Dissection

With the recent suicide of Dissection mastermind Jon Nödtveidt, the unfortunately ironic title of this DVD lends itself to the lamentation that one of death metal’s premier acts is officially finished. Convicted of murder and sentenced to eight years in prison, Nödtveidt’s 2004 release marked Dissection’s return, the band perfectly poised to ride the current wave of heavy music’s mainstream popularity. Despite the easy-listening direction and tepid reception to Maha Kali and Reinkaos, the legacy embodied in pre-jail metallic masterpieces Storm of the Light’s Bane and The Somberlain still stands above the post-jail releases. While the live footage from the Stockholm concert is tight, considering it was their first performance, the "dark essence” and "Luciferian fire” Nödtveidt’s colleagues claimed he possessed is markedly absent. Regardless, it’s the only taste most fans will ever have of their live show and it’s entertaining to experience. The must-see portion of this disc is the candid interview with Nödtveidt revealing what he learned in jail, some of his views on life and how the newest Dissection material came about. According to the official press release concerning his death, we are not to wish for him to "rest in peace,” but rather "wish him victories in all battles to come, until the Acosmic Destiny has been fulfilled.” Either way, the metal world has lost one of its more talented and devoted characters. (Koch)