As anniversary albums go, the two decade mark now seems to bringing out some particular favourites. One that still gets regular rotation even now is Dimmu Borgir’s Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia which has just been given the remix and remaster treatment.
This in an essential album, so to have the mixes cleaned up and a modern emphasis placed into parts such as “Puritania” giving them an even more well produced and overall bigger sound. The new mix brings out the symphonic parts buried in the original and is a welcome addition no matter the amount of times the album gets a listen in this house. Also there is new accompanying artwork which sells itself.
Twenty years ago this album lit a flame under me and this newer version isn’t doing anything dimmish that. If anything it’s made me love the album even more. Put it on, let it rip and before you know it you’ve reached the Twisted Sister cover “Burn In Hell” which is still one of the best cover versions I’ve ever heard.
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Alongside all this “Dust Of Cold Memories” is a collection of eleven unreleased pre-production and instrumental tracks that give this version just another justification for its remastering treatment. Not that it needed it.
The album does present a quandary in that older fans who have been accustomed to the original may brush this off as a cash cow from the label. After hearing and counting myself in the particular group (“older”, definitely. “Fan” also definitely), I hope they don’t as it’s really well put together. On the plus side this newer version may just be the gateway into someone else’s metal journey. I bought this album way back when, based on an interview I read, and look what happened…
A contemporary twist on a masterpiece.
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Header image by Anne C. Swallow
Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (Remixed & Remastered) is out nowÂ
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