Shagrath

Shagrath
Shagrath performing during Forces of the Northern Night concert, 28 May 2011
Background information
Birth name	Stian Tomt Thoresen
Born	(1976-11-18) 18 November 1976[1] in Jessheim, Akershus, Norway
Genres	Black metal, symphonic black metal, thrash metal
Occupations	Musician, singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards
Associated acts	Dimmu Borgir, Chrome Division, Ragnarok, Fimbulwinter, Ov Hell, Kamelot
Website	www.dimmu-borgir.com

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.

Shagrath also sports extensive tattoo work. This work includes the word Shagrath across his stomach, various arm tattoos which cover his arms as well as extend to his upper chest.

In late 2009, Shagrath joined forces with King and formed the band Ov Hell. In February 2010 the band released their first album entitled "The Underworld Regime".

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."^[2] The Tolkien character Shagrat is however not a demon, but the orc commander over Cirith Ungol.

Discography

With Dimmu Borgir

• Inn i evighetens mørke (1993)
• For all tid (1994)
• Stormblåst (1996)
• Devil's Path (1996)
• Enthrone Darkness Triumphant (1997)
• Godless Savage Garden (1998)
• Sons of Satan Gather for Attack (split EP with Old Man's Child) (1999)
• Spiritual Black Dimensions (1999)
• True Kings of Norway (2000) (split with Emperor, Immortal, Ancient, and Arcturus) (1998)
• Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia (2001)
• Alive in Torment (2001)
• World Misanthropy (2002)
• Death Cult Armageddon (2003)
• Stormblåst MMV (2005)
• In Sorte Diaboli (2007)
• The Invaluable Darkness (2008)
• Abrahadabra (2010)
• TBA (2014)

With Chrome Division

• Doomsday Rock 'n Roll (2006)
• Booze, Broads and Beelzebub (2008)
• 3rd Round Knockout (2011)
• Infernal Rock Eternal (2014)

With Ragnarok

• Arising Realm (1997)

With Ov Hell

• The Underworld Regime (2010)

With Fimbulwinter

• Servants of Sorcery (1994)

As a guest vocalist

• Astarte - Sirens (2004, song "The Ring of Sorrow")
• Diaz - Velkommen Hjem Andres (2004, song "Mitt Terningkast")
• Destruction - Inventor of Evil (2005, song "The Alliance of Hellhoundz")
• Kamelot - The Black Halo (2005, songs "March of Mephisto" and "Memento Mori")
• Susperia - Attitude (2009, song "Sick Bastard")

References

1. ↑ Hegg, Ernst Øistein. "Norsk Black / Ekstrem Metal" (in Norwegian). 
2. ↑ "Dimmu Borgir - Interview on NRK1 (Subbed)".