DIMMU BORGIR Guitarist Attributes Band's Success To 'Stubbornness And Perseverance'

Karma E. Omowale of FourteenG.net webzine recently conducted an interview with DIMMU BORGIR guitarist Silenoz and drummer Hellhammer. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

FourteenG.net: How was it recording the album [in Sweden] with Fredrik Nordström at the new location? Was it easier to make the album, being out in the middle of nowhere and away from all distractions?

Silenoz: It was good, I mean [chuckles] he's silly and crazy enough to want to do an album [with us]. His new studio is really nice too! It was out on the countryside and it was better for us in the sense that we could focus 100% on the music and recording at all times. That wasn't really the case with the previous album ["Death Cult Armageddon"] because then he had [the studio] in the center of the city so it was a lot of distractions, you know! [Laughs] But this time it was a lot better even if we were less prepared for this album; it took us less time to record it than the previous one.

FourteenG.net: What can be said about DIMMU BORGIR's musical progression; how have you evolved as musicians a unit both musically and personally?

Silenoz: I think it's just stubbornness and perseverance that have gotten us this far and not letting outside influences get to you too much, you know. I think that's the main thing of why we're still here and still successful!

FourteenG.net: What have you learned about yourself and your band mates as musicians over the years?

Silenoz: You learn a lot because especially when you're on tours, you kind of have to give everyone a lot of space because you're cramped on a tour bus and you see your bandmates more than you see your family usually. You kind of have to treat them like that, like your family also arguments and fights happen so it's natural, you know. It's kind of unavoidable but it's good because we all have to think of it as a job itself because that's what it really is. Especially when you're on tour you get paid to do a show and play for people. You've got to look at it from a distance, you know.

FourteenG.net: Have you found time to work on your WWII novel?

Silenoz: Oh well…I haven't had time to do anything about it yet. I have been working on some ideas here and there it's just stressful so far. It's been so much press and so much promotion, so much preparation to do for this tour, so I haven't had time to breathe until I'm home from tour.

FourteenG.net: Say for instance, black metal never caught on, how do you think that would have impacted the metal community?

Silenoz: [Laughs] I guess, I mean we never really looked upon ourselves as a typical black metal band anyway 'cause we always felt like outsiders through the whole scene and the whole community. But it's hard to say but when everything is presented in the media, it's blown out of proportion or it's probably blown out of proportion because some shit happened [concerning the infamous church burnings]. But I don't know, it's hard to say where it would have been without it, you know. But then it helped the music to get some attention, that's for sure!

Read the entire interview at www.fourteeng.net.