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Dimmu Borgir

5 guitar songs · Tabs, Lessons & Tone Guide Black Metal

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Band Overview

Dimmu Borgir emerged from the Norwegian Black Metal scene in 1993 and rapidly evolved into one of the most ambitious and technically demanding symphonic black metal bands in history. Formed in Oslo, the band pushed the boundaries of what black metal could be by layering orchestral arrangements, choral parts, and cinematic production over a foundation of ferocious guitar work. For guitarists, Dimmu Borgir represents a fascinating challenge: the riffs blend traditional black metal tremolo picking with Death Metal chug, melodic passages influenced by classical composition, and surprisingly intricate harmonic choices that go far beyond standard minor-key darkness. The guitar work across their catalog has been shaped by several key players. Silenoz (Sven Atle Kopperud) has been the primary rhythm guitarist and main riff architect since the band's inception, known for his relentless downpicking stamina, tight palm-muted gallops, and an ability to write riffs that lock in with orchestral arrangements without getting buried. Galder (Tom Rune Andersen), who joined in 2000, brought a more technical lead approach, contributing melodic solos and harmonized guitar lines that added a new dimension of sophistication. Recognut (Arve Isdal, also of Enslaved) and other session and live players have contributed at various points, but Silenoz and Galder defined the band's guitar identity through its most iconic era. Difficulty-wise, Dimmu Borgir sits in the intermediate-to-advanced range. The tremolo-picked passages demand serious right-hand endurance and precision, especially at the tempos they favor (often 160-200 BPM). The chord voicings go well beyond basic power chords, frequently incorporating diminished shapes, minor seconds, and tritone intervals for maximum dissonance. Rhythm playing requires tight synchronization with blast beats and double bass drumming, which means your time-keeping needs to be razor sharp. Lead work, while not as shred-heavy as some technical death metal, involves fluid legato runs, wide vibrato, and occasional sweep-picked arpeggios. If you can handle these songs, you are building a serious toolkit for extreme metal guitar.

What Makes Dimmu Borgir Essential for Guitar Players

  • Tremolo picking is the bread and butter of Dimmu Borgir's guitar attack. Songs like 'Mourning Palace' and 'Alt Lys Er Svunnet Hen' require sustained tremolo picking at high tempos with clean note articulation, making them excellent exercises for building right-hand endurance and consistency.
  • Palm-muted gallop riffs appear throughout their catalog, often syncopated against blast beats. The trick is maintaining tight muting while shifting between power chords and single-note patterns at speed, which demands serious coordination between both hands.
  • Dimmu Borgir frequently uses dissonant chord voicings that go beyond standard power chords. Expect diminished fifths, minor second intervals, and chromatic movement. Learning these shapes will expand your fretboard vocabulary and give you tools for writing darker, more harmonically complex riffs.
  • The interplay between rhythm guitar and orchestral arrangements means guitarists must learn to play precisely in the pocket without overplaying. Silenoz often locks his riffs to specific orchestral hits and melodic phrases, which teaches discipline and musical awareness that benefits any ensemble playing situation.
  • Lead guitar work, particularly from Galder, incorporates legato phrasing, melodic minor and harmonic minor scale runs, and controlled wide vibrato. The solos tend to be compositional and melodic rather than pure shred, making them great studies in how to construct memorable leads within an extreme metal context.

Did You Know?

Silenoz has cited classic heavy metal acts like Iron Maiden and Mercyful Fate as key influences on his riff writing, which explains the galloping rhythms and melodic sensibility that set Dimmu Borgir apart from more atonal black metal bands.

For the album 'Abrahadabra' (2010), the guitar parts had to be meticulously arranged around a full orchestra (the Norwegian Radio Orchestra) and choir, meaning Silenoz and Galder had to compose their riffs to complement orchestral counterpoint rather than simply playing over backing tracks.

Galder tracked many of his lead parts for 'Death Cult Armageddon' using a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, choosing its tighter low-end response over more traditional black metal tones to match the album's dense, modern production.

Dimmu Borgir's guitar tuning has varied over the years. Early albums used standard E tuning typical of Norwegian black metal, but later records dropped to D standard and even C# standard to achieve a heavier, more crushing low end alongside the orchestral elements.

Silenoz has spoken about recording rhythm guitar parts with extremely tight palm muting and then layering multiple takes to create the massive wall-of-sound effect heard on albums like 'Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia.' This studio technique is a masterclass in how layered tracking creates heaviness.

The band's use of guitar harmonics, both natural and pinch, adds eerie texture to many songs. Listen closely to 'In Death's Embrace' for examples of how subtle harmonic squeals punctuate riff transitions.

Despite their symphonic reputation, many Dimmu Borgir songs strip back to bare guitar-and-drums aggression in key sections, proving that the riffs are strong enough to stand on their own without orchestral support.

Essential Albums for Guitarists

Enthrone Darkness Triumphant album cover
Enthrone Darkness Triumphant 1997

This is the album where Dimmu Borgir found the perfect balance between raw black metal riffing and symphonic grandeur. 'Mourning Palace' is essential learning for tremolo picking stamina and galloping rhythms, while 'In Death's Embrace' teaches dissonant chord transitions and dynamic control. The riffs are memorable enough to internalize quickly, making it the best entry point for guitarists.

