Firebrand Super Rock superhot vocalist Laura Donnelly, who's surely stolen some hearts, photo by Wasted UK, courtesy of Flickr.com

To celebrate the announcement of this year's Bloodstock Festival, which takes place in Derby, England October 14 to 16, Britain's Metal Hammer magazine have posted interview snippets on their Web site in which they ask numerous musicians, "What's the worst thing you've ever stolen" and "What's the worst lie you've ever told."

Almost as interesting as the answers themselves are the numerous names of the bands interviewed that seem to be huge in England but remain unknown in the U.S. For example, how many of you out there know who Ted Maul, The Defiled, Firebrand Super Rock (hot blond chick, though, and love that Scottish accent), Devil's Gift and Praying Mantis and Alestorm (ugly dude, nice band name) are?

Fortunately, Metal Hammer also got some good soundbites from members of Opeth, Akercocke, Soulfly, Overkill, Dimmu Borgir, Evile, Soilwork, As I Lay Dying and Napalm Death. Click "more" to roll tape. Read more...

Norwegian black metal stars Dimmu Borgir recently stopped off at the Fuel TV studios to tape "Progenies of the Great Apocalypse" and "Serpentine Offering" for "The Daily Habit." Both aired on November 25 and are now available online. Click "more" to see for yourself. And don't miss our podcast interview with guitarist Silenoz right here. Read more...

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. Read more...

Screening of Dimmu Borgir DVD "The Invaluable Darkness" in Los Angeles
exclusive photos by Mike Miller

On Tuesday, September 30, Norwegian melodic black metal band Dimmu Borgir attended the Los Angeles screening of their new double-disc DVD, "The Invaluable Darkness," which comes out October 14. After the screening, "Metalocalypse" co-creator Brendon Small conducted an interview with guitarist Silenoz before opening up the Q&A session to the fans. And photographer Mike Miller was there to shoot some exclusive photos for us. Click "more" to check 'em out, watch a preview of the DVD and see the new video for "The Chosen Legacy." Read more...

Nicholas Cage's ex with future husband, Dimmu Borgir frontman Shagrath. photo by Kristian Helgesen, courtesy of VG.no.

The Norwegian black metal community may be more mainstream than you think. Over the past week, a couple of announcements have been made concerning major players in the genre that seriously shake out faith in the ultimate power of the black.

First, word gets out that Dimmu Borgir frontman Shagrath (a.k.a. Stian Tomt Thoresen) is going to marry Nicholas Cage's 41-year-old ex-girlfriend Christina Fulton in September, according to Norwegian newspaper VG. Shagrath met Fulton on June 6, 2006 at a Pagan bloodletting ritual... just kidding. The couple actually met four months ago through one of the singer's "associates," and were reportedly hooked from the start. Will the wedding will be held in a damp cave in Bergen? Nope. The happy couple will marry in Prekestolen, a site popular amongst tourists because of its sweeping panoramic views.

So, what does Fulton and Cage's 17-year-old son Weston Coppola-Cage think of all this? Well, since he has his own black metal band, Eyes of Noctum, in LA, he's probably giving thanks and praises to Beelzebub on a daily basis. Thanks to his stepdad to be, his band is currently recording is debut album with producer Fredrik Nordström (Dimmu Borgir, In Flames) at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden. The album will feature an appearance by Mayhem drummer Hellhammer (who has also played with Dimmu).

Equally, if not more appalling, Gorgoroth singer Gaahl (a.k.a. Kristian Espedal) is apparently launching a women's clothing line with modeling agent Dan DeVero, who says the two developed "a close relationship" after they met 18 months ago. "He often told me he had strong feelings for me," DeVero allegedly told iBergen.no.

The pair's company will be called Wynjo, which is an ancient Norse word for -- not Valhalla, not Almighty Satan -- but "the search for happiness." The outfits will be designed by Sonja Wu and will be presented at a preview in Bergen in September. Maybe Shagrath's babe, Fulton, should get Gaahl's peeps to design her a blood-spattered wedding outfit.

So, what does Shaggy's coven think of his dalliances in ladies clothing? "Those who know me in private didn't think it was particularly strange," he told iBergen.No. "I do not care about what people in general think. It's not as if I'm going to change as a person just because suddenly there are some dresses out in the world. Besides, I like confusing people."

Consider us confused... and nauseated.

As they say, a picture says a thousand words. But here's about 100.

This black metal warrior is getting caught up on current events and gently relieving his bowels before returning to the fine art of blasphemy and degradation. The fact the the toilet stall lacks walls and a door doesn't seem to bother him, which could indicate total disregard for the rest of the world -- or maybe he's done time on the inside and is used to such awkward seating arrangements.

Either way, it's interesting to see a member of such an extreme subculture doing something everyone can relate with. We just can't help wondering what article he's so engrossed in. We also can't help wondering if he washed his hands after he flushed, but that's just us.

Now, in the spirit of black metal, Here's Dimmu Borgir's video for "Progenies of the Great Apocalypse."

The new single by Norwegian black metal monsters Dimmu Borgir, "The Serpentine Offering," will be premiered tonight on the "Tinitus" radio show on Norway's P3. According to Blabbermouth, the program can also be heard on the Internet here: www.nrk.no/tinitus.

"Serpentine Offering" will be available as a digital download starting March 30. The single will also include two non-album versions of the song, which will be featured on Dimmu Borgir's next studio album In Sorte Diaboli, which is scheduled for release on April 27.

Now, here's a live version of "The Beast."
dimmu borgir

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