Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Jessheim. Formed in 1993, the group was originally a trio which featured Sven Atle "Erkekjetter Silenoz" Kopperud on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Ian Kenneth "Tjodalv" Åkesson on lead guitar, and Stian Tomt "Shagrath" Thoresen on drums. They were soon joined by bassist Ivar "Brynjard" Tristan and keyboardist Stian Aarstad. The band's current lineup is officially a trio comprising Shagrath on lead vocals and Silenoz on rhythm guitar. They are joined by backup members Dariusz "Daray" Brzozowski on drums (since 2008), Geir "Gerlioz" Bratland on keyboards (since 2010) and Victor Brandt on bass (since 2018).
Silenoz, Tjodalv and Shagrath formed Dimmu Borgir in 1993, finalising the band's initial lineup with the addition of Tristan and Aarstad shortly thereafter. [1] After the group released several early demos and its debut album For all tid , Tjodalv and Shagrath switched roles in the lineup. [2] Shortly after the release of the band's second album Stormblåst , Tristan was replaced by Stian "Nagash" Hinderson for the recording of the Devil's Path EP. [3] Enthrone Darkness Triumphant followed in early 1997, the tour for which saw the addition of Jamie "Astennu" Stinson on lead guitar. [1]
During the tour in promotion of Enthrone Darkness Triumphant, Aarstad was fired from Dimmu Borgir after failing to show up for the band's performance at Dynamo Open Air in May 1997. He was temporarily replaced by Kimberly Goss, most recently of Therion, for the remainder of the cycle. [4] Early the next year, Øyvind Johan "Mustis" Mustaparta took over full-time. [5] After the recording of 1999's Spiritual Black Dimensions , both Tjodalv and Nagash left Dimmu Borgir. [6] They were replaced on the subsequent tour by Nick Barker and Simen "ICS Vortex" Hestnæs, respectively. [1] [7]
At the end of 1999, Astennu was fired from Dimmu Borgir, which Barker claimed was due to his lack of interest in the band. [7] He was replaced initially early the next year by Lars Archon, before Tom Rune "Galder" Anderson took over in the summer. [8] The lineup of Shagrath, Galder, Silenoz, Vortex, Mustis and Barker remained stable for several years, releasing the albums Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia , World Misanthropy and Death Cult Armageddon . [5] In January 2004, Barker was dismissed from the band, which he suggested was likely due to the fact that he lived in a different country. [9]
Despite an early rumour that Barker's place had been taken by Asgeir Mickelson, a bandmate of ICS Vortex's in Borknagar, [10] it was announced in March that the new temporary touring drummer was Reno Kiilerich, most notably of Panzerchrist. [11] After he was unable to obtain a US visa in time for the tour, the drummer was replaced for Ozzfest in the summer by Tony Laureano of Nile. [12] Laureano remained for live shows the following summer, while Mayhem drummer Jan Axel "Hellhammer" Blomberg was brought in to record Stormblåst MMV as a guest session contributor. [13]
Hellhammer continued working with Dimmu Borgir for the album In Sorte Diaboli and subsequent tour dates, although he never became an official band member. [14] When he broke his arm in June 2007, he was replaced by the returning Tony Laureano. [15] [16] By October 2008, he had been replaced in the touring lineup by former Vader drummer Dariusz "Daray" Brzozowski. [17] At the end of August 2009, long-term members ICS Vortex and Mustis were both dismissed. [18] The remaining band members later claimed that the pair had displayed "unprofessionalism and bad live performances for years". [19]
In 2010, Vortex and Mustis were replaced by Tommie "Snowy Shaw" Helgesson and Geir "Gerlioz" Bratland, respectively, although both were credited as guest performers (alongside Daray) and the band's frontman Shagrath confirmed that only he, Silenoz and Galder were official members of the group. [20] Shaw left in August and was replaced on tour by Susperia frontman Terje "Cyrus" Andersen. [21] He remained until May 2018, when he was replaced by Victor Brandt (of Firespawn and formerly of Entombed A.D.). [22]
On August 18, 2024, Galder announced via his Instagram account that he had left Dimmu Borgir, playing his last show the day before at Dynamo Metal Fest. [23]
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Shagrath (Stian Tomt Thoresen) | 1993–present |
| all Dimmu Borgir releases | |
Erkekjetter Silenoz (Sven Atle Kopperud) |
