Nicholas Barker leaves Dimmu Borgir

[aiwass]

From Blabbermouth:

well guys, here it is:

DIMMU BORGIR Confirm Drummer's Departure, Vow To Carry On - Jan. 27, 2004

Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR have issued an official statement confirming the departure of drummer Nick Barker (as exclusively reported here yesterday).

Their statement reads as follows:

"Nicholas has been removed from the line up of DIMMU BORGIR. A session drummer will be used in the future. Don't waste your time speculating why, we have already moved on. See you on the road very soon!"

Barker joined DIMMU BORGIR in 1999 as a replacement for original drummer Tjodalv (a.k.a. Kenneth Åkesson). He has since appeared on two full-length studio albums with the band: "Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia" (2001, Nuclear Blast) and "Death Cult Armageddon" (2003, Nuclear Blast).

As previously reported, the group, who recently cancelled their Japanese/Australian tour, have been officially confirmed for the 2004 edition of Zillo Festival, set to take place July 16-18 in St. Goarshausen, Germany.

This rumour has been around for a couple of days, but now it's official. Fucking sucks. Nick took Dimmu to a whole new level.

 

[Connauch]

Hmm, band seems kind of bitter about the whole thing. I'm no big fan of Dimmu but I can see this sucking hard for fans.

 

[Yngvai X]

Hmm, band seems kind of bitter about the whole thing. I'm no big fan of Dimmu but I can see this sucking hard for fans.

Sucking hard for the fans AND Dimmu. I wonder if Dimmu realize the talent in the drummer they just gave up. They will be *very* hard pressed to find someone as fast as him, unless they plan on neglecting half of their material from PEM and DCA in the future...

 

[arglebargle]

Nick Barker needs to lay off the fucking triggers.

 

[Sympozium]

I think they will easily find someone as fast as Nick...

 

[shredmaster]

Yet there is no question that Nicholas was an INSANELY fast drummer!

 

[aiwass]

Nick Barker needs to lay off the fucking triggers.

Apart from the bass drums (at those speeds it's impossible to get any definition using just mics), Death Cult Armageddon was completely trigger-free. Not to mention even more technically challenging than Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia.

As for replacements, there are quite a few who could fill his shoes without problems. Names that come to mind are Hellhammer, Derek Roddy, John Longstreth, Flo Mounier, Tim Yeung, Tony Laureano, Jon Engman, Pete Sandoval (not sure about the more complex stuff, but Pete definitely has the fastest feet around), maybe even Frost from Satyricon... need I go on?

Still, Nick was way up there with those guys technically, and played some pretty memorable and creative drum parts. He will be missed.

 

[theodyssey]

huge dimmu fan here, and i have to say that one of the funniest things about nick was that he's a pretty large-ish guy, and to watch him go so fast is pretty funny and amazing at the same time. NOw don't bitch at me for making fun of fat people or whatever, because that's not the point, and you KNOW you have thought the same thing at some point. NO disrespect here. I have the utmost respect for nick and dimmu. I hope they find someone good, but i have faith. If they were an unknown band, then it'd be different, but they are dimmu fuckin' borgir... they have the whole world to find a drummer, quite literally.

 

[aiwass]

I'm hoping for Hellhammer as a replacement (would be cool to see a Norwegian behind the Dimmu kit again), although he is probably way too busy for a full commitment.

I guess they'll have to go abroad again, and if so: DEREK RODDY! He totally smokes Barker technically, and has a better and more cooperative band attitude than Nick (most likely the reason Nick got fired).