DIMMU BORGIR Frontman: 'We've Never Been A Pure Black Metal Band'

Allison Stewart of the Chicago Tribune recently conducted an interview with vocalist Shagrath (real name: Stian Tomt Thoresen) of Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Chicago Tribune: There's a review of your new album that says that DIMMU BORGIR invented symphonic black metal. Would you say that's accurate?

Shagrath: No, I would not say that. We've always been a band that incorporated symphonics into our music — we've never been a pure black metal band. But the band EMPEROR was doing that stuff before we did, so we can't take credit.

Chicago Tribune: What is it about Norway that allows so many black metal bands to flourish?

Shagrath: Mainly it's a way of thinking. It could be environment. We live in a very dark country where we have a lot of snow. It's a small country but a lot of bands are able to think outside the box, and not be copycats.

Chicago Tribune: Do you feel like your lineup is more stable than it's been?

Shagrath: It's hard to predict the future. … Right now we're using musicians that we get along well with, people who are very skilled musicians and good friends. So we have a lineup that I hope will last forever, but we might change some people in the future. You never know.

Chicago Tribune: The premise of this piece will be that DIMMU BORGIR is the best metal band that you've probably never heard of. So go ahead, make my case for me. Don't be modest.

Shagrath: Why we are the best? DIMMU BORGIR is a band that sticks out from the masses in the world of underground music. We incorporate a lot of different stuff, everything from classic music to heavy metal, thrash metal, black metal, death metal. No matter what kind of music you like, you're always able to find something in our music. We also have our visual side, something more theatrical, more interesting.

Read the entire interview from the Chicago Tribune.

Fan-filmed video footage of DIMMU BORGIR performing the song "Chess With The Abyss" on September 21, 2010 at the HMV Forum in London, England can be viewed below (courtesy of Dave Ingham a.k.a. YouTube user "triptykon").