|
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tjodalv (Ian Kenneth Åkesson) | 1993–1999 (guest 2024) |
|
| |
Stian Aarstad | 1993–1997 |
| all Dimmu Borgir releases from Rehearsal January 1994 (1994) to Live & Plugged, Vol. 2 (1997), except Devil's Path (1996) | |
Brynjard Tristan (Ivar Tristan Lundsten) | 1993–1996 | bass | all Dimmu Borgir releases from Rehearsal January 1994 (1994) to Stormblåst (1996) | |
Nagash (Stian André Hinderson) | 1996–1999 |
|
| |
Astennu (Jamie Stinson) | 1997–1999 | lead guitar |
| |
Mustis (Øyvind Johan Mustaparta) | 1998–2009 (guest 2024) |
|
| |
ICS Vortex (Simen Hestnæs) | 1999–2009 (guest 2024) |
| all Dimmu Borgir releases from Spiritual Black Dimensions (1999) to The Invaluable Darkness (2008), except Stormblåst MMV (2005) | |
Nick Barker | 1999–2004 |
| all Dimmu Borgir releases from Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001) to Death Cult Armageddon (2003) | |
Lars Archon | 2000 | lead guitar | none | |
Galder (Thomas Rune Anderson) | 2000–2024 |
| all Dimmu Borgir releases from Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001) to Inspiratio Profanus (2023), except Stormblåst MMV (2005) and Live at Dynamo Open Air 1998 (2019) |
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|
Kimberly Goss | 1997–1998 |
| Goss temporarily toured with Dimmu Borgir after Stian Aarstad was fired from the band in May 1997. [4] | |
Aggressor (Carl-Michael Eide) | 1997 (substitute) | drums | Aggressor briefly substituted for Tjodalv in 1997, after he took a sabbatical to be with his newborn child. [5] | |
Reno Kiilerich | 2004 | After Nick Barker was dismissed in January 2004, Kiilerich briefly joined as a touring replacement. [11] | ||
Tony Laureano |
| Laureano took over from Kiilerich due to a visa issue, [12] then from Hellhammer after he broke his arm. [15] | ||
Hellhammer (Jan Axel Blomberg) | 2005–2007 |
| ||
Daray (Dariusz Brzozowski) | 2008–present |
| ||
Snowy Shaw (Tommie Mike Christer Helgesson) | 2010 |
| Abrahadabra (2010) | |
Secthdamon | 2007 (substitute) |
| Secthdamon handled the live bass on Dimmu Borgir's European Tour in 2007, when ICS Vortex was not able to play. | |
Cyrus (Terje Andersen) | 2010–2018 (substitute in 2008) |
| Forces of the Northern Night (2017) | |
Gerlioz (Geir Bratland) | 2010–present |
|
| |
Victor Brandt | 2018–present | bass | none to date |
Album | Lead vocals | Lead guitar | Rhythm guitar | Bass | Keyboards | Drums |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Inn i evighetens mørke (1994) | Silenoz | Tjodalv | Silenoz | Brynjard Tristan | Stian Aarstad | Shagrath |
For all tid (1995) | ||||||
Stormblåst (1996) | Shagrath | Tjodalv | ||||
Devil's Path (1996) | Shagrath | Nagash | ||||
Enthrone Darkness Triumphant (1997) | ||||||
Godless Savage Garden (1998) | Astennu | Stian Aarstad (5 tracks) Mustis (3 tracks) | ||||
Spiritual Black Dimensions (1999) | Mustis | |||||
Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001) | Galder | ICS Vortex | Nick Barker | |||
Death Cult Armageddon (2003) | ||||||
Stormblåst MMV (2005) | Shagrath | Shagrath | Hellhammer | |||
In Sorte Diaboli (2007) | Galder | ICS Vortex | ||||
Abrahadabra (2010) | Snowy Shaw | Gerlioz | Daray | |||
Eonian (2018) | Shagrath/Galder/Silenoz |
Period | Members | Releases |
---|---|---|
1993 | none | |
1993 – summer 1995 |
|
|
Summer 1995 – early 1996 |
|
|
Early 1996 – early 1997 |
|
|
March – May 1997 |
|
|
Summer 1997 – early 1998 |
| none |
Early 1998 – March 1999 |
|
|
March – late 1999 |
| none |
Late 1999 – summer 2000 |
| |
Summer 2000 – January 2004 |
|
|
March – July 2004 |
| none |
July 2004 – April 2005 |
| |
April – August 2005 |
|
|
August 2005 – June 2007 |
|
|
June 2007 – October 2008 |
|
|
October 2008 – August 2009 |
| none |
Early – August 2010 |
|
|
September 2010 – May 2018 |
|
|
May 2018 – August 2024 |
| none |
August 2024 – present |
| none to date |
Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Jessheim, formed in 1993. The name is derived from Dimmuborgir, a volcanic formation in Iceland, the name of which means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse. The band has been through numerous lineup changes over the years; vocalist Shagrath and rhythm guitarist Silenoz are the only original members who still remain.
Old Man's Child is a Norwegian black metal band originating from the city of Oslo. The band was founded by Galder, who is the sole permanent member of the group.
