DIMMU BORGIR Announces New Album 'Grand Serpent Rising', Shares 'Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel' Single

Eight years after the release of their critically acclaimed album "Eonian", Norwegian symphonic black metal titans DIMMU BORGIR return with a towering new opus: "Grand Serpent Rising". Set for release on May 22 via Nuclear Blast Records, the album delivers thirteen punishing yet remarkably diverse tracks that reaffirm the band's status as one of the most formidable forces in extreme music.

DIMMU BORGIR frontman Shagrath comments: "I truly feel we've outdone ourselves musically on this album. It's been a long and demanding process, but seeing how it all came together makes it incredibly rewarding. 'Grand Serpent Rising' reflects every era of DIMMU BORGIR. This album carries echoes of every chapter of DIMMU BORGIR's legacy. I believe our fans will recognize that, and find something within it that truly resonates."

Even the sheer weight of the album title speaks volumes.

"It fits perfectly," DIMMU BORGIR guitarist Silenoz explains. "DIMMU BORGIR is a leviathan of a band on a grand scale and we are rising once again. While the serpent represents evil to some, for us it symbolizes something else: renewal, growth, knowledge, and liberation. Shedding our skin, so to speak. And let's not forget that February 2026 marks the end of the Year of the Snake, roughly the same moment this album was completed."

"Grand Serpent Rising" was recorded in Gothenburg with acclaimed producer Fredrik Nordström, whose legacy with the band includes landmark releases "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia" and "Death Cult Armageddon". The collaboration once again captures the band at their most expansive and ferocious, blending orchestral grandeur with unrelenting black metal intensity.

Alongside the album announcement, the band unveils a cinematic video for the track "Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel". Sung in Norwegian, the song stands as a punishing epic rooted in themes of heritage and bloodline — the passing of something essential from one generation to the next.

In October 2026, two of the most influential forces in extreme metal join together for a monumental live assault: DIMMU BORGIR and BEHEMOTH will embark on the "In League With Satan" co-headline tour, storming across Europe. As special guests, the Swedish black metal icons DARK FUNERAL will add even more ferocity to an already devastating lineup.

Last June, DIMMU BORGIR announced Kjell Åge "Damage" Karlsen as the band's new guitarist. Karlsen, who previously played with Shagrath in the long-running Norwegian rock act CHROME DIVISION, made his live debut with DIMMU BORGIR on June 27, 2025 at the Tons Of Rock festival in Oslo, Norway.

Longtime DIMMU BORGIR guitarist Galder (real name Thomas Rune Andersen) announced his departure from the band in the summer of 2024, explaining that he wanted to reactivate his OLD MAN'S CHILD project.

Galder played his final concert with DIMMU BORGIR on August 17, 2024 as the headliner of the main stage at Dynamo Metal Fest in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

DIMMU BORGIR is:

Shagrath - vocals
Silenoz - guitars
Damage - guitars
Victor - bass
Gerlioz - keyboards
Daray - drums

Photo credit: Stian Andersen