Dimmu Borgir

The Norwegian band Dimmu
Borgir was formed in 1993 by
vocalist Shagrath, guitarist
Silenoz and drummer/guitarist
Tjodalv. They soon recruited
bassist Brynjard Tristan and
keyboardist Stian Aarstad to
round out the band. The word
Dimmu means foggy or dark and
Borgir means castle or fortress.
First Releases:
In 1994 the band released an EP
and their first full-length album,
For All Tid. Their second album
Stormblast was released in 1996.
Dimmu Borgir's first two releases
were in their native Norwegian,
but after that they switched to
English for their lyrics.
Breakthrough:
Their third album Enthrone
Darkness Triumphant, was
released in 1997. It was
extremely successful, both
commercially and critically, and
moved Dimmu Borgir to the elite
category of black metal artists.
There were also several lineup
changes during this period.
Black Metal Veterans:
In the past decade the band has
released several albums,
including Spiritual Black
Dimensions (1999), Puritanical
Euphoric Misanthropia (2001),
Death Cult Armageddon (2003)
and a 2005 release that re-
recorded the songs from
Stormblast. The band has drawn
some criticism for becoming too
commercial and mainstream for
the black metal genre. Their
latest album In Sorte Diaboli was
released in 2007.
Lineup Changes:
In 2009, longtime members ICS
Vortex (bass/clean vocals) and
Mustis (keyboards) exited the
band. Snowy Shaw participated
in the recording of Abrahadabra,
but soon returned to Therion.
Daray (Vader) was the drummer
on the album.
Current Dimmu Borgir
Members:
Shagrath (Stian Thorensen) -
Vocals, guitar, keyboards, drums
(Astarte, Chrome Division,
Fimbulwinter, Kamelot,
Ragnarok, Starkness)
Silenoz (Sven Atle Kopperud) -
Guitar (Kosmos Røst, Malefic,
Nocturnal Breed)
Galder (Thomas Rune Andersen)
- Guitar (Old Man´s Child,
Dødheimsgard)
Daray - Drums (Vader)
Former Dimmu Borgir Band
Members:
(does not include session or tour
musicians)
Jens Petter - Guitar (1996-1997)
Astennu (Jamie Stinson) - Guitar
(1997-2000)
Archon (Lars Haider) - Guitar
(2000)
Simen Hestnaes (ICS Vortex) -
Bass/Clean Vocals (1998-2009)
Brynjard Tristan - Bass
(1993-1996)
Nagash (Stian Arnesen) - Bass
(1997-1999)
Stian Aarstad - Keyboards
(1993-1997)
Tjodalv (Kenneth Åkesson) -
Drums (1993-1999)
Nicholas Barker - Drums
(1999-2004)
Mustis (Øyvind Mustafarta)-
Keyboards (1998-2009)
Dimmu Borgir Discography:
1994 For All Tid (No Colours
Records)
1996 Stormblåst (Cacophonous)
1996 Devil's Path EP (Hot
Records)
1997 Enthrone Darkness
Triumphant (Nuclear Blast)
1998 Godless Savage Garden
(Nuclear Blast)
1999 Spiritual Black Dimensions
(Nuclear Blast)
2001 Puritanical Euphoric
Misanthropia (Nuclear Blast)
2003 Death Cult Armageddon
(Nuclear Blast)
2005 Stormblåst (re-recording of
1996 album) (Nuclear Blast)
2007 In Sorte Diaboli (Nuclear
Blast)
2010Abrahadabra (Nuclear
Blast)