DIMMU BORGIR: New Full 'Story/Concept' Album Due Late 2006

Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR have issued the following update on their current and upcoming activities:

"Finally there's an official update on this site to let you guys in on what the Hell is happening at the moment and whatever else that we might be conspiring behind closed doors. We suspect most of you guys, our hardcore fanbase at least, wonder what's up our sleeve next, understandably so. There seems to have been quite a lot of 'confusion' lately, rumors back and forth, about this and that and whatnot, since the lack of information has been pretty evident the last couple of months. Perhaps we are partly to blame for that, one reason being that we simply might do this on purpose since we don't necessarily like the perception of being everybody's news center at all times to keep people updated on loads of unimportant shit, so-called everyday stuff. It might look as if we don't care, and it's true, we don't, unless there's some specific and important shit to discuss, like now.

"First things first:

"Festivals: We're doing five (5) this year and five (5) only. You will find all confirmed live dates on this site. They got announced quite a while ago in the forum, but to avoid any more speculations (you're all very good at that!) here we go again:

June 4th – Waldrock (Holland)
June 26th – Fury Fest (France)
July 16th – Tuska (Finland)
July 23rd – Zillo (Germany)
August 6th – Gates of Metal (Sweden)

"Drummers: We've decided, at least for the time being, not to invite a new drummer on a permanent basis. Tony Laureano [ex-NILE] will join us for all abovementioned festivals this summer, while Hellhammer [MAYHEM] has offered his services for the new full-length album.

"Re-release of 'Stormblåst': We will have recording sessions in Abyss Studios with Peter 'Jahhh!!' Tägtgren during the summer. Because of unexpected conflicting schedules, and with already booked studio time, we were suddenly forced to swiftly find a replacement for the drummer who originally agreed to do this recording with us. So we simply asked the closest one from home, Hellhammer, coincidently and luckily for us he was free to do that job as well! Tentative release date is sometime before this year is over. And yes, it'll have extra material, previously unreleased stuff, what's the point of a re-release without? But more about the real reason why we chose to do this album all over again in its entirety later.

"Next full-length album: Writing will begin August/September sometime, once everything else with festivals and re-recordings are out of the way. It'll take the time it needs, so don't expect any release sooner than second half of 2006, at earliest. We have not yet decided who will be supervising/co-producing our next studio effort, but what we do know is that it'll most likely be a full story/concept album. We feel it's time to do something 'else,' starting on scratch exploring fresh territory, challenge ourselves. More details on this as things develop.

"On the side: Other bands/projects that will also in one way or another keep us occupied this year are:

"CHROME DIVISION - Nekro Doomsday Rock 'n Roll feat. Shag and Lex (KOVENANT).

"INSIDIOUS DISEASE: Dark death metal feat. Silenoz, Jardar (OLD MAN'S CHILD) and Tony Laureano.

"ARCTURUS: Vortex will be recording and touring with them later this year.

"OLD MAN'S CHILD: Galder recently finished the new album, recorded and mixed in Fredman Studio.

"Everything else is, as they say: Festivus for the rest of us — The pace has quickened!!!"