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Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia album cover
Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia 2001

Galder's first album with the band brought a more technical guitar approach. The riffing is tighter, the solos more ambitious, and the interplay between guitar and orchestra is more intricate. Tracks like 'Kings of the Carnival Creation' are a workout in alternate picking precision and rhythmic complexity against shifting time signatures.

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Death Cult Armageddon album cover
Death Cult Armageddon 2003

The heaviest production in Dimmu Borgir's discography, this album features crushing rhythm tones and some of Galder's best lead work. The guitar parts are deeply layered, so learning these songs teaches you about arranging multiple guitar parts and understanding how different voicings and inversions create a massive wall of sound. 'Progenies of the Great Apocalypse' is a must-learn for its iconic riff construction.

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Stormblåst album cover
Stormblåst 1996

For guitarists wanting to explore Dimmu Borgir's more atmospheric, keyboard-driven early period. Songs like 'Alt Lys Er Svunnet Hen' and 'Nar Sjelen Hentes Til Helvete' feature raw tremolo riffing with a melodic edge that teaches you how to create mood and narrative through simple but effective guitar parts. The rawer production makes it easier to isolate and learn the guitar lines.

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Tone & Gear

Guitar

Silenoz has been closely associated with ESP guitars throughout his career, primarily using ESP Eclipse models (the single-cutaway, Les Paul-shaped design) with set necks and 24 frets. He eventually received an ESP Silenoz signature model featuring a sleek body shape, ebony fretboard, and black hardware. Galder has favored ESP Horizon and Eclipse models as well, often in all-black finishes. Both players gravitate toward guitars with fast, slim neck profiles that facilitate the rapid fretting demands of symphonic black metal.

Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier heads have been a staple of Dimmu Borgir's live and studio guitar sound, particularly from 'Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia' onward. The Recto's tight, scooped distortion with heavy low-end thump pairs well with their drop-tuned riffing. Earlier albums leaned on a rawer, more midrange-forward tone closer to classic black metal, but the shift to Mesa gave them the modern, polished aggression their later production demanded. High gain settings with moderate mids and boosted presence are key to nailing their sound.

Pickups

Both Silenoz and Galder have used EMG active pickups, specifically the EMG 81 in the bridge position for its tight, compressed high-gain output that cuts through dense mixes with orchestral layers. The EMG 81's ceramic magnet and active preamp deliver a focused, aggressive tone with minimal noise, which is critical when playing at extreme gain levels. Some configurations pair the 81 with an EMG 85 in the neck for warmer lead tones and cleaner melodic passages.

Effects & Chain

Dimmu Borgir's guitar tone is largely driven by high-gain amp distortion with minimal pedal coloring. A noise gate (such as an ISP Decimator) is essential given the extreme gain levels and fast palm-muting stops that define their playing. Occasional use of chorus or short delay appears on atmospheric clean passages, but the vast majority of the tone comes from the guitar-into-amp chain. In the studio, producer Andy Sneap has shaped their later guitar tones with precise EQ and tight low-end filtering, so replicating the recorded sound often involves post-EQ work rather than additional pedals.

Recommended Gear

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

While Dimmu Borgir favors ESPs, the Les Paul's single-cutaway design mirrors their preferred body shape. Its thick body and sustain provide the weighty resonance that complements their drop-tuned, orchestral black metal riffs.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Les Paul Custom's premium construction and tonal characteristics align with Dimmu Borgir's need for clarity in dense symphonic arrangements. However, they prefer ESP's faster neck profiles for the rapid fretting demands of their technical compositions.

ESP Eclipse
Guitar

ESP Eclipse

Silenoz's signature guitar of choice, the ESP Eclipse delivers the fast, slim neck and aggressive voice essential for Dimmu Borgir's symphonic black metal. Its set-neck construction and 24 frets enable the precision and speed required for their intricate riffing.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

The Dual Rectifier's scooped, high-gain distortion with enhanced low-end thump defines Dimmu Borgir's modern studio and live tone since 'Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia'. This amp's tight response handles their drop-tuned brutality while maintaining clarity against orchestral layers.

EMG 81
Pickup

EMG 81

The EMG 81's compressed, focused output cuts through Dimmu Borgir's dense symphonic arrangements with surgical precision. Its active preamp and tight high-gain response are critical for maintaining definition at extreme gain levels during their fast, palm-muted passages.

ISP Decimator Noise Gate
Pedal

ISP Decimator Noise Gate

Dimmu Borgir's extreme gain settings and rapid palm-muting stops demand the ISP Decimator's responsive noise gating. This pedal eliminates feedback and unwanted noise while preserving the attack and dynamics essential to their symphonic black metal brutality.

How to Practice Dimmu Borgir on GuitarZone

Every Dimmu Borgir song page on GuitarZone includes a built-in Practice Toolbar. No app to download, no account needed. Open any song, then use the toolbar to slow the video to 0.5× speed, set an A/B loop around the exact riff you're working on, and jump between song sections instantly.

The toolbar appears automatically on every guitar tab, lesson, and cover page. Pick a song below, hit play, and start practicing at your own pace.

Practice Alt Lys Er Svunnet Hen - Guitar TabPractice In Death's Embrace - Guitar TabPractice Mourning Palace - Guitar Tab