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Dimmu borgir definetly are, and forever will be one of my favorite bands!!! They are the band that brought me to black metal in the first place...

Dimmuborgir (not Dimmu Borgir, as the band's name) is a place in northern Iceland, where local legends say it is an entrance or gate to hell.
"Dimmu" means dark, and "borgir" can mean city/ town, fortress, castle, rocky hill or shelter.

Biography
Dimmu Borgir started as a melodic black metal band in 1993. Formed by Shagrath, Silenoz, and Tjodalv, the band released an EP in 1994 entitled Inn i evighetens mørke ("Into the Darkness of Eternity" in English). This short EP sold out within weeks, and the band followed up with the 1994 full length album For all tid. This album featured musical contributions by members of Dødheimsgard and Ved Buens Ende. The initial lineup consisted of Shagrath playing drums with Tjodalv on guitar and Silenoz covering vocals, however this changed before the release of Stormblåst (translates to "Storm Blown") on Cacophonous Records in 1996. Stormblåst received high praise from many melodic black metal fans, and is often regarded as a highlight of the band's career. It is also the last album which features all lyrics written and sung in Norwegian.

After Stormblåst, Dimmu Borgir's lineup took a sharp turn. Keyboardist Stian Aarstad left the band due to his obligation to serve in the Norwegian army, thus being unable to participate in the 1996 recording of Devil's Path. That period was also marked by the departure of their bassist Brynjard Tristan and the arrival of Nagash. Stian Aarstad returned for the recording of 1997's Enthrone Darkness Triumphant. While on tour to support the album, he had trouble attending rehearsals and being on tour, and was subsequently fired. Enthrone Darkness Triumphant was a huge success for the band, and was their first release signed to Nuclear Blast, a well-known German record label. The album was recorded in the Abyss Studios, owned by Hypocrisy's frontman Peter Tägtgren.

After the tour for Enthrone Darkness Triumphant, the band recruited new members Mustis on keyboards and Astennu on lead guitar, for Shagrath to concentrate on vocals. Dimmu Borgir's following full-length albums Spiritual Black Dimensions in 1999 and 2001's Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia, both met critical acclaim.[citation needed]

Despite regular video play on MTV2 and Fuse TV that their follow-up album would receive, the band has stated that they are not "commercially-oriented," and instead, they 'simply wish to spread their message to more people'. In 2003, Dimmu Borgir used their major record label financial leverage to record an album titled Death Cult Armageddon. Sections of the album were recorded with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra to enhance the classical arrangements which have always augmented the band's style. However, in multiple interviews Shagrath mentions the many troubles and shortcomings that came along with using the orchestra from Prague. Two full weeks of studio work were spent cleaning up the mistakes. On their following album the band decided to not use a live orchestra instead leaving the duty mostly to the band's keyboardist, Mustis, in the studio. In 2004, Dimmu Borgir headlined Ozzfest.

In 2005, the band did a complete re-recording of the Stormblåst album, featuring Hellhammer of Mayhem fame as the session drummer.

Dimmu Borgir's newest album, In Sorte Diaboli, was released April 24, 2007. A special edition version was released in a boxed case with a DVD, backward-printed lyrics, and a mirror. The album artwork was released on February 14, 2007 on a promotional webpage for the album. This album features the drumming of Hellhammer of Mayhem, who had to leave the band in mid tour in 2007 because of a neck injury, resulting in limited movement of his right arm. With the release of this album, Dimmu Borgir became the first black metal band with a number one album in their native country.[5]

In 2008, Silenoz told Metal Hammer magazine that Dimmu Borgir will begin preparation for a tenth studio album in late 2008 for an anticipated mid-2010 release. He also said the band probably will be recording parts of the album with London Philharmonic Orchestra, will be travelling to Egypt and Turkey to create the sound they want to create for this album, and may be produced by Max Cavalera and Fredrik Nordström. (Information taken from Wikipedia)

