The winners of this year's Alarm Awards, Norway's Grammy alternative:

Newcomer of the year: Moving Oos
Video of the year: Tungtvann - 2 uka
Song of the year: Superfamily - The radio has expressed concerns about what you did last night
Alarm award: Ida Maria
Pop: Marit Larsen - Under the Surface
Electronica: Kim Hiorthøy - My Last Day
RiksAlarm: Ungdomsskulen
Jazz: Shining - Grindstone
Rock: My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
Metal: Dimmu Borgir - Insorte Diaboli
Live: Superfamily
Hip-hop/rap: Karpe Diem - Rett fra hjertet

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Henning Kvitnes - Stemmer i gresset
02. Raga Rockers - Ubermensch
03. Minor Majority - Candy store (2 CD edition)
04. Leieboerne - Følg oss hjem Ole Paus
05. Vazelina Bilopphøggers - Bensin på bålet
06. Trond-Viggo Torgersen - Det du kan + noe rart & noe nytt
07. Leif Ove Andsnes - Ballad for Edvard Grieg
08. Postgirobygget - Tidløs
09. Kari Bremnes - Live
10. Bjølsen Valsemølle - Over elva
11. Henning Kvitnes - Ut av veggen
12. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix Junior 2007
13. Superfamily - Warszawa
14. Tord Gustavsen Trio - Being There
15. Turbonegro - Retox
16. Malin - Malin på månen
17. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli
18. Supersilent - 8
19. The Kids - Hits fra Kids
20. Kjartan Salvesen - Then Silence

The nominees for this year's Alarm Awards have been announced:

Rock:
120 Days - 120 days
Big Bang - Too much yang
My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
King Midas - Sorry
The Lionheart Brothers - Dizzy kiss

Pop:
Marit Larsen - Under the surface
Rockettothesky - To sing you apple trees
Superfamily - Warszawa
Magnet - The simple life
Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør

Metal:
Dimmu Borgir - In sorte diaboli
Satyricon - Now diabolical
Audrey Horne - Le fol
Mayhem - Ordo ad Chaou
Keep of Kalessin - Armada

Jazz:
Supersilent - 8
Shining - Grindstone
Håkon Kornstad - Single engine
Tord Gustafssen Trio - Being there
Hanne Hukkelberg - Rykerstrasse 68

Electronica:
Kim Hiorthøy - My last day
Lindstrøm - It’s a feedelity affair
Pleasure - Pleasure 2
The Whitest Boy Alive - Dreams
Bjørn Torske - Feil knapp

Hip-hop/Rap:
el Axel - It is what it is
Karpe Diem - Rett fra hjertet
Darkside of the Force - El dia de los puercos
Tungtvann - Siste Skanse
Samvirkelaget - Musikk

Newcomer:
Susanne Sundfør
Moving Oos
Ida Maria
Rockettothesky
Elvira Nicolaisen

Live:
Big Bang
Superfamily
King Midas
The Grand
Samvirkelaget

Go here for more details or to vote for your favorite: http://www.alarmprisen.no/2007/index.php/og-de-nominerte-er/#more-76

Vocalist Jacob Bredahl has parted ways with Danish metal act HateSphere, forcing them to cancel their upcoming European tour with Dimmu Borgir and Amon Amarth. Read the band's statement here: http://www.hatesphere.com/index.php

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Turbonegro - Retox
02. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix Junior 2007
03. BigBang - Too Much Yang
04. The Kids - Hits fra Kids
05. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
06. Superfamily - Warszawa
07. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli
08. Vømlingan - Vømmølminner
09. Tord Gustavsen Trio - Being There
10. Magnet - The Simple Life
11. Samvirkelaget - Musikk
12. TNT - The New Territory
13. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
14. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
15. Jokke & Valentinerne - Prisen for popen
16. Gest - I grevens tid
17. Hardingrock - Grimen
18. Geir Børresen/Smurfene - I Smurfeland
19. Tone Damli Aaberge - Sweet Fever
20. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Diverse artister - Melodi Grand Prix Junior 2007
02. Vømlingan - Vømmølminner
03. The Kids - Hits fra Kids
04. BigBang - Too Much Yang
05. Samvirkelaget - Musikk
06. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
07. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli
08. TNT - The New Territory
09. Magnet - The Simple Life
10. Superfamily - Warszawa
11. Tone Damli Aaberge - Sweet Fever
12. Tord Gustavsen Trio - Being There
13. Heroes & Zeros - Strange Constellations
14. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
15. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
16. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
17. Steinar Albrigtsen - Moments of Peace
18. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
19. Vidar Busk and the Voo Doodz - Jookbox Charade
20. Rune Rudberg - Rett fra sofaen

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. The Kids - Hits fra Kids
02. BigBang - Too Much Yang
03. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
04. Samvirkelaget - Musikk
05. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli
06. Tord Gustavsen Trio - Being There
07. TNT - The New Territory
08. Tone Damli Aaberge - Sweet Fever
09. Superfamily - Warszawa
10. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
11. Magnet - The Simple Life
12. Heroes & Zeros - Strange Constellations
13. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
14. Vidar Busk and the Voo Doodz - Jookbox Charade
15. Steinar Albrigtsen - Moments of Peace
16. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
17. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
18. Rune Rudberg - Rett fra sofaen
19. Malin - Malin på månen
20. Finn Kalvik - Komplett Klassisk Kalvik

