When we first heard that Dimmu Borgir vocalist Shagrath was engaged to Nicholas Cage’s ex-girlfriend Christina Fulton, we were sort of disgusted. It seemed hypocritical that the frontman for a Satanic black metal band was rubbing elbows (and genitalia) with a mainstream celebrity. To be honest, we were almost ready to write Dimmu Borgir off.
Then we popped the first disc of the band’s double DVD, “The Invaluable Darkness,” into our player, and within moments our faith was restored. Basically, we forgot our bias and recognized talent and presentation for what it was. Also, we applied the same criteria to Shagrath’s personal life that we did to the band’s spirituality. We’re not Satanists or Pagans (We’re not even Norwegian), but we can accept that a musician’s beliefs are his own business. Ditto for Shagrath’s private life.
The fact remains that Dimmu Borgir create dramatic music rife with aggression and dynamics. Theirs is the stuff of compelling. The music is filled with symphonic swells comparable to classical music, histrionic bursts tantamount to opera and the warlike stage countenance of Greek stage drama. And let’s face it, all those spikes and sneers are pretty damn cool.
After some of the wussy, whiny roles Cage has played, no wonder Fulton is digging Shagrath’s Nordic splendor. Humor aside, Dimmu Borgir are the seductive sound of infectious power. Their effusive melodies are inviting for anyone brave enough to overlook their ferocity and the more the bystander dabbles in their songcraft, the deeper entrenched he becomes. Let’s see Gorgoroth pull that off.
When Dimmu Borgir were in Los Angeles for a screening of their DVD, we hooked up with guitarist Silenoz (Shagrath isn’t talking to the press at the moment because he’s too busy banging Fulton), and talked about the encapsulating might of the new DVDs, the value of darkness, the band’s recent lineup changes (drummer Hellhammer is on hiatus and guitarist Galder recently had a kid and is staying at home for the time being), the Blackest of the Black tour and the work Dimmu Borgir has already done for the follow up to their 2007 album In Sorte Diaboli. Click “more” to stream or download the podcast.
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