DIMMU BORGIR Official Myspace
DIMMU BORGIR Official Website

Current line-up
*Shagrath (Stian Tomt Thoresen): Vocals (1993-) (also guitars 1993-1997 & drums 1993-1995) (Starkness, Fimbulwinter, Ragnarok (Nor), Chrome Division)
*Erkekjetter Silenoz (Sven Atle Kopperud): Guitars (also vocals) (1993-) (Nocturnal Breed, Malefic (Nor))
*Galder (Thomas Rune Andersen): Guitars (2001-) (Old Man's Child, Requiem (Nor), Dødheimsgard)
*ICS Vortex (Simen Hestnæs): Bass/Clean Vocals (2000-) (Arcturus (Nor), Borknagar, Lamented Souls, Code)
*Mustis (Øyvind Johan Mustaparta): Keyboards (1998-) (Susperia, Vidder)
*Hellhammer (Jan Axel Blomberg): Session Drums (2005-) (Antestor, Arcturus (Nor), Carnivora, Covenant (Nor), Jørn, Mezzerschmitt, Mortem (Nor), Shining (Swe), The Kovenant, Thorns, Troll (Nor), Vidsyn, Winds (Nor), Tritonus, Age of Silence, Umoral, Gorgoroth, Den Saakaldte, Mayhem (Nor))

Former members
Guitars:
*Astennu (Jamie Stinson) (1997-1999) (Lord Kaos, Covenant (Nor), Stronger Than Hate, Infernal Method, Nocturnal Breed, Carpe Tenebrum)
*Jens Petter (between "Devil's Path" (1996) & "Enthrone Darkness Triumphant" (1997))
Bass:
*Nagash (Stian Arnesen aka Lex Icon) (1996-1999), also vocals, keyboards (The Kovenant, Covenant (Nor), Troll, Carpe Tenebrum, Chrome Division)
*Brynjard Tristan (Ivar Tristan Lundsten) (1993-1996) (Old Man's Child)
Drums:
*Tjodalv (Kenneth Åkesson) (1993-1999) (also guitars 1993-1995) (Susperia, Old Man's Child, Requiem (Nor), Black Comedy)
*Nicholas Howard Barker (1999-2004) (Atrocity (Ger), Leaves' Eyes, Lock Up, Catalepsy (UK), Monolith (UK), Benediction, Driven By Suffering, Testament, Cradle of Filth, Old Man's Child, Brujeria, Anaal Nathrakh, Gorgoroth, Winter’s Thrall, Nightrage)
*Reno Killerich (Live 2004-2005) (Evil Morgan, Kobeast, 12Gauge, Chthonic, Downlord, Exmortem (Dnk), Hate Eternal, Old Man's Child, Panzerchrist, Strangler, Vile (US))
*Tony Laureano - (Live 2004, 2007-) (Acheron (US), Nile, Angelcorpse, Astaroth (US), God Dethroned, Internecine, Malevolent Creation, Nidingr, 1349, Aurora Borealis (US), Belphegor (Aut), Brujeria, Devolution (US), Eulogy (US), Naphobia, Nachtmystium, Sanctification, The Black Dahlia Murder)
Keyboards:
*Kimberly Goss (1997-1998) (Sinergy, Ancient (Nor), Therion (Swe), Avernus, Warmen)
*Stian Aarstad (1993-1997) (Enthral (Nor))

Discography
Demos
*Rehearsal (1993)
EP
*Inn i evighetens mørke (1994)
Studio albums
* For all tid (1994)
* Stormblåst (1996)
* Enthrone Darkness Triumphant (1997)
* Godless Savage Garden (1998)
* Spiritual Black Dimensions (1999)
* Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001)
* Death Cult Armageddon (2003)
* Stormblåst MMV (2005)
* In Sorte Diaboli (2007)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAmMcBQavKE[/youtube]

ilikrina mia poli kali banda! polloi distixos bazun tus sto idio kazani me cof ala ok prosopiki apo4i t ka8enos!
agapimeno m komati spellbound

Yes Shagrath said so himself, these are his words "We dont like beind compared to COF, were both very professional at what were doing, Doing lots of live shows etc. but musically and lyrically were completely different!”

