, it was just that they committed that gravest of all live performance sins - they were boring.
Maybe the tour had drained them, maybe it was something completely different, who knows? All I know is that, going by the title of their outro track, this felt far more like vanity than it did perfection.
Setlist:
Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel
Mourning Palace
Kings Of The Carnival Creation
Council Of Wolves And Snakes
As Seen In The Unseen
Ascent
Reptile
The Serpentine Offering
Puritania
Gateways
In League With Satan (Venom cover, feat. Nergal)
Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse
Perfection Or Vanity
They had about 70-75 minutes to play, and the tension in the hall was high for what they were about to bring.
Like Behemoth before them, Dimmu Borgir had tried to hide the stage behind a curtain before the show, and when the intro had changed from the tick tock of an old clock, supported by a low-pitched rumbling atmospheric soundscape, to the same soundscape now overlaid with what sounded like throat song-like chanting, the curtain finally dropped, revealing an extravagant stage filled with nicely built décor. There were pillars, ramparts, carven figures and shapes with hidden light fixtures, and a host of gargoyles. A stunning design well worth dropping as a surprise!
The band too had updated their style since the last time we saw them, and they were now sporting semi-militaristic outfits consisting of long overcoats more or less decorated with shoulder cords and other things and markings. Hell, Silenoz was even wearing a beret! Shagrath was the only one not complying with the semi-militaristic look as he was wearing a far more traditional outfit with skin-tight pants and a flowing, ragged, gossamer thin shirt. I’m not entirely sure what the military look was all about.
Now, while the stage and the costumes provided something for the eyes, I’m sad to say that the performance didn’t reach the same level. Dimmu Borgir came out with a fairly good setlist with a good dealing of live staples, and of course a few tracks off this year’s release, Grand Serpent Rising, but the performance felt a bit tired and by the numbers. Damage rocked out in a good way, and Victor Brandt was good, even though there was only a fraction of the energy we’d seen from him when he played with Cemetery Skyline a few months prior. Silenoz walked about a bit, and did some in sync headbanging with Damage, but nothing exceptional.
All of this was never more evident than when the band played the Venom cover In League With Satan with Nergal on guest vocals. The energy and presence that Nergal brought to the stage, not only during Behemoth’s show earlier, but even for this short guest appearance, outclassed Shagrath’s shuffling by worlds and dimensions!
The set was played tight and with a good sound, I’ll give Dimmu Borgir that, but I have to say that it was also apparent what a loss it is that, even though it’s been a long time, ICS Vortex is no longer with them. The recorded vocals they used to fill his spot sounded weird and could in no way live up to his uniqueness.
It wasn’t that Dimmu Borgir did anything specifically wrong or poorly, it was just that they committed that gravest of all live performance sins - they were boring.
Maybe the tour had drained them, maybe it was something completely different, who knows? All I know is that, going by the title of their outro track, this felt far more like vanity than it did perfection.
Setlist:
Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel
Mourning Palace
Kings Of The Carnival Creation
Council Of Wolves And Snakes
As Seen In The Unseen
Ascent
Reptile
The Serpentine Offering
Puritania
Gateways
In League With Satan (Venom cover, feat. Nergal)
Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse
Perfection Or Vanity
Dimmu Borgir
