Dimmu Borgir Interview

Interview
Silenoz & Hellhammer
Dimmu Borgir

Lineup:
Erkekjetter Silenoz (Sven Atle Kopperud): guitars
Hellhammer (Jan Axel Blomberg): drums
ICS Vortex (Simen Hestnæs): bass, clean vocals
Shagrath (Stian Thoresen): vocals
Mustis (Øyvind Johan Mustaparta): keyboards
Galder (Thomas Rune Andersen): guitars

The Invaluable Darkness 2007 Tour
Dimmu Borgir
Unearth
DevilDriver
Kataklysm
HOB
5/4/07
Interviewer: Karma E. Omowale
Questions: Josh Thorne

Photos: Erika Kristen Watt

“It’s great to hated for something you aren’t instead of being loved for something you’re not!”

For years Norway’s Dimmu Borgir, an outfit of six well-versed musicians has indelibly carved their way into memory banks and hearts with not only their music but their side projects [Arcturus, Old Man’s Child, Chrome Division, The Kovenant, Dødheimsgard…the list continues]. This go round, Dimmu takes us on a journey of a loosely based tale of religious self-exploration and discovering there’s more out there than what was previously told. Join our tour guides on this expedition through hell with lyricist/guitarist Erkekjetter Silenoz and drummer Hellhammer (in which allow us to do away with the rumours; this has to be one of the nicest bands around. When out of the face paint, they resume their normal lives and introduce themselves by their off stage names, Sven and Jan). However, for the purpose of this interview, we will use their stage names as so we do not stir up too much confusion. Having said that, read on…

Karma: Thanks for doing the interview first off.

Silenoz & Hellhammer: No, thank you!

Karma: Welcome back, you guys have been gone WAY too long, since Ozzfest 2004 and before that… Congrats on this being the first headliner and North American tour you have done. Here’s to many more.

Silenoz: Thank you!

Karma: This package offers a rather eclectic mix of metal acts, it works rather well. Now was that something you intended to do?

Silenoz: Yeah, we kind of wanted it as mixed as possible because by us having a package like this, you attract a lot more people because they feel like they get more value for their ticket price, you know.

Karma: Absolutely! Sorry, I could not wait to talk to you about your new masterpiece. “Congrats on In Sorte Diaboli. this is, in my opinion, the finest album in Dimmu history, which is saying a lot considering your other records like For All Tid, Enthrone Darkness Triumphant, Deathcult Armageddon etc”.

Silenoz: Thank you! That’s nice to hear. It’s something that you don’t really hear that often too, so that’s very nice! It’s too early to say if it’s the best but…

Karma: We heard the great news today that [according to Nielsen SoundScan] you sold over 14,000 copies here in the U.S., [Note: having said that Dimmu secured the #2 slot on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart and #43 slot on the Top 200 Albums chart, marking the highest charting album debut in Nuclear Blast USA's history].

Silenoz & Hellhammer: [Beam]

Silenoz: Thank you! 43^rd place on Billboard, it’s really quite weird actually but it’s great.

Karma: [Turns to Hellhammer] What are your thoughts on it?

Hellhammer: Well I’m extremely happy to be on it, you know. I’m very pleased with the production.

Silenoz: As you know we had a thing with the old drummer [Nick Barker] and we were rehearsing quite a lot for it… [Derails from train of thought] and the way we make songs, we try it out from every possible angle, you know. The more people that have input, the better I think.

Karma: So then you feel it was more beneficial writing the album as a full band, as opposed to the way you've written albums in the past.

Silenoz: Yeah because we did it the old school way like everyone was at the practice place and just playing together and jamming together. That’s basically how this album came together, most of it.

Karma: How was it recording the album [in Sverige] with Fredrik Nordstrom 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.

Karma: This album, as revealed in its infant stages is a concept album. [The concept is very intriguing, of course following a young man studying of the cloth during that time he loses his faith and the events, which lead up to it]. Not to mention the lyrics the lyrics were penned long before you added the music…

Silenoz: …Everything was written ‘cause I had started writing on the lyrical theme just after Ozzfest actually with small ideas. So it took more and more shape over time I would say. The last few details was in the studio and with the band.

Karma: So did [the lyrics] change a lot from the time you started working on it until you got into the studio since that was a long stretch of time.

Silenoz: Just a little bit because at first I wrote the whole story, then I wrote the lyrics after that. Other wise the lyrics wouldn’t have made much sense if you only have the lyrics, so then like they are only lyrics that’s it but if you have the story it would make more sense.

Karma: Where did the idea for the story originally come from? Where did you pull from for your inspiration?

Silenoz: Doing something different I guess. It’s not really different from the way I have written from the past but just like I created a whole story and everything is concerning the same thing basically.

Karma: As far as the material goes, even with the epic feeling that has always been present in your music, it sounds very organic as well…

Hellhammer: [Nods head]

Silenoz: …it is more organic sounding with the vocals, guitars, and the drums and everything on this album. It’s definitely a good thing that you point out. That’s how we wanted it to [come across]. [At this point a couple of loud inebriated passerbyers strolled past our area].

Hellhammer: Technology can make things sound really good even with many ways to go about it, but we wanted to have no limits.

Karma: Now as far as favourites are concerned, I know it’s hard for you to pick just one…

Silenoz: Yeah, it is! Because it changes from time to time, you know. I think all of the songs stand out pretty much on their own. It’s not like it’s an immediate hit song like “Progenies” from the previous album.

Hellhammer: You can tell that each song stands on its own…

Silenoz: …Yeah, you can really tell that each song stands on its own.

Karma: Is there a favorite you like playing live right now?

