Fenriz

Last updated

Gylve Fenris Nagell
Fenriz.jpg
Fenriz in 2005
Background information
Birth nameLeif Nagell
Also known asFenriz
Born (1971-11-28) 28 November 1971 (age 52)
Origin Kolbotn, Norway
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Drums, guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards, synthesizer
Years active1986–present

Gylve Fenris Nagell (born Leif Nagell; 28 November 1971), known professionally as Fenriz, is a Norwegian musician, part-time music journalist and online radio host (with the show "Radio Fenriz") [1] who is best known as being one half of the black metal duo Darkthrone, alongside Nocturno Culto. Although primarily a drummer and songwriter, he has also played bass and guitar and performed vocals for Darkthrone and several other metal bands. Fenriz is famed for his encyclopedic knowledge of metal music, his eager promotion of underground bands and the DIY ethic, and his rejection of the "showbiz side of the music industry". [1] [2] [3] Fenriz was also the studio drummer for doom metal band Valhall, and has had several solo projects, including the folk black metal project Isengard and the dark ambient project Neptune Towers.

Contents

Biography

Fenriz's first exposure to heavy metal music came when he was a child and received Uriah Heep's album Sweet Freedom from his uncle for his birthday. [4] At age 16, Fenriz dropped out of school and began working full time to support his music. In 1986 he co-founded the death metal band Black Death with Ivar Enger and Anders Risberget. By 1988 they had been joined by Ted Skjellum (Nocturno Culto) and were renamed Darkthrone. After releasing their first death metal album in 1991, the band changed style and became one of the leading bands in the early Norwegian black metal scene. Fenriz said he had a passive interest in Bathory and Celtic Frost, but claims that he did not understand the "darkness" of black metal until hearing a song by the Hungarian band Tormentor. The second album released by Darkthrone, A Blaze in the Northern Sky , recorded in August 1991 [5] at Creative Studios but not released until February 1992, [6] is regarded as one of the most important albums that defined the black metal genre. [6] Darkthrone were not involved in the church burnings and murders carried out by some other members of the scene, [7] and Fenriz has denounced the "hype" surrounding it. [4]

Since 1993, Darkthrone have been a duo of Fenriz and Nocturno Culto. Fenriz recorded all instruments on their albums Transilvanian Hunger (1994) and Panzerfaust (1995). From the late 1980s to the mid 1990s Fenriz also founded several solo projects, including the folk black metal project Isengard and the dark ambient project Neptune Towers. He was also the drummer for the band Valhall on their three studio albums. In the 1990s he co-founded the folk metal band Storm with Sigurd Wongraven, which released one album.

Both he and Nocturno have refused to play live since the 1990s. [7] In 2004, they turned down a nomination for a Norwegian Alarm Award for their album Sardonic Wrath . Fenriz said, "we have no interest in being part of the glitter and showbiz side of the music industry". [8] Fenriz (alongside Varg Vikernes) is the principal focus of the 2008 black metal documentary film Until The Light Takes Us .

In 2016, it was widely reported that Fenriz had been elected to his local municipal council, Oppegård. He was elected for a four-year term as a substitute councillor for the Liberal Party, [9] explaining that he would "have to step in when the usual people who go to the big meetings are sick or something". Fenriz said: "They called and asked if I wanted to be on the list [of backup representatives]. I said yeah, thinking I would be like 18th on the list and I wouldn't really have to do anything". His "campaign" was a photo of him holding his cat with the caption "Please Don't Vote For Me". [1] [10] [11] [12]

Fenriz lives in his hometown of Kolbotn. [10] According to The Guardian , Fenriz "has long been a hero in the underground scene" and "has an obsession with unearthing new music and promoting it with rabid enthusiasm". [1] The heavy metal magazine Iron Fist noted he has a reputation as a "walking metal encyclopedia". [13] He is a part-time music journalist and hosts a monthly online radio show on NTS called "Radio Fenriz". [14] He created the "Band of the Week" blog from which the acts for the underground metal festival Live Evil are sourced. [2] Fenriz has famously been working part-time in the postal service since the late 1980s, which he says allows him to spend many hours each week listening to new music. [7] [15] He has also appeared on a Norwegian television show about hiking in forests. [15]

