From Electric Light Orchestra to Urge Overkill, some of rock's most memorable acts have trafficked in over-amplifications of genre to a level approaching the absurd. Whether Dimmu Borgir has the campy self-awareness of the latter or simply find themselves locked into their delirious conflation of black metal, vaguely industrial rock, and symphonic and operatic sounds with the fetishistic devotion of Jeff Lynne from ELO is anyone's guess. The last few years have brought more young listeners back to metal, what with all the supposedly "intelligent" and emo metal groups such as Pelican, Mastodon, and Early Man. It's still quite a leap from that to a Norwegian band who prints their lyrics backwards so that they have to be read in the mirror and craft ridiculously dark concept albums about the evils of the Christian church, and how Satanism is so much better. There's no irony here. But there is bombast in just about every conceivable manifestation, delivered beautifully. From the soaring, operatic vocals and live string accompaniment to the beyond-fast riffing and drumming, In Sorte Diaboli is the perfect music to annoy parents and satisfy fans of overindulgence everywhere. --Mike McGonigal