SHAGRATH On Keeping DIMMU BORGIR A Three-Piece: 'That's The Best Way For Us To Do It'

Last week, The Age Of Metal conducted an interview with cocalist Shagrath (real name: Stian Tomt Thoresen) of Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR. You can now listen to the chat using the Mixcloud widget below. A couple of excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On whether DIMMU BORGIR will continue to be presented as a three-piece band, joined by session musicians for recording and touring purposes, or if the lineup will be officially expanded with the release of the band's upcoming album:

Shagrath: "Well, DIMMU BORGIR is three people. That's how it's been for many, many years now, and that's the best way for us to do it. I know that some fans might be disappointed in this solution, but this works best for DIMMU BORGIR. The three of us [Shagrath and guitarists Silenoz and Galder] are the creative ones who make most of the stuff, and then we also have live members to be part of the show. And when it comes to our keyboard player and our drummer, they have been a part of the band now for almost nine years. But the core is the three of us, and that's much better, because it's very chaotic to have six people in a band with strong opinions. And you can only imagine — it's not really easy. And also we are spending a lot of time together. All the changes we have done, we have done for the better for DIMMU BORGIR. We don't fire people because we think it's funny. We do things because it's necessary, for the [betterment of] DIMMU BORGIR. So, yeah, there's three core members and then we have three extra people as well."

On DIMMU BORGIR's upcoming album:

Shagrath: "We have spent now three months to complete it, in the studio, so it's ready. It's something also we are very, very proud of. I think we have achieved the making of a really great album. I think also the DIMMU BORGIR fans will not be disappointed about this. But I don't want to go into specific details about this record, because it's too early; it's gonna come out in the fall. So I'm not gonna share too much information about it. But what I can say is that we are very proud of it. It includes a lot of elements from the whole history of DIMMU BORGIR. We have atmospheric riffs, which you get the feeling of a connection from even back in '93. We have symphonic elements, we have more primitive black elements — all kinds of different atmosphere in this new record. And then we have spent almost two years putting it together now. So, yeah, we are very chuffed with it."

DIMMU BORGIR's new DVD, "Forces Of The Northern Night", was released on April 14 via Nuclear Blast. The set contains two of the band's live performances: their legendary show in Oslo, presenting DIMMU BORGIR on stage with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and a bombastic choir, as well as their entire performance at Wacken Open Air festival in 2012 in Wacken, Germany with almost a hundred musicians on stage.

DIMMU BORGIR's most recent touring lineup included Geir Bratland (APOPTYGMA BERZERK, THE KOVENANT) on keyboards and Terje Andersen (a.k.a. Cyrus; SUSPERIA) on bass.