Dimmu Borgir, Dimmu borgir.... no offence but why promote a band which is already well known and considered to be sell outs , what next your going to introduce us to Metallica ?

Calling Dimmu borgir black metal / melodic black metal ( or whatever you decorate it with) is the same as banging on the desk and calling it drumming or playing Guitar hero and calling yourself Satriani. Overused keyboards, simple and simply ongoing boring riffs. Lyrics which seem so "satanic" but in the end represent shallow statements writen by 13 year old rebels.Also creativity down the drain, when you listen to one of their songs its as if you listened to their whole album. Ehh the only more acceptable album is stormblast which is one of their older releases

As for "We dont like beind compared to COF" obviously they weren't being compared musically and lyrics wise ( although i do believe that they are not that indifferent) but due to the fact that the majority of their listeners are between age 5-15 and due to the fact that both are "sellouts". I couldn't give a crap on whether they are sellouts or not but nor musically nor visually do they represent black metal which they claim to be , which is even more evident on their alum cover graphics.Look at Deathcrush or Opus Nocturne and look at Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia. Also Dimmu Borgir "Dark Cities" a ten year old comming up with that name ate ok. but a black metal band ? what, do they also drink satans blood for supper and shit out gunpowder .

Agapimeno mou album pou Dimmu Borgir en to For All Tid.. Alla ok, to kommati Puritania ekame tous gnwstous i en i idea mou?

Yes obviously if you compare them to other black metal bands like Gorgoroth, then you see that they are nothing alike! The point is not to be just another black metal band, but to be able to embrace their music with many different great styles, while still keeping black elements in it... Yes they changed their style, but so what, they’re sell-outs for making good music? Whether you like them or not is your own opinion, and i respect that... but don’t come here trying to be all high and mighty telling people how totally shit they are, and how they have no musical value, go be a d*** (Edited by Atrocious - watch your language) somewhere else

Just coze you dont like keyboards re J, doesnt make them an aweful band

@ Mark:
Re read what i wrote , i have no problems with bands using keyboards(Rotting Christ, Burzum) but i find that Dimmu overuse them, simple. I also stated the other factors why i dislike them musically.


@Darkmatter : Re-read what i posted . In the first part i compared them to black metal/ melodic black metal because thats what the band and followers state it is ( if you don't that is a different story). I agree you might not compare it to Gorgoroth but still when you compare it to other melodic bm bands such as Emperor Nalfagar,Windir i still find them weak, once in a while skimming through stormblast is ok. Obviously no band exactly represents black metal and there are always a mixture of other component. I also stated why i particullarly didnt like , if you like them farewell i have nothing to say about it, i respect that.

As for "Yes they changed their style, but so what, they’re sell-outs for making good music?" a little quote from my post "I couldn't give a crap on whether they are sellouts or not but nor musically nor visually do they represent black metal which they claim to be" I was reffering to the fact that putting 200 upside down pentagrams and wearing corpse paint doesn't make you ultra satanic also that i find the lyrics used by the band shallow, not overlapping with my image of "brutal / elitness"

Finally as much as you like them i have the right to state that i don't like them, also i didn't just say oohhh they are shit shit ( dont take my point to the extreme) i stated why i didn't like them and i acctually backed up my points, whether you like my writting style or not doesn't make a difference since it will not make Dimmu a better or worse band for me. Also if your going to reply to me reply directly not via the forums, no need to make it a public show

i know you do man. i was just joking. besides, you like stormcast hehe

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lv em, en p ta prwta bands p me eferan konta stin black, not my favorite though
ok i dnt say they are the best symphonic/melodic or whatever black metal band u label them, but i like them and i kinda like their keyboards =p
j kamia sxesi me cof, cof is just a band gia posers p 8elun na lalun oti akousin black
(sorry an eshi fans tous dame it's just a matter of personal opinion, dnt think cof are worth listening)

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