Dimmu Borgir is a famous Norwegian melodic black metal band whose music has been in the charts in several Scandinavian countries and Germany. "Dimmu Borgir" means "Dark Castle" or "Dark Citadel" in Icelandic.

Statistics

• Genre: Black metal, symphonic metal
• Country: Norway
• Status: Active
• Time: 1993-

Biography

Cover of "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia"

Dimmu Borgir was originally founded in 1993 by Shagrath, Silenoz, and Tjodalv. The band immediately released an EP entitled Inn I Evighetens Mørke (1994) – translated to English the title means "Into The Darkness Of Eternity". This short EP sold out within weeks, and the band followed up with the full length album For All Tid (1994) – the title translates to "For All Time". This album featured musical contributions by members of Dødheimsgård and Ved Buens Ende . In 1996, the band released their monumental album Stormblåst (translates to "Storm Blown"). Stormblåst received high praise from many melodic black metal fans, and is often regarded a highlight of the band's career. It is also the last album which features all lyrics written and sung in Norwegian.

After Stormblåst, Dimmu Borgir's career took a sharp turn. Keyboardist Stian Aarstad left the band due to his obligation to serve in the Norwegian army, thus he was not able to participate in the recording of Devil's Path (1996). When he returned for the recording of Enthrone Darkness Triumphant (1997), he had trouble attending rehearsals and tourdates, and he was fired from the band. Enthrone Darkness Triumphant was a huge success for the band, and it was their first release signed to the famous German record label Nuclear Blast.

Dimmu Borgir's following full-length albums – Spiritual Black Dimensions (1999) and Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001) – both met critical acclaim. Some fans accused the band of selling out due to the mass audiences which the albums reached. In 2003, Dimmu Borgir used their major record label financial leverage to create a monumental album titled Death Cult Armageddon. Sections of the album were recorded with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra to enhance the classical arrangements which have always augmented the band's style. Death Cult Armageddon has often been cited by critics and new listeners as the band's strongest, most diverse album. Many fans disagree, however, maintaining a preference for the band's older, less bombastic style.

Recently, Dimmu Borgir toured as part of Ozzfest. Currently, the band is expecting to re-record Stormblast, as well as begin work on a new album.

Discography

Cover of "Death Cult Armageddon"

Studio releases

• Inn I Evighetens Mørke [EP] - (1994)
• For All Tid - (1994) (Reis. 1997)
• Stormblåst - (1996)
• Devil's Path [EP] - (1996)
• Enthrone Darkness Triumphant - (1997) (Reis. 2002)
• Spiritual Black Dimensions - (1999)
• Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia - (2001)

  1.Fear and Wonder (Intro)
  2.Blessings upon The Throne of Tyranny 
  3.Kings of The Carnival Creation 
  4.Hybrid Stigmata-The Apostasy
  5.Architecture of A Genocidal Nature 
  6.Puritania 
  7.IndoctriNation 
  8.The Maelstrom Mephisto 
  9.Absolute Sole Right 
 10.Sympozium 
 11.Perfection or Vanity 
 12.Devil's Path, re-recording feat. Andy La Roque. 
 13.Burn in Hell, cover of the Twister Sisters classic.

• Death Cult Armageddon - (2003)

  1.Allegiance
  2.Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse
  3.Lepers Among Us
  4.Vredesbyrd
  5.For The World To Dictate Our Death
  6.Blood Hunger Doctrine
  7.Allehelgens Død I Helveds Rike
  8.Cataclysm Children
  9.Eradication Instincts Defined
 10.Unorthodox Manifesto
 11.Heavenly Perverse
Bonustrack Digi: 
 12.Satan My Master (Bathory Cover)

Live and other releases

• Godless Savage Garden [Compilation] - (1998)
• Alive In Torment [Live] - (2001)
• World Misanthropy [DVD/VHS] - (2002)
• World Misanthropy [Live] - (2002)

Band members

Current members

• Shagrath (Stian Thoresen) - Vocals - (1993-)
• Galder (Thomas Rune Andersen) - Guitar - (2001-)
• Silenoz (Sven Atle Kopperud) - Guitar - (1993-)
• ICS Vortex (Simen Hestnaes) - Bass - (2000-)
• Mustis (Øyvind Mustafarta) - Keyboard - (1998-)
• Reno Kiilerich - Drums - (2004-2004)

Former members

• Astennu - Guitar - (1997-1999)
• Nagash - Bass - (1996-1999)
• Brynjard Tristan - Bass - (1994-1996)
• Stian Aarstad - Keyboard - (1993-1997)
• Nicholas Barker - Drums - (1999-2004)
• Tjodalv - Drums - (1993-1999)
• Kimberly Goss - Keyboard - (Unknown Years)

Criticism

Some people discovered that Sorgens Kammer of the Stormblåst album seriously ressembles the intro tune from an Amiga game called Agony, while Dimmu Borgir didn't give them any credit and is sampled Agony amiga title sample.ogg. Some people also accuse Dimmu Borgir of being commercially-oriented and of being "sell-outs".

External links

• Dimmu Borgir Official Homepage
• Dimmu Borgir Lyrics

See also

The Dimmuborgir is an actual location east of Mývatn in Iceland. The area is marked by remnants of volcanic activity that are perhaps reminiscent of an ancient collapsed citadel, with columns spewing plumes of sulfuric smoke. In Icelandic folklore the Dimmuborgir is said to connect earth with the infernal regions.

• Dimmuborgir In Iceland