Shagrath

Shagrath (born Stian Tomt Thoresen on 18 November 1976) is a Norwegian musician best known as the vocalist of Dimmu Borgir.

Biography

Stian Thoresen was born on 18 November 1976 in Jessheim, outside Oslo, Norway.

Shagrath is one of the founding members of Dimmu Borgir, along with Silenoz and Tjodalv. Shagrath's change from playing guitar to vocals is a part of what changed the band's sound. His contributions extend into the use of keyboards, bass guitar, and drums; as can be heard on For All Tid. Since the departure of Mustis in 2009, Shagrath returned to the keyboards during the recording of Abrahadabra, but is once again only the vocalist with the addition of Gerlioz to the band's touring line-up.

Shagrath also played guitar and drums in Fimbulwinter until the band split up in 1994. Fimbulwinter released one album, Servants of Sorcery, through Hot Records in the year of 1994. Shagrath also played keyboards in another Norwegian black metal band called Ragnarok. Another unknown band was Starkness, a solo project of Shagrath. He is also the rhythm guitarist of the heavy metal band Chrome Division.

Dimmu Borgir

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Dimmu Borgir (/ˌdɪmuː ˈbɔːrɡɪr/) is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1993. The name is derived from Dimmuborgir, a volcanic formation in Iceland, the name of which means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse. The band has been through numerous lineup changes over the years; guitarist Silenoz and vocalist Shagrath are the only founding members remaining.

Biography

For All Tid and Stormblåst period

Dimmu Borgir was founded in 1993 by Shagrath, Silenoz and Tjodalv; the band released an EP in 1993 entitled Inn i evighetens mørke ("Into the Darkness of Eternity" in English). This short EP sold out within weeks, and the band followed up with the 1994 full-length album For All Tid ("For All Time" in English). This album featured vocal contributions by Vicotnik of Ved Buens Ende and Dødheimsgard and Aldrahn of Dødheimsgard and Zyklon-B. The initial line-up consisted of Shagrath playing drums with Tjodalv on guitar and Silenoz contributing lead vocals. This line-up changed before the release of Stormblåst (translates to "Stormblown") on Cacophonous Records in 1996, an album considered by many to be their finest. It is also the last album which features all lyrics written and sung in Norwegian.