Hailing from Sheffield, England, Nicholas Howard Barker is one giant drummer. Nick's musical influences are Neil Peart,Gene Hoglan, Nicko McBrain, Dave Lombardo and Pete Sandoval. Yes indeed, Nick himself plays fast and loud too. He seems to play, eat, breath and dream metal!



Nick Barker, the only British member, joined Norway's Dimmu Borgir in 1999, replacing Tjodalv (real name: Kenneth Åkesson). Nick surprised audiences when he was behind the drum kit for their European Tour that same year. His skin beating skills excel beyond many, and is arguably one of the best drummers in the extreme metal genre. Nicholas' style is familiar to a vast number, due to his work in Cradle of Filth.



Nicholas Barker played with Cradle of Filth on their albums, "The Principle of Evil Made Flesh", "Vempire/Dark Faerytales in Phallustein", "Dusk and Her Embrace" and "Cruelty and the Beast". After his transfer to Dimmu Borgir, Nick was replaced by Dave Hirschheimer. Soon after Adrian Erlandsson took over the drum throne.



Nick Barker is also involved in his side project Lock Up. Comment from Dimmu Borgir's Silenoz about adding Nicholas to the band:

"We had to decide whether we wanted to take the band to the maximum level. We went with the musician who was able and willing to go all the way; who has the most energy as a musician and an individual."

Hence the band ended up with Nicholas Barker, marking the beginning of a new era for metal music.



At the end of January 2004 Dimmu Borgir suddenly announced that Barker had left the band:

"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."

Soon after Nick showed up in Bujeria, using the alias of Hongo Jr. January 2006 saw a new skinsman in Brujeria's line-up: Angelito (Tony Laureano). Nick went on to play with Old Man's Child and Lock Up.



In January 2008 Barker also became drummer for the bands Atrocity and Leaves' Eyes, which consists of the Atrocity line-up in addition to Norway's Liv Kristine. That is, until May 2008, due to "a drastic change in his private life."