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Samvirkelaget - Musikk
02. Superfamily - Warszawa
03. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
04. The Kids - Hits fra Kids
05. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli
06. Tord Gustavsen Trio - Being There
07. Magnet - The Simple Life
08. Tone Damli Aaberge - Sweet Fever
09. BigBang - Too Much Yang
10. TNT - The New Territory
11. Heroes & Zeros - Strange Constellations
12. Monomen - Monomen
13. Ulf Risnes - Ingen andre
14. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
15. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
16. Vidar Busk and the Voo Doodz - Jookbox Charade
17. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
18. Marit Larsen - Under The Surface
19. Steinar Albrigtsen - Moments of Peace
20. Finn Kalvik - Komplett Klassisk Kalvik

Dimmu Borgir
In sorte diaboli
Nuclear Blast

Dimmu Borgir's seventh album is the first black metal album to ever have a number one chart position in any country (number one in Norway). That alone should turn "real" black metal fans off. This is the follow up to "Death cult armageddon", and it would be so easy to shoot down this band as just being black metal for beginners. Well, that is a true statement, however you can't deny the great musicianship and the actual songwriting talent these guys possess. The music is actually a bit heavier than the last few albums and less orcestrated. Shagrath is taking a step forward as a singer and Hellhammer (Mayhem) beats the shit out of the drums as he should. Black metal or not, it's still entertaining music, but not enough to keep me interested the whole album through.
This concept album takes place in medieval Europe and I can't say I'm very intimate with its story, but the main theme is of a priest's assistant that discovers that he has nothing to do with Christianity, and that his powers are greater than he thought. Not a very frightening story but I would probably love this if I was still in my teens.
- Richard Wilson

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli
02. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
03. The Kids - Hits fra Kids
04. Tone Damli Aaberge - Sweet Fever
05. BigBang - Too Much Yang
06. Magnet - The Simple Life
07. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
08. TNT - The New Territory
09. Steinar Albrigtsen - Moments of Peace
10. Vidar Busk and the Voo Doodz - Jookbox Charade
11. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
12. Heroes & Zeros - Strange Constellations
13. Sivert Høyem & The Volunteers - Exiles
14. Marit Larsen - Under The Surface
15. Tord Gustavsen Trio - Being There
16. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
17. Vamp - I full symfoni (med KORK)
18. Finn Kalvik - Komplett Klassisk Kalvik
19. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
20. Skambankt - Eliksir

Decibel on Dimmu Borgir: http://www.decibelmagazine.com/features/jun2007/dimmuborgir.aspx
The article brings up some interesting points about Dimmu's place in modern black metal. This quote from Blake Judd of Nachtmystium is a good summation: "I think both Dimmu and Cradle [of Filth] are great metal bands, but I don't even really consider them black metal anymore because there’s nothing really intimidating or provocative about their music to anyone over the age of 16 to 18 years old."

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli
02. Tone Damli Aaberge - Sweet Fever
03. TNT - The New Territory
04. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
05. BigBang - Too Much Yang
06. Magnet - The Simple Life
07. Vidar Busk and the Voo Doodz - Jookbox Charade
08. Tord Gustavsen Trio - Being There
09. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
10. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
11. Heroes & Zeros - Strange Constellations
12. Steinar Albrigtsen - Moments of Peace
13. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
14. Thomas Dybdahl - Science
15. Finn Kalvik - Komplett Klassisk Kalvik
16. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
17. Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao
18. Kristin Asbjørnsen - Wayfaring Stranger - A Spiritual Songbook
19. Shit City - God bless our home
20. Jokke & Valentinerne - Prisen for popen

This week's top 20 Norwegian album chart:

01. Dimmu Borgir - In Sorte Diaboli
02. BigBang - Too Much Yang
03. Susanne Sundfør - Susanne Sundfør
04. Magnet - The Simple Life
05. Tord Gustavsen Trio - Being There
06. D.D.E. - No går det så det suse
07. Christel Alsos - Closing The Distance
08. Jonas Fjeld og Chatham C. - Amerikabesøk
09. Heroes & Zeros - Strange Constellations
10. Finn Kalvik - Komplett Klassisk Kalvik
11. Steinar Albrigtsen - Moments of Peace
12. Silje Nergaard - Darkness out of blue
13. Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao
14. Rune Rudberg - Rett fra sofaen
15. Thomas Dybdahl - Science
16. Lomsk - Amerikabrevet
17. My Midnight Creeps - Histamin
18. Jokke & Valentinerne - Prisen for popen
19. Kristin Asbjørnsen - Wayfaring Stranger - A Spiritual Songbook
20. Röyksopp - The Understanding

PopMatters reviews the new Dimmu Borgir record: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/33780/dimmu-borgir-in-sorte-diaboli/
For all the supposed anger this band provokes out of tr00 kvlt black metallers, I find the new record sounds an awful lot like later-era Emperor, 'cept slightly dumbed down - simpler riffs, more chugga parts. "Elite symphonic black metal" indeed.

Dimmu Borgir's new record premiered at #43 on the Billboard charts: http://www.mic.no/mic.nsf/doc/art2007050311051478404669
Impressive!