Norwegian symphonic black metal titans DIMMU BORGIR have officially introduced Kjell Åge “Damage” Karlsen as their new guitarist. Karlsen made his live debut with the band on Friday, June 27, during their performance at the Tons Of Rock festival in Oslo, Norway.
While Karlsen may be new to DIMMU BORGIR’s stage lineup, he’s no stranger to working with frontman Shagrath. The two previously shared the stage in the Norwegian hard rock outfit CHROME DIVISION, adding a layer of familiarity to this fresh collaboration.
DIMMU BORGIR took to social media to announce Karlsen’s arrival with a backstage photo and a following message: “We’re excited to proudly welcome Damage to the team, and we’re all looking forward to sharing the stage with him this summer and onwards. It’s already been a pleasure working and rehearsing with Damage over the last couple of months and we hope that you, the fans, will join us in welcoming him to the line up!”
Karlsen steps in following the departure of longtime guitarist Galder (Thomas Rune Andersen), who officially exited the band last summer to focus on reactivating his own project, OLD MAN’S CHILD. Galder played his final show with DIMMU BORGIR on August 17, 2024, headlining the main stage at Dynamo Metal Fest in the Netherlands. With a legacy that spans over two decades with DIMMU and seven studio albums under OLD MAN’S CHILD, Galder leaves behind significant shoes to fill.
The current official lineup of DIMMU BORGIR now includes Shagrath on vocals and Silenoz (Sven Atle Kopperud) on rhythm guitar. They are joined by a seasoned group of live and session musicians: Damage on guitar, Dariusz “Daray” Brzozowski on drums, Geir “Gerlioz” Bratland on keyboards, and Victor Brandt on bass.
Fans can catch Karlsen in action this summer as DIMMU BORGIR continues their run of festival appearances across Europe.
Rest of DIMMU BORGIR‘s tour dates for 2025 are as follows:
1 August 2025 – Wacken, Germany / Wacken Open Air
3 August 2025 – Saint-Maurice-de-Gourdans, France / Sylak Open Air
6 August 2025 – Tilburg, Netherlands / O13
8 August 2025 – Jaroměř, Czech Republic / Brutal Assault
10 August 2025 – Kortrijk, Belgium / Alcatraz
13 August 2025 – Dinkelsbühl, Germany / Summer Breeze
15 August 2025 – Carhaix-Plouguer, France / Motocultor
17 August 2025 – Cudrefin, Switzerland / Rock The Lakes
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.