Death Cult Armageddon is the sixth studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir, released on 9 September 2003. It has since sold over 100,000 copies in the United States; the first album under Nuclear Blast to do so; and debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at number 169. The song "Progenies of the Great Apocalypse" was released as a single with an accompanying music video. This would also be the last album to have Nick Barker on drums.
Susperia is a Norwegian thrash metal band formed in October 1998 by Tjodalv and Cyrus. The band was originally named Seven Sins, but since there was another band with that name they changed it to the title of the horror film Suspiria, changing the spelling to avoid a clash with Suspiria, a gothic rock band that also took its name from the film.
Stian Tomt Thoresen, known professionally as Shagrath, is a Norwegian musician. He is the vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and a founding member of the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir and Also, founding member, rhythm guitarist and bassist of Chrome Division.
Tony Laureano is a heavy metal drummer originally from Puerto Rico. He has played for a number of metal bands including Dimmu Borgir, Nile, Angelcorpse, Malevolent Creation, God Dethroned, Acheron, Aurora Borealis, Belphegor, Nachtmystium, 1349 and Brujeria.
Stormblåst is the second studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. It was released on 25 January 1996 through Cacophonous Records, re-released in 2001 by Century Media, and completely re-recorded in 2005, released as Stormblåst MMV.
For all tid is the debut studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. It was released in 1995 through No Colours. It was remastered and re-released in 1997 through their new label Nuclear Blast with the front cover art in full color and the entire Inn i evighetens mørke EP added. It is the band's only studio album on which Shagrath is on drums, Tjodalv on guitar and Silenoz on vocals.
Spiritual Black Dimensions is the fourth studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. It was released in 1999 by Nuclear Blast Records. A deluxe edition was released in 2004 with bonus material. There is also a digipak edition of this album which contains no bonus tracks. The digipak has reflective/holographic cover art. This release featured keyboardist Mustis and the clean vocals of ICS Vortex, as well as the departure of long-time drummer Tjodalv, guitarist Astennu, and bassist Nagash.
Inn i evighetens mørke is the first EP by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. It was first released as a demo in August 1994, and later as an EP on 17 December. The EP was released by Necromantic Gallery Productions on 7-inch vinyl limited to 1000 copies.
Enthrone Darkness Triumphant is the third studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir, released on 30 May 1997 through Nuclear Blast. It was the band's first release through Nuclear Blast. This is the last release to feature keyboardist Stian Aarstad and the first with bassist Nagash.
Mustis is the pseudonym of Øyvind Johan Mustaparta, a Norwegian keyboardist best known for his work in the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir, as well as the black/thrash metal band Susperia.
Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia is the fifth studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. It was released by Nuclear Blast Records in 2001. This is the first album to feature drummer Nick Barker, guitarist Galder, and ICS Vortex on bass. It is also the first album upon which the band used real orchestral instrumentation instead of keyboards.
Ian Kenneth Åkesson, known professionally as Tjodalv, is a Norwegian drummer. He is a founding member of the black metal bands Dimmu Borgir and Old Man's Child. He now plays in Black Comedy and Susperia. Tjodalv played guitar on the first Dimmu Borgir albums Inn i evighetens mørke and For all tid. He then switched to drumming for them on Stormblåst and continued with this until 1999. Due to his family, he left Dimmu Borgir. He was replaced by Nick Barker, formerly of Cradle of Filth.
Alive in Torment is the third EP by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. It was recorded in Stuttgart, Germany on 4 April 2001, during the tour supporting their fifth studio album Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia.
In Sorte Diaboli is the seventh studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir, released in 2007. It is the band's first concept album. A site on the Nuclear Blast website was created for In Sorte Diaboli, in which a new promotional photo can be seen and an audio sample can be heard. This would be the last album by Dimmu Borgir to feature ICS Vortex, Hellhammer and Mustis.
The Invaluable Darkness is the second video album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir, released on 14 October 2008. The title comes from the closing track of the band's eighth studio album, In Sorte Diaboli (2007), despite the fact that the track does not appear on this release.
The discography of Dimmu Borgir, a Norwegian symphonic black metal band, consists of nine studio albums, four extended plays, one compilation album, six singles and three music videos.
Abrahadabra is the eighth studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir, released in 2010. The first single from the album, "Gateways", was released on 20 August in Europe and 24 August in North America. On 14 September a video for "Gateways" was released featuring Djerv front-woman, Agnete Kjølsrud. On 17 September the song "Born Treacherous" was released on Dimmu Borgir's official Myspace for streaming. On 24 September the band announced they would stream Abrahadabra in its entirety, until 7 p.m. EST that evening. This would mark the first official release of all the tracks on the album. The album features drummer Daray and additional keyboards by Gerlioz.
Eonian is the ninth studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir, which was released on 4 May 2018. It's the fifth and final album featuring lead guitarist Galder before his departure in August 2024.