Darkthrone is a Norwegian extreme metal band from Kolbotn, Akershus. Formed in 1986 as a death metal band named Black Death, in 1991 Darkthrone embraced a black metal style influenced by Bathory and Celtic Frost and became one of the leading bands in the Norwegian black metal scene.
Samoth is a Norwegian musician and multi-instrumentalist in the country's black metal scene. He is well known for his distinct guitar work and drumming in the band Emperor, as well as his formation of the death metal band Zyklon. In very early Emperor releases, he was called Samot, and with the formation of Zyklon he became known as Zamoth. Samoth was the owner of the record label Nocturnal Art Productions and had a close relationship with Candlelight Records.
Enslaved is a Norwegian extreme metal band formed by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson in Haugesund in June 1991. They are currently based in Bergen, Norway. The band's lineup has changed many times over the years, and Bjørnson and Kjellson have been the sole constant members. The current lineup also includes lead guitarist Arve Isdal, keyboardist/singer Håkon Vinje, and drummer Iver Sandøy.
Windir was a black metal band from Sogndal, Norway. The band was formed in 1994 by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Terje "Valfar" Bakken, and released its debut album Sóknardalr in 1997. Windir combined black metal with Scandinavian folk music, folklore and mythology, and many of the band's lyrics are written in Sognamål. Windir produced four albums in their almost ten years of existence. The band broke up in March 2004 after frontman Valfar died of hypothermia after becoming caught in a blizzard on his way to his family's cabin in Norway. Following his death, the remaining band members went on to form a number of new bands including Vreid, Mistur, and Cor Scorpii.
Terje "Valfar" Bakken was the lead singer and founder of the Norwegian black metal band Windir. Windir was started as a one-man project, but it was expanded into a full band with the release of their third album, 1184. Valfar originally sang his lyrics in Sognamål, a dialect of Norwegian, but eventually switched to English in an attempt to appeal to a broader audience.
Finn Bjørn Kalvik is a Norwegian singer and composer.
Vreid is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 2004 after the breakup of Windir following the death of lead singer and founder Valfar. The remaining members along with new guitarist Ese formed Vreid. The band's name is an archaic Norwegian word meaning "Wrath".
Midnattsol are a gothic/folk metal band from Germany. The band was founded in 2002 by Norwegian vocalist Carmen Elise Espenæs and German guitarist Christian Hector. The band's name is a modified spelling of the Norwegian word midnattssol, which means 'midnight sun'.
Sigmund Groven is a Norwegian classical harmonica player, today considered one of the world's leading classical harmonica players. He plays with a large number of the world's leading musicians and orchestras, and he has made 23 recordings yet in his own name. His repertoire ranges from popular and folk music to his own compositions, from Bach to contemporary music.
Solefald is a Norwegian avant-garde metal/black metal band that was formed by members Lars Are "Lazare" Nedland and Cornelius Jakhelln in August 1995, with Nedland singing and playing keyboard/synthesizer/piano and drums, and Jakhelln singing and playing guitar and bass. The duo experiment with a wide array of musical styles, frequently work on other projects, and rarely perform live under the Solefald name, leading them to describe themselves as "two stubborn goats pretending to be a band." According to the duo, their name is an Old Norse word for "sunset," taken from one of Theodor Kittelsen's paintings illustrating a poem of the same name by Theodor Caspari, published in the 1901 book Vintereventyr.
Samsas Traum is a German rock band fronted by Alexander Kaschte. Their music consists of elements of symphonic metal, Neue Deutsche Härte, black metal and cantastoria. The name is derived from the protagonist Gregor Samsa in Kafka's The Metamorphosis (1915).
Pentagram is the debut studio album by Norwegian black metal band Gorgoroth, released in September 1994 by Embassy Productions. It followed the band's two demo cassettes, A Sorcery Written in Blood and Promo '94. It was the only album to feature Samoth on bass and Goat Pervertor on drums.
Arntor is the second studio album by Norwegian black metal band Windir. It was released on 11 October 1999 through the record label Head Not Found. It is the last record released with Valfar playing the majority of the instruments.
1184 is the third studio album by Windir, released in 2001. Valfar composed this album with the band Ulcus. Departing from the sound Windir is normally known for, it nevertheless kept its folk elements, albeit with inspiration from electronic music. This release provoked divided reactions, with some praising it as a great Windir album which reached new creative heights, while others felt consternation at the departure of the sound for which Windir was recognised and admired in black metal circles. The art used in the album cover is a painting by Norwegian artist Johan Christian Dahl called Winter at the Sognefjord.
Likferd is the fourth and final full-length studio album by Norwegian black metal band Windir, which was released in 2003. It was the last official album released by Windir before the death of vocalist Valfar.
Valfar, ein Windir is a 2-disc compilation album by Windir released in 2004. It contains some new recordings, tributes, live songs, and re-recordings. The money made with selling Valfar, ein Windir goes straight to Valfar's family. A version of the album that does not include the second disc was also released later.
This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 2004.
Cor Scorpii is a black metal band from Sogndal, Norway, founded in 2004 by Gaute Refsnes, the former keyboardist of Windir. Cor Scorpii is an alternative name of Antares, the 15th brightest star in the sky. The name was chosen because the band members felt that it conveyed a mysterious and atmospheric feeling, corresponding to the musical and lyrical content.
Keldian is a Norwegian power metal band, originating from Aurland in the Sogn og Fjordane county, that made their debut in 2007 with the album Heaven's Gate. Their music is a blend of classic 1980s era melodic rock and more modern power and symphonic metal influences. Keldian is a studio project, with band members Christer Andresen and Arild Aardalen composing, producing and performing the music with the aid of hired session musicians.
Sirene is the fifth studio album by Norwegian Hard rock band Skambankt. It was recorded at Propeller Studios with Kåre Vestrheim as producer. The album is described as "mature, dark, and heavy, and at the same time more catchy and ambitious than before". The album reached number one on the Norwegian album charts in the first week after release.
