DIMMU BORGIR's SILENOZ: 'We Have Been Working On' New Music 'For Quite A While'

In an interview with Jerry Kurunen of Finland's Rauta conducted at this year's Inferno festival, which took place in March 2024 in Oslo, Norway, DIMMU BORGIR guitarist Silenoz spoke about the progress of the songwriting sessions for the band's long-awaited new studio album. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  "Well, we are working on new stuff. We have been working on, on and off, new stuff for quite a while. Also during the pandemic, there was some downtime where we worked on stuff on our own, individually, and then we meet and try to concoct a new brew, so to speak.

"I think the fans are, like, 'Ah, you have to get out a new album,' and blah, blah, blah, blah, but the thing is that we rather take our time and even take one year extra to make it better than good, if you know what I mean," he explained. "Obviously, we would also like to have an album out as soon as we can, but we're not gonna do that just to have it out."

Asked about DIMMU BORGIR's stylistic changes over the years, particularly as it pertains to veering away from traditional Norwegian black metal, Silenoz said: "I think even on the first album, we started to drift off from the traditional so-called underground black metal thing. And we've always looked upon ourselves as something more than just that term. And it's better to not be able to be labeled as this or that. It's better that either you like the music, it gives you something, or it doesn't touch you — it's 'either or', basically. So, we always wanted to do different, new stuff on every album — that's very important for us — but the thing is that it comes naturally. We don't sit down and decide, 'Oh, today we're gonna make this and this type of song.' It just comes in. And then if we like it, then we keep it. It's pretty much that simple. But [2018's] 'Eonian' is probably more orchestrated, which kind of started with 'Abrahadabra' in 2010. I mean, we always had that element, but we took it as far as we felt we could take it. Now maybe — who knows what the next one will sound like? It just takes on its own life, basically."

On the topic of DIMMU BORGIR's lineup changes over the years, particularly in the band's earlier days, Silenoz said: "I think after so many years, you kind of get to know yourself better. So that opens up for knowing the person around you better as well. I know that sounds weird. But I think age has definitely something to do with it. And it's also important not only to be good in the writing moment, off stage you also have to get along really well. And I think that the age thing comes in there. So, yeah, it's good to have a more stable lineup."

DIMMU BORGIR's current lineup is officially a trio comprising Shagrath (Stian Tomt Thoresen) on lead vocals, Silenoz (Sven Atle Kopperud) on rhythm guitar and Galder (Tom Rune Anderson) on lead guitar. They are joined by session musicians Dariusz "Daray" Brzozowski on drums (since 2008),Geir "Gerlioz" Bratland on keyboards (since 2010) and Victor Brandt on bass (since 2018).

DIMMU BORGIR's latest album, "Eonian", came out in 2018. The LP was released right in time for the band's 25th anniversary in 2018, about eight years after its predecessor, "Abrahadabra". Since then, the infernal core trio consisting of Shagrath, Silenoz and Galder has played various tours all around the world, including shows at leading metal festivals such as Wacken Open Air and Hellfest.

DIMMU BORGIR released a collection of its cover songs, "Inspiratio Profanus", in December 2023 via Nuclear Blast Records. "Inspiratio Profanus" features the thunderous first single, "Black Metal" by the extreme metal pioneers VENOM, the genre-defining "Perfect Strangers" (DEEP PURPLE),fan favorite "Burn In Hell" (TWISTED SISTER),and electrifying renditions from the legendary CELTIC FROST, as well as other immensely influential artists.

At Inferno festival, three former members of DIMMU BORGIR — bassist/clean vocalist ICS Vortex (real name: Simen Hestnæs),keyboardist Mustis (real name: Øyvind Mustaparta) and drummer Tjodalv (real name: Ian Kenneth Åkesson) — rejoined the Norwegian symphonic black metallers on stage during their set at the Rockefeller Music Hall in Oslo to perform the song "The Insight And The Catharsis" from their 1999 album " Spiritual Black Dimensions".