Over seven years, deathlike silence has filled the halls of the world‘s biggest black metal forge, DIMMU BORGIR, whilst powers have been gathering to resurrect the band right in time for their 25th anniversary. Now they finally mark their return with a vicious work of art that can be defined as timeless in the truest sense of the word: 'Eonian'.
The songwriting core of DIMMU BORGIR furthermore consists of charismatic vocalist Shagrath, as well as the string wizards Silenoz and Galder, but other familiar faces also emerge from the darkness: Drummer Daray and keyboarder Gerlioz are still part of the team, and Gaute Storaas helped with the choral arrangements for the majestic voices of the Schola Cantrum Choir.
The cover artwork was designed in fascinating detail by Zbigniew M. Bielak (GHOST, BEHEMOTH, MAYHEM).
This tenth full-length record will see the light of spring on May the 4th, and it will contain 10 new tracks, produced by the band itself and engineered by Jens Bogren. Emerging from the dark minds of the three songwriters, 'Eonian' follows a philosophical concept, dealing with the illusion of time:
“Time, when not approaching it from the construct we're used to can't be defined and thus it is illusory”, explains axemaster Silenoz. “There's only an 'eternal now', which the album title is already hinting at. When we travel between the worlds seen and unseen, the perception of time ceases to exist, it has no function. Our energy is our torch and our compass when we make rifts and pierce through the veil - when we go beyond.”
Vocalist Shagrath adds: “'Eonian' represents the illusion of time, everything that is and always has been. For us, it also marks the 25th anniversary of DIMMU BORGIR and the album itself is a tribute to our own history and the Norwegian black metal history."
On February 23rd, DIMMU BORGIR will unveil their first single 'Interdimensional Summit', that will be released as a 7'' vinyl EP, providing a first taste of the upcoming album.
You can pre-order the EP here. The pre-order for the full-length album starts on the single's release day, February 23rd: http://nblast.de/DimmuBorgirSummit
The following LPs are already available in NB Webshop shop:
'Death Cult Armageddon' (2 LP black vinyl)
'Death Cult Armageddon' (2 LP silver - mailorder exclusive!)
'For All Tid' (2 LP black vinyl)
'For All Tid' (2 LP orange vinyl)
'Enthrone Darkness Triumphant' (black vinyl)
While these LPs will see the light of day a little later, on February 23rd:
'Spiritual Black Dimensions' (black vinyl)
'Spiritual Black Dimensions' (mint vinyl - mailorder exclusive!)
'Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia' (2 LP black vinyl)
'Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia' (2 LP blue vinyl - mailorder exclusive!)
'Stormblåst' (LP + 7'' EP, black vinyl)
'Stormblåst' (LP + 7'' EP, clear vinyl - mailorder exclusive!)
You can get them here or pre-order them now: http://nblast.de/DimmuBorgirReRelease
So far, DIMMU BORGIR announced the following festival shows for 2018:
22. - 24.06. F Clisson - Hellfest
05. - 07.07. E Barcelona - Rock Fest
02. - 04.08. D Wacken - Wacken Open Air
16. - 18.08. N Horten - Midgardsblot Metalfestival
ONLINE
LINEUP
Shagrath - vocals
Silenoz - guitars
Galder - guitars
Current live line-up:
Daray - drums
Gerlioz (Brat) - keys
BIOGRAPHY
BACKGROUND GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Dimmuborgir (pronounced “DIM-moo bor-GEAR”) is a large area of unusually shaped lava fields that includes various cave and rock formations east of Lake Mỷvatn on Iceland. While the word “dimmu” means “fog/dark,” and “borgir” means “castle/fortress,” and the lava fields were named after the Kirkjan (“The Church”) cave with the high, gothic-styled vaulted ceiling, the area is commonly referred to as “the Gates to Hell.”
Welcome to the not-so-mythical world of Norway’s DIMMU BORGIR - thee most prominent melodic black metal act in the world.
