DIMMU BORGIR Frontman: 'We're Not Merely A Black Metal Band; We're So Much More Than That'

Music-Photocalypse.net conducted an interview with vocalist Shagrath (real name: Stian Tomt Thoresen) of Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR when the band played in Helsinki, Finland on October 15, 2010. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Music-Photocalypse.net: You have opened a new page in the band's history after ICS Vortex and Mustis were given the sack. Was this something that absolutely had to be done in order for the band to go through all the recent innovations?

Shagrath: Based on the fact that there were a lot of changes through the last year in the band, and we are a band [that] always wants to take things into new directions anyway; we would have done that with those people or not. It's a decision we have been thinking [about] before for a long time. We were all about evolving into new directions. We're never afraid of trying out new stuff: wearing [white] is very different from the regular bands in the same genre. But we stick out anyway. We're not merely a black metal band; we're so much more than that. We take the freedom to express ourselves exactly the way we want to, without any other people's approval.

Music-Photocalypse.net: Speaking about atmosphere: DIMMU BORGIR is not just about music, it's also about all those theatrics and visual images.

Shagrath: We originally come from the black metal genre and also the music we have grown up listening to — which is very much '80s heavy metal bands that had a very strong image — and that's how it should be, we think. I mean, the music itself stands on its own feet, but to give people something that kind of relates to the music is very important. And visual aspects always go hand in hand with the music. I grew up listening to bands like KISS, and if I go to a concert and see a band, I want to see a show. If it's just about listening to the music, then I'll just stay at home and listen to the record. So yeah, the visual aspects are extremely important.

Music-Photocalypse.net: So was the new white image mostly your idea?

Shagrath: Yeah, it was my idea in the beginning, but it kind of developed into a certain direction. Based on the fact that we are Norwegians, we also wanted to capture some of the aspects of the so-called Nordic "caveman" type of look, to keep that within the music, I think it's important. So it's done in extreme way. Nobody pays any attention to black anymore, because everybody wears the same shit: same spikes and the same bullet belts, same make up. We've been around for over 17 years and it's always good to make the changes. When I represented the ideas [to] the people, they were not too [much] into it at first, so we had to make the first costumes and that was shown to everybody. Then they said, "Yes! That's the way we're gonna do it." Maybe for the next album we're gonna do something completely different again, there are no limits.

Music-Photocalypse.net: It was announced in the news that Snowy Shaw from THERION joined DIMMU BORGIR and then one day later he left the band. Did he just drop by to pick up some good ideas from you or what?

Shagrath: Don't trust the news. (laughs)

Music-Photocalypse.net: That's why I am asking you.

Shagrath: A lot of people ask questions like that. We have never made an official statement that we have any new members in the band. We are three members in DIMMU BORGIR and the other people are just hired to do a job, which was also the case with him. We hired him to play bass on the record. That's it. There's no story behind anything, he's never been a member of DIMMU BORGIR, he was paid to play on the record. That's it, simple and easy. [If you just listen to people], that's how one feather becomes three chickens.

Music-Photocalypse.net: You have probably heard a lot of black metal fans say that DIMMU BORGIR had sold out and became just another commercial band. What would be your answer to these people?

Shagrath: I would just say "Fuck off!" They don't have any idea what they're speaking about. First of all we are very hard-working people, we are very much dedicated to what we do and you can see the result of that. All those whining bitches who shout, "Oh, fucking sellouts," all those bands who do that, for how long are they out [there]? One or two years and then they disappear, fade out. We've been into this business now for over 17 years and more. And nobody can come and tell me that we sold out or whatever. What's fucking wrong with selling records? That's based on the work you do. It's just a bunch of bullshit and I don't think they know what they're talking about. It just doesn't make any sense [what they say]; there are so many stupid people out there.

Read the entire interview from Music-Photocalypse.net.