Symphonic black metal icons Dimmu Borgir continue to build on the mounting anticipation of the long-awaited follow-up to 2018's Eonian with Grand Serpent Rising.

The album is due out May 22nd via Nuclear Blast Records and finds the band reunited with producer Fredrik Nordström, who was at the helm for some of the band's most definitive releases including Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia and Death Cult Armageddon. 

Following the dramatic introduction with "Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel" last month, Dimmu Borgir has shared a equally commanding second showing with "Ascent." Paired with performance clip directed by Patric Ullaeus, the track offers an emphatic reminder of extreme music's most enduring, exhilarating forces living up to their lasting legacy. 

Vocalist Shagrath explained the contrast of the preview tracks thus far, "Musically, 'Ascent' is more ferocious and direct than the first single, 'Ulvgjeld & Blodsødel.' Together, the two tracks showcase the musical scope of the album in a great way. From the outset, we’ve said that Grand Serpent Rising stands as one of our most diverse records to date, and these songs underline exactly that."

Guitarist Silenoz previously spoke to the narrative of the album title and why it's relevant to the evolution of the band. “Dimmu Borgir is a leviathan of a band on a grand scale and we are rising once again. While the serpent represents evil to some, for us it symbolizes something else: renewal, growth, knowledge, and liberation. Shedding our skin, so to speak. And let’s not forget that February 2026 marks the end of the Year of the Snake, roughly the same moment this album was completed.”

Shagrath further added of Grand Serpent Rising, “I truly feel we’ve outdone ourselves musically on this album. It’s been a long and demanding process, but seeing how it all came together makes it incredibly rewarding. Grand Serpent Rising reflects every era of Dimmu Borgir - This album carries echoes of every chapter of Dimmu Borgir’s legacy - I believe our fans will recognize that, and find something within it that truly resonates.”

Dimmu Borgir have also confirmed their live return to North American soil with the news of the Grand Serpent Rising tour. Trekking in support of their album, the run will beginAugust 7th in New York and will conclude with a finale in Los Angeles on August 23rd. The run of select North American markets precedes the band's hugely anticipated tour opposite Behemoth on the In League with Satan European stretch this October. 

Set to join Dimmu Borgir for the summer stretch across key North American markets, Hypocrisy along with Suffocation and HULDER round out a diverse roster of brutality. 

Tickets for the Grand Serpant Rising North American Tour 2026 are now on sale. See below for a list of dates and cities. Get tickets - HERE

Grand Serpent Rising, the new album from Dimmu Borgir lands May 22nd via Nuclear Blast. Order the release - HERE