Shagrath

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Shagrath
Dimmu Borgir - Wacken Open Air 2018-5947.jpg
Shagrath with Dimmu Borgir at Wacken Open Air 2018
Background information
Birth nameStian Tomt Thoresen
Born (1976-11-18) 18 November 1976 (age 47)
Jessheim, Akershus, Norway
Genres Symphonic black metal
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards
Years active1992–present
Website dimmu-borgir.com

Stian Tomt Thoresen (born 18 November 1976), [1] [2] [3] known professionally as Shagrath, is a Norwegian musician. He is the vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and a founding member of the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir.

Contents

Biography

Stian Thoresen was born on 18 November 1976 in Jessheim. He is a founding member, with Silenoz and Tjodalv, of Dimmu Borgir. When the band formed in 1993, Shagrath played drums, but switched to vocals before the release of the album Stormblåst in 1996. He has also played keyboards, guitar, and bass.

Shagrath played guitar in Fimbulwinter until the band split up in 1992. Fimbulwinter released one album, Servants of Sorcery, through Hot Records (Shagrath's record label) in 1994. Shagrath is also the rhythm guitarist/songwriter and a founding member of the hard rock band Chrome Division, which formed in 2004.

In late 2009, Shagrath and King ov Hell formed the black metal supergroup Ov Hell. In February 2010 the band released an album entitled The Underworld Regime . Shagrath has also played guest keyboards in the black metal band Ragnarok, and had a solo project named Starkness.

Stage name

Shagrath has said this about his stage name: "Shagrath is an orc demon from the book Lord of the Rings . I chose the name thirteen years ago, so it's kinda crappy that Lord of the Rings has become so big now. Fortunately it [the name] didn't get that much attention in the movie, so it turned out all OK." [4] The Tolkien character Shagrat, an orc commander over Cirith Ungol, is however not a demon in Tolkien lore.

Discography

Shagrath with Chrome Division in 2013 Chrome Division Shagrath IMGP3255 smial wp.jpg
Shagrath with Chrome Division in 2013

With Dimmu Borgir

With Chrome Division

With Starkness

With Ragnarok

With Ov Hell

With Fimbulwinter

As a guest vocalist

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dimmu Borgir</span> Norwegian symphonic black metal band

Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Jessheim, 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; vocalist Shagrath and rhythm guitarist Silenoz are the only original members who still remain, with lead guitarist Galder being a longstanding member.

Shagrat may refer to:

<i>Stormblåst</i> 1996 studio album by Dimmu Borgir

Stormblåst is the second studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. It was released on 25 January 1996 through Cacophonous Records, re-released in 2001 by Century Media, and completely re-recorded in 2005, released as Stormblåst MMV.

<i>For all tid</i> 1995 studio album by Dimmu Borgir

For all tid is the debut studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. It was released in 1995 through No Colours. It was remastered and re-released in 1997 through their new label Nuclear Blast with the front cover art in full color and the entire Inn i evighetens mørke EP added. It is the band's only studio album on which Shagrath is on drums, Tjodalv on guitar and Silenoz on vocals.

<i>Spiritual Black Dimensions</i> 1999 studio album by Dimmu Borgir

Spiritual Black Dimensions is the fourth studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. It was released in 1999 by Nuclear Blast Records. A deluxe edition was released in 2004 with bonus material. There is also a digipak edition of this album which contains no bonus tracks. The digipak has reflective/holographic cover art. This release featured keyboardist Mustis and the clean vocals of ICS Vortex, as well as the departure of long-time drummer Tjodalv, guitarist Astennu, and bassist Nagash.

<i>Inn i evighetens mørke</i> 1994 EP by Dimmu Borgir

Inn i evighetens mørke is the first EP by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. It was first released as a demo in August 1994, and later as an EP on 17 December. The EP was released by Necromantic Gallery Productions on 7-inch vinyl limited to 1000 copies.