Founded in 1993 by lead singer Shagrath, guitarist Silenoz, and drummer Tjodalv, DIMMU BORGIR made their debut onto the underground metal scene via a limited 7” vinyl EP entitled Inn I Evighetens Morke (“Into The Eternity Of Darkness”) in 1994. Inspired by early incarnations of black metal from the 1980s and inspired by the works of classical composers such as Wagner and Dvorak, the band’s music was resplendent in its raw & melodic vocals, aggressive guitar work, destructive drums, and haunting keyboard melodies. Less than a year later, the band (now a 5-piece) recorded their now-classic full-length debut, For All Tid, to wild acclaim. While DIMMU BORGIR’s reputation gained momentum throughout Scandinavia, the band focused their energies on recording what was to become one of the most essential albums in black metal history, Stormblåst, which – although sung completely in Norwegian - catapulted them out of Europe and into international (albeit still underground) waters. Though displaying a marked escalation in their time signatures, DIMMU BORGIR made significant headway in defining their classically influenced sound that would become an intrinsic blueprint.
Following Stormblåst, DIMMU BORGIR decided to record in English to reach a broader audience, and the result was 1997’s commanding masterpiece, Enthrone Darkness Triumphant. Produced by the one-and-only living legend Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy, Pain) at Abyss Studios (Immortal, Destruction, Children Of Bodom), the album was released by Nuclear Blast and marked the band’s significant international breakthrough with over 150,000 copies sold and chart entries all over the world. Included in this breakthrough year were performances at some of the most esteemed European music festivals such as Germany’s Dynamo and Wacken Open Air.
After their world tour for Enthroned Darkness Triumphant, DIMMU BORGIR recorded the Godless Savage Garden mini-CD to hold fans over as they curiously waited to see what direction the next full-length, Spiritual Black Dimensions, would take. Once again recorded at Abyss Studios with Peter Tägtgren, the album stormed into music stores around the world in 1999 and single-handedly transformed the market for black metal. Those who ever doubted DIMMU BORGIR’s allegiance to extreme music were forced to face reality when the album proved to be their most complex and severe offering.
DIMMU suffered a setback when long-time drummer Tjodalv resigned from the band in the early stages of their 1999 tour. His replacement was none other than former Cradle Of Filth skinsman Nick Barker, whose presence among vocalist Shagrath, guitarists Silenoz & Galder, bassist & clean vocalist I.C.S. Vortex, and keyboard player Mustis complemented the band’s already impressive lineage. The sextet entered Sweden’s Fredman Studio in the fall of 2000 with the equally acclaimed producer Fredrik Nordström (At The Gates, Opeth, In Flames) to record Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia, and did not fail to create an uncompromising 11 tracks of audible malevolence and exceptional atmospherics. Released in 2001, Puritanical expanded DIMMU’s audience even more, and 2003’s self-produced Death Cult Armageddon proved to be no different. Debuting on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart and entering at #7 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart, Death Cult Armageddon went on to sell over 100,000 records in North America alone. DIMMU BORGIR not only landed a coveted spot on Ozzfest’s Main Stage in 2004, but they were showcased in MTV’s reality series “Battle For Ozzfest,” and the dark orchestrations of their “Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse” track was selected for use in the trailer for Guillermo del Toro’s film, Hellboy.
Recruiting the prolific drummer Hellhammer (Mayhem, Arcturus, Winds) for session work in last year’s re-recording of Stormblåst (produced by Peter Tägtgren) and boasting his session work in the recording for their first studio album in four years, 2007’s In Sorte Diaboli is DIMMU BORGIR's first concept album. An epic story set in medieval Europe, In Sorte Diaboli is a treatise on modern day political and social abuses of organized religion. This first-person account of an acolyte is told through his own journal entries, depicting his personal struggle with the teachings of the church. Experiencing a life-altering epiphany, he abandons the church completely, and his spiritual victory is won through his rejection of the concept of god. Produced by Fredrik Nordström and Patrik J. Sten at Sweden’s (in)famous Studio Fredman, the dark grandiosity of “The Serpentine Offering,” the elegant ferocity of “The Sacrilegious Scorn,” the impending doom of “The Fallen Arises,” and the unforgiving death march of “The Ancestral Fever” have all fused together to create what has been praised as “the most complete symphonic black metal record” by Metal Maniacs Magazine.
In Sorte Diaboli welcomes you to the battle that will never end. Antichristus spiritualis.
DISCOGRAPHY
For all tid - 1995
Stormblåst - 1996
Enthrone Darkness Triumphant - 1997
Spiritual Black Dimensions - 1999
Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia - 2001
Death Cult Armageddon - 2003
Stormblåst MMV - 2005
In Sorte Diaboli - 2007
Abrahadabra - 2010
Eonian - 2018