Hi Silenoz, how are you?, I appreciate you taking the time to talk with us, I guess you are a little busy with new recording's preparations. What can you explain us about this inminent recording of your new album at Fredman's Studios?

Hi there. We just started tracking drums the other day and so far it's sounds very promising! We're extremely excited to finally start the recording of this monster…!

Are you going to present this album in Spain? Any tour date ?

No tourdates have been spiked yet but I'm sure we'll come by Spain on the European tour next year.

Looking back, what did you feel when you won a Grammy Award?. It's seems kinda impossible to see that here in Spain, our awards are allways won by the same artists, and are all very far from metal. Are you interested in those music conquest? What do you think about Lordi 's triumph at Eurovision's festival?

It's good getting the recognition but for us it's really nothing more than that. It has and never will affect the way we make music although I'm sure some would like to think it so, but sorry to disappoint them – it doesn't. It's just a bonus really. Metal music in general is probably the last genre left that still has credibility so I have never understood why it shouldn't be included and recognized in awards when they have all the other bullshit there. We've received the Grammy twice and the Alarm award twice and been nominated several times so that's of course cool, I'm not gonna deny that fact, but in the end it really doesn't make a difference for us and what we do.

During differents albums, your sound has been changing... but... what do you think is characteristic in Dimmu Borgir 's sound from first to last LP? What mades to recognize a Dimmu Borgir 's theme?.

The atmosphere is and has always been the keyword in our music. Whether it's created with keyboards or guitars or whatever, what we're known for and want to be remembered for is the creations of different atmospheric themes. We take pride in the fact that we've never stagnated but have moved on from album to album, taking several steps further with each release but maintaining our own sound. That's quite difficult when you've released so many albums as we've done, but I think it's been smart of us not to rush things and release a new record each year too. We rather choose quality over quantity.

Shagrath and you, are the only two origin members that founded Dimmu Borgir on 1993, do you miss something of this past time? Do you miss any "lost" member?

Sometimes I do, but only the good times. For each line up change we've had(which always has happened for a good reason), it has made the band stronger and better so I have no regrets about that even if it's frustrating for a while when it happens.

People must probably think Shag and I are hard to work with, but why are we still in the band then? We sometimes disagree and argue like politicians in a TV debate, but we still manage to keep things together with compromises and find solutions that are best for the sake of the band. For some of the previous members that's been impossible for them to understand but we can't work any other way than we've always done. We keep it democratic up to a certain level, but if every member in band is gonna have his way all the time and at the same time even, then it would never work now would it? We use a dimmucratic working method.

Most of you have played another instrument that you do ussualy. For example, Shagrath playing drums, Nagash with keyboard or Tjodalv at guitars... Why?

I don't know. We know how to play other instruments, that's all. Some do, some don't.

Can you explain us about the current situation with drummer's place?

Hellhammer is the drummer right now and hopefully for a long time to come. But, because of previous band member issues, we've decided to keep the drummer spot “open” for the time being. We try and learn from our past mistakes and rather have new persons that come into the band work their way up and earn their place before they become full members. Just like prospects to a biker club. Not that Hellhammer should have to do it, as his merits are obvious and speaks for itself, but still, he hasn't worked with us for that long. He is of the same opinion so that's cool. We don't want to offer a position to someone just because he is a killer musician. The person has got to gel with the other members on a personal level as well and that can't be done just after a few months together. You should experience the good, and the bad times before a decision is made.

What do you think about Nagash and The Kovenant ? And what do you think about the change between Covenant and The Kovenant . Do you feel this change is possible in Dimmu Borgir ?

Honestly I haven't paid too much attention to what he's been up to the last couple of years, so I can't really tell. Change is sometimes good, but it can obviously be a bad thing too. I can't judge in this matter.

What are you listening recently?

Been listening to a lot of different stuff lately, everything from outlaw country to metal of different kinds. Jorn Lande's new album is killer, for more mellow hard rock stuff, while I enjoy old Bathory immensely still. Other stuff I have listened to recently is Craft, Dark Angel, Unleashed, Wolf, Kaamos, Bel Canto, Manticore, Rush, Moby, Ofermod, Pestilence, Klaus Schulze…A wide variety of sounds really. Glad I have an open mind when it comes to music.

How do you see black metal scene?.Do you know any spanish black metal band?

Not really… But then again, what's black metal these days? I'm so fed up with all the different categorizations. I've just had it with that shit. I'm just getting too old I guess. It's only good and bad music for me. It's an individual and subjective thing isn't it?

Why you decided to Re-release Stormblåst?. Some people think that the original sound was great, and they dislike new production. What about it's bonus track Sorgens Kammer-Del II , it's a recent composition?. How was the experience of recording it's video? Why Vortex and Galder don't appear on it?

It all says in the booklet why we did it...

-> Note: I guess he talks about the incident with the author of Agony's melody.

What do you think about Sagrath collaboration with epic metal band Kamelot at March of Mephisto?Do you like this mix of heavy and black metal at all?

I don't understand what is black metal with it? Shagrath is depicted as The Devil in the video, that's all. But it doesn't automatically make Kamelot a mix of heavy and black metal just because of that does it? Perhaps I misunderstood your question…

Again, all these categorizations he he…

-> Note: I was talking about this feeling some people have about this collaboration, saying that an icon of black metal as Sagrath is, can't appear in a song from heavy metal band like Kamelot

Do you want to add something for our readers?

Thanks for the support and hopefully we'll come to Spain on the European tour!

Thank you very much, good luck with new album and take care!Bye!

Cheers!