DIMMU BORGIR Singer Says Jumping Up And Down On Stage Is Not Right Way To Play Metal

DIMMU BORGIR frontman Shagrath recently spoke to Jeff Brinn of Schwegweb.com about the group's participation in this year's Ozzfest and the band's general view of their standing in today's music scene. Several excerpts from the interview follow:

Schwegweb.com: With the release of the new Ozzfest edition of "Death Cult Armageddon", you guys have a blistering cover of a BATHORY song. Was Quorthon (the late lead singer of BATHORY) a huge influence on DIMMU BORGIR?

Shagrath: "Not directly influenced, but we are fans of BATHORY, we have always been into BATHORY, at least most of the band. We did a cover song to pay our tribute to BATHORY, of course, but we never directly took inspiration from BATHORY. We have always been a band that, even if we have favorite bands, we don't try to copy our favorite bands. We always go our own direction. So many people make mistakes when they start a band, they try to sound like or try to copy their favorite bands and that is not the right way to go. That's all the reason for our success is basically because we have always been a band that doesn't listen to what people say, we don't give a fuck; we do our own thing. Like it or hate it, either way we don't care."

Schwegweb.com: Do you think your genera of music has gotten as big as it will get in the states or is there a lot of potentional still to be a larger force in metal?

Shagrath: "There's a lot of potentional still. The difference between us and a lot of other black metal bands from Europe is that I don't think so many bands want to come to the States because you have to work so hard. You have to start from scratch playing some of the worst clubs ever, no showers, no food, nothing, driving around in vans. It's very hard for bands to come over. We did it, we worked our way up and that is what you have to do to sell records in the States. I think a lot of bands in Europe are happy where they are, I don't think they concentrate on the American market so much. Our music has potential but black metal is more of a European thing and I don't think it is easy for Americans to understand. It's hard to explain but it is such a big difference from Europe and America in black metal. Black metal is a very serious thing in Europe, in America people are into different styles of music like HATEBREED. Jumping up and down on stage and saying 'Fuck you' is not the right way to go when you play metal in my opinion."

Schwegweb.com: Do you feel that there is some what of a competitive edge between DIMMU BORGIR and CRADLE OF FILTH?

Shagrath: "A lot of people say that, and feel that, but it's just not the case. I think the reason that is said is because we are one of the only bands doing what we do on a more professional level; we tour a lot and spend a lot of time working with our music compared to other bands. Sound, concept and lyrical wise we are two different bands, it's like night and day so you can't really compare our music to CRADLE OF FILTH."

Read Shagrath's entire interview with Schwegweb.com at this location.