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, with lead guitarist Galder being a longstanding member.
Old Man's Child is a Norwegian black metal band from the city of Oslo. The band is the brainchild of Galder who is the only permanent member of the band.
Stian Tomt Thoresen, known professionally as Shagrath, is a Norwegian musician who is the vocalist, founding member and multi-instrumentalist of the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir.
Nicholas Howard Barker is an English extreme metal drummer best known for his work in Cradle of Filth from 1993 to 1999, Dimmu Borgir from 1999 to 2004, Brujeria from 2003 to 2005 and from 2016 to 2022, and Shining from 2022 to 2023. Currently he is the drummer for Borstal, Liquid Graveyard, Twilight of The Gods, and United Forces.
Unblack metal is a religious philosophy and subgenre within black metal, inheriting several characteristics of it, such as the melody, the lyrics and the aesthetics, whose artists either directly oppose the Satanism prevalent in most black metal, or promote Christianity in their lyrics and imagery. Unblack metal artists are controversial within the black metal subculture, because black metal's pioneers, especially those of the Second Wave, were anti-Christian. It is also suggested that Christianity contradicts black metal's dark nature and the individualistic and misanthropic ideals of many bands.
Alf Peter Tägtgren is a Swedish musician and record producer. He is the founder, main songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist of death metal band Hypocrisy as well as the industrial metal band Pain in which he is the only member. He is also the owner of The Abyss recording studio and the co-founder of Lindemann, a music project between Tägtgren and Rammstein vocalist Till Lindemann. Tägtgren left Lindemann in 2020.
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.
Simen Hestnæs, better known by his stage name ICS Vortex or simply Vortex, is a Norwegian musician. He is the vocalist of the similarly named band ICS Vortex, the avant-garde metal band Arcturus and the doom metal band Lamented Souls. He is also a vocalist and the bass guitarist to the heavy metal band Borknagar, and the former bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir.
Stian Aarstad is a Norwegian pianist and keyboard player best known for his four-year (1993–1997) stint with the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir during which he played keyboards and synthesizers while engendering criticism and controversy for appearing onstage and performing in a top-hat-and-cape outfit reminiscent of Jack the Ripper, while wearing minimal corpse makeup and not moving or showing any emotion. Upon joining Dimmu Borgir, he did not listen to metal music, preferring only to listen to classical.
Jani Stefanovic is a Swedish multi-instrumentalist who primarily plays Swedish death metal. He started playing around the age of 13–14 years old.
Vaakevandring was a Norwegian unblack metal band that was active from 1996 to 2007. The name in Norwegian is a reference to the resurrection of Jesus. Vaakevandring played symphonic black metal with influences from Norwegian folk music.
Miseration is a Swedish death metal band formed in 2006. Their lyrics primarily deal with themes of inner struggles and religious conflict. The band is one out of a collection of collaborations with both former Crimson Moonlight guitarist Jani Stefanovic and former Scar Symmetry vocalist Christian Älvestam; for example, both also play with Solution .45.
Demo 98/99 is a demo from the Norwegian symphonic unblack metal band Vaakevandring, released in 1999 through Nordic Mission, a label co-founded by Vaakevandring member Pål Dæhlen. Demo 98/99 was produced by Stian Aarstad, a former keyboardist from the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. Aaarstad also contributed vocals to the track "Fader Vaar". The band titled the recording as it did to ensure that listeners would not expect a studio quality album. The style of the album was described as symphonic and melodic black metal influenced by Norwegian folk music. The output was considered comparable to that of Sanctifica, Crimson Moonlight, and Dimmu Borgir. Though only a demo recording, the release was very well received and propelled the band into popularity. HM writer Matt Morrow rated the album 9.5 out of 10, and writer Johannes Jonsson gave the album 3 out of 5. The songs from the demo were later re-mastered and re-released with an additional song — "To Find Eternal Peace" — in 2004 as an extended play entitled Vaakevandring, through the label Momentum Scandinavia.
Elgibbor, also known as Jarek Pozarycki or Fire, is an unblack metal project, that started in 1999. The band went on a hiatus around 2017, but reconvened with a full-lineup in 2020, consisting mostly of former live members.
Symphony of Heaven is a Christian blackened death metal band from Owensville, Indiana, United States. The band began in 2017 as a solo project, but morphed into a full band by 2019, consisting of Logan Thompson (guitars/vocals), David Napier (bass), Eero Tertsunen (guitars), and Mason Beard (drums). The band has released two studio albums, two EPs, and a split release. According to HM Magazine, the band is "one of the best death metal acts to form in the past four years" as of 2021.
Timōrātus, also stylized as TIMŌRĀTUS, began in 2006, as a solo project of David Napier. The band was to begin as a metal band, but Napier, who had injured his hands, began the project with a more programmed electronic foundation. The band describes their style as "Multi-genre metal".
Temple of Perdition is a black metal project that began in September 2017, between Ya'akov Nahash, Joonas Heikkinen, and Benainah, out of Texas in the United States and Finland. Shortly after their formation, the band signed with Vision of God Records.
Angel of Sodom is a thrash metal band that originated out of Helsinki, Finland. The band was created in 2009, founded by Eero Tertsunen, who also performs in Renascent, and Michael Majalahti. The band has released one studio album in 2015 and an EP in 2016. In 2016, the band went on a hiatus, due to Tertsunen moving to Bloomington, Indiana in the United States.
The Slave Eye is a black metal supergroup that originated in Raleigh, North Carolina. However, the project sees contributions from North Carolina, Indiana, California, of the United States and Finland. The band was created by Siervo and Eero Tertsunen, the latter being known for the band Renascent.
The Ascension of Extinction is the third EP by melodic death metal band Symphony of Heaven. The EP was the band's debut with Rottweiler Records, a Ft. Wayne, Indiana-based label that housed artists such as Skald in Veum and Pantokrator, both of whose vocalists share a guest spot on the EP. The EP was released on September 4, 2020. In the song "DeathMarch", the band quotes 2nd Thessalonians, chapter 2.