<i>Enthrone Darkness Triumphant</i> 1997 studio album by Dimmu Borgir

Enthrone Darkness Triumphant is the third studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir, released on 30 May 1997 through Nuclear Blast. It was the band's first release through Nuclear Blast. This is the last release to feature keyboardist Stian Aarstad and the first with bassist Nagash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mustis</span> Norwegian musician

Mustis is the pseudonym of Øyvind Johan Mustaparta, a Norwegian keyboardist best known for his work in the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir, as well as the black/thrash metal band Susperia.

<i>Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia</i> 2001 studio album by Dimmu Borgir

Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia is the fifth studio album by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. It was released by Nuclear Blast Records in 2001. This is the first album to feature drummer Nicholas Barker, guitarist Galder, and ICS Vortex on bass. It is also the first album upon which the band used real orchestral instrumentation instead of keyboards.

<i>Devils Path</i> (EP) 1996 EP by Dimmu Borgir

Devil's Path is the second EP by Norwegian symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. It was originally released in 1996 by Hot Records. This album was reissued in 1999 along with the Old Man's Child Split EP In the Shades of Life, eventually becoming known as Sons of Satan Gather for Attack. The title track would later be re-recorded and released as part of the special edition of their album Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia.

Stian Aarstad is a Norwegian pianist and keyboard player best known for his four-year (1993–1997) stint with the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir during which he played keyboards and synthesizers while engendering criticism and controversy for appearing onstage and performing in a top-hat-and-cape outfit reminiscent of Jack the Ripper, while wearing minimal corpse makeup and not moving or showing any emotion. Upon joining Dimmu Borgir, he did not listen to metal music, preferring only to listen to classical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chrome Division</span> Norwegian heavy metal band

Chrome Division is a Norwegian heavy metal/hard rock band formed in 2004. The current lineup consists of founding member Shagrath on rhythm guitar, along with Eddie Guz as the vocalist, Mr Damage on lead guitar and Tony White on drums. The band has released five albums through Nuclear Blast: Doomsday Rock 'n Roll in 2006, Booze, Broads and Beelzebub in 2008, 3rd Round Knockout in 2011, Infernal Rock Eternal in 2014, and One Last Ride in 2015. The band announced that their fifth album would be their last.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brynjard Tristan</span> Musical artist

Ivar Tristan Lundsten is a Norwegian bassist and songwriter, presently living in Oslo, but originally hails from the nearby municipalities of Nesodden and Jessheim.

Astarte was an all-female black metal band from Athens, Greece, named after the goddess Astarte.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fimbulwinter (band)</span> Norwegian black metal band

Fimbulwinter was a black metal band that was part of the early Norwegian black metal scene. They had formed in Oslo during 1992 and released two demos that year. In 1994, they released their only album, Servants of Sorcery, featuring a cover of Celtic Frost's "Morbid Tales", which was the first release by newly formed Hot Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dimmu Borgir discography</span>

The discography of Dimmu Borgir, a Norwegian symphonic black metal band, consists of nine studio albums, four extended plays, one compilation album, six singles and three music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">God Seed</span> Norwegian black metal band

God Seed was a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen, Norway. Former Gorgoroth members Gaahl and King ov Hell adopted the name in March 2009 following the ending of the Gorgoroth name dispute. After performing a few gigs as God Seed, vocalist Gaahl left the band in July 2009 and it was put on hold. King finished the music for God Seed's first album, with vocalist Shagrath, and released it under the name Ov Hell. Gaahl re-joined God Seed in 2012. In January that year they released the live album Live at Wacken, and in October they released their first studio album, I Begin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ov Hell</span> Norwegian black metal band

Ov Hell is a Norwegian black metal supergroup started by Shagrath and King ov Hell in 2009. The band's debut album, The Underworld Regime, was released in February 2010 by Indie Recordings.

Stian André Hinderson, also known under the stage names Nagash and Lex Icon, is a Norwegian metal musician. He plays guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and does vocals. He is primarily known for his work with the black metal bands Dimmu Borgir and The Kovenant.

References

  1. Shagrath at Encyclopaedia Metallum
  2. STIAN TOMT THORESEN at nrk.no Retrieved 23 May 2018
  3. Norsk Black / Ekstrem Metal Retrieved 23 May 2018
  4. "Dimmu Borgir - Interview on NRK1 (Subbed)". YouTube . Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.