Silenoz: We’re only playing two new songs so far on this tour because I think the album is too fresh for the fans right now. But we play the video song [“The Serpentine Offering”] and another one [“The Chosen Legacy”]. Yeah, those two are really good songs!

Karma: Are they being well received?

Silenoz: The video song [“The Serpentine Offering”] is the one that they know and when we play the second new one people are like, “Umm-hmmm!” [Laughter ensues]

Karma: It is new yes but then again it is with 14,000 people now!

Silenoz: Exactly! Somebody has bought it! [Laughs]

Karma: Absolutely! What will be your next video release?

Silenoz: It all depends we’re gonna see when we have time to do one ‘cause the plan is to do another one and a third one too. We haven't decided on that yet. The plan, I guess, originally was to do something while we were on tour here in the States but we won’t have time to do it because it will take too much attention off fun and the tour. But we will definitely try to do something more maybe during the summer, you know.

Karma: 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!

Karma: [Turns to Hellhammer] And you? Anything to add?

Hellhammer: Yeah! [We all laugh]

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

Silenoz: You learn a lot because especially when your 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.

Karma: If not music, then what?

Silenoz: [Laughs] Drugs! [We all share a hearty chuckle] I don’t know, yeah! It’s hard to say.

Hellhammer: Something creative for me, if it we’re music then it would be the same thing or something different in art actually.

Karma: Since we are on the subject of drugs/alcohol. How is quest going to not indulge in alcohol? Has it been hard on you?

Silenoz: I haven’t had a drink since 2005 so I’m still doing good! I wish I could say the same thing about them! [Points to Hellhammer] [Laughter]

Hellhammer: [Due to noise his response is muffled however, he spoke of how he has yet to go off the deep end with liquid spirits]

Silenoz: Oh that’s funny! I’m waiting for it to happen on this tour though! [Chuckles]

Karma: Have you found time to work on your WW II 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 breath until I’m home from tour.

Karma: Well that’s understood. 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!

Karma: Here’s are “Getting to know you” portion of the interview… Hell’s calling, who would you take along on this tropical foray?

Silenoz & Hellhammer: [Disbelief fills their collective countenances, which momentarily renders them speechless] [Laughter ensues]

Silenoz: I guess I would take someone along with me that deserved to be there.

Karma: Do you believe in the afterlife?

Silenoz: Yes.

Hellhammer: Yes.

Karma: Favorite childhood memory?

Silenoz: A lot actually, when I played soccer for the first time? There’s so many stuff to choose from.

Hellhammer: I’m so bad at these things.

Karma: What’s the one thing that people wouldn’t know about you that you wouldn’t mind sharing?

Silenoz & Hellhammer: [Look at each other and break into hysterical laughter]

Silenoz: I don’t know, I’m drawing a blank.

Hellhammer: They know more about us…

Silenoz: Yeah, they know more about the band than we do.

Hellhammer: Or they think they know more…

Silenoz: …or you can make up your own stories. [Smiles]

Karma: Then again, maybe they won’t! What's the one misconception people may have about you and/or the band that you would like to dispel?

Hellhammer: Music wise?

Silenoz: Or anything?

Karma: Anything.

Silenoz: That we’re Swedish! [We all laugh] I get that sometimes, “Yeah, so uh, how is it in Sweden?” “I don’t know, probably good! Not that different from Norway!!”

Hellhammer: And the ones who ask me about triggers, that’s the biggest one! They think it’s easier to play with triggers or it’s like the drums play by themselves, or that it’s cheating. It’s the other way around, if you play with triggers, it’s easier to hear the faults and mistakes you make.

Karma: Well, thank you! That should lay that misconception to rest! What is your most embarrassing CD you own?

Silenoz & Hellhammer: [Both look around and laugh]

Hellhammer: I rarely listen to stuff that would embarrass me but I don’t think I have any.

Silenoz: …there are some that’s pretty humbling but not [embarrassing].

Karma: Are there any are new & up coming bands to watch out for that you like?

Hellhammer: Hate from Poland.

Silenoz: Yeah, Hate from Poland and Scarve from France. They're new album [The Undercurrent] is fucking killer!

Karma: Yeah, the new album is really good!

Silenoz: Yeah, very good, so yeah there are a few but maybe those two.

Karma: Do you own a good luck charm?

Silenoz: No not really, I wear my symbols all the time so that may help [Laughs]

Hellhammer: That and it helps to mediate before the shows...

Karma: And you’ve been doing this for a while now?

Silenoz: Yeah, you have to get the right energies going. I also sometimes wear lime because it’s bad energy around you, then the lime turns brown. So it extracts every bad spirit. It’s a Mexican thing. [Laughs]

Karma: Okay, interesting. What would you like the music community to remember about Dimmu Borgir?

Silenoz: That we were hopefully doing something for the better in this fucked up business. It’s great to hated for something you aren’t instead of being loved for something you’re not! [Laughs]

Karma: That’s one hell of a quote! [Looks at Silenoz] I know I already asked you this question so Jan, if you could commission a band to do a Dimmu Borgir cover, who would do it and which song would it be?

Hellhammer: As in another band to play one of our songs? I don’t like Dream Theatre but I would like to see if they could actually play one of our songs.

Karma: Which one?

Hellhammer: Any! [Laughs]

Karma: Any special messages to your fans?

Silenoz: Thank you for sticking with us in there through thick and thin for supporting the band and buying the record and coming to shows. Without the fans, we wouldn’t be here!

Karma: Takk, takk!

Silenoz: [Smiles] De er velkommen!

Thanks to Sven & Jan for sharing a moment in time with FourteenG again and to the bands' camp for setting it up.