Norwegian symphonic black metal titans DIMMU BORGIR are gearing up for the release of their highly anticipated new album, Grand Serpent Rising, arriving on May 22 via Nuclear Blast Records. Guitarist Sven "Silenoz" Kopperud recently spoke with Australia's Everblack podcast, sharing his thoughts on the record that comes eight years after 2018's Eonian.
"Of course you have an anticipation for how you want the public to receive it. But at the end of the day, we feel strongly about it and we feel like we've done a collection of great songs, and that's essentially what the new album is," Silenoz said. "If it stands the test of time as one of our better albums, then so be it."
The guitarist hinted that the album may reward patient listeners rather than delivering immediate gratification. "Some records are immediate and they still continue to be great 15, 20 years later," he noted. "I think especially the previous one and maybe this new one even more so — some of it hits immediately and some might need some extra time, which is always usually a sign of a great record."
Asked about pressure following the long gap between albums, Silenoz was characteristically stoic: "It might sound cocky, but I think if there is any pressure, it's the one that we put on ourselves and not from exterior things." He emphasized that DIMMU BORGIR's decades-long career has given them the confidence to trust their creative instincts above all else.
Formed in Oslo in 1993, DIMMU BORGIR helped define modern symphonic black metal with landmark records like Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia and Death Cult Armageddon. Grand Serpent Rising is undoubtedly one of the most eagerly awaited metal releases of 2026.