Musical projects

Discography

YearTitleBandInstruments
1987Trash Core '87 (demo)Black Death (pre-Darkthrone)drums, vocals
1987Black is Beautiful (demo)Black Death (pre-Darkthrone)drums, vocals
1987Land of Frost (demo)Darkthronedrums, vocals
1987A New Dimension (demo)Darkthronedrums
1988The Castle of Death (demo)Valhalldrums
1989Thulcandra (demo)Darkthronedrums, vocals
1989Cromlech (demo)Darkthronedrums
1989Spectres Over Gorgoroth (demo)Isengardeverything
1991Horizons (demo)Isengardeverything
1991 Soulside Journey Darkthronedrums
1991 Goatlord (demo)Darkthronedrums, vocals
1992 A Blaze in the Northern Sky Darkthronedrums
1993 Under a Funeral Moon Darkthronedrums
1993Vanderen (demo)Isengardeverything
1994 Transilvanian Hunger Darkthronedrums, rhythm guitar, bass
1994 Caravans to Empire Algol Neptune Towerseverything
1994Promo 1994 (demo)Dødheimsgardbass
1995 Høstmørke Isengardeverything
1995 Transmissions from Empire Algol Neptune Towerseverything
1995 Panzerfaust Darkthronedrums, guitar, bass
1995NordavindStormdrums, additional vocals
1995 Kronet Til Konge Dødheimsgardbass, additional vocals
1995MoonstonedValhalldrums
1995Promo 1995 (demo)Dødheimsgardbass, additional vocals
1996 Total Death Darkthronedrums; additional guitar and bass
1997Heading for MarsValhalldrums
1999 Ravishing Grimness Darkthronedrums
2001 Plaguewielder Darkthronedrums
2003 Hate Them Darkthronedrums
2004 Sardonic Wrath Darkthronedrums; additional vocals
2006Too Old, Too Cold (single)Darkthronedrums; additional vocals and guitars
2006 The Cult is Alive Darkthronedrums; additional vocals and guitars
2006Forebyggende krig (single)Darkthronedrums; additional vocals
2007 NWOBHM (EP)Darkthronedrums; additional vocals and guitars
2007 F.O.A.D. Darkthronedrums; additional vocals
2008 Dark Thrones and Black Flags Darkthronedrums; vocals and guitars (shared)
2009Red PlanetValhalldrums
2009Engangsgrill (split)Fenriz' Red Planet/Nattefrost everything (tracks 1–3) (recorded in 1993)
2009Fuck You AllFuck You Allbass (recorded in 2002)
2010 Circle the Wagons Darkthronedrums; vocals and guitars (shared)
2013 The Underground Resistance Darkthronedrums, vocals (shared), guitar solo on track 2, bass on track 4
2015Regress FFRegress FFeverything (recorded in 1994)
2016 Arctic Thunder Darkthronedrums; additional bass and guitars
2016Traditional Doom CultIsengardeverything (recorded 1989–1990)
2019 Old Star DarkthroneDrums
2021Eternal Hails......DarkthroneDrums, bass, synthesizer, additional guitar and vocals
2022Astral FortressDarkthroneDrums, synthesizer and vocals

Guest appearances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darkthrone</span> Norwegian black metal band

Darkthrone is a Norwegian black 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.

<i>Soulside Journey</i> 1991 studio album by Darkthrone

Soulside Journey is the first studio album by Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. It was released 13 January 1991 by Peaceville Records. It is notable as the band's only death metal album, before they became an integral part of the Norwegian black metal scene.

<i>A Blaze in the Northern Sky</i> 1992 studio album by Darkthrone

A Blaze in the Northern Sky is the second studio album by Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. It was recorded at Creative Studios in August 1991 and released on 26 February 1992 by Peaceville Records. Apart from earlier rehearsal recordings between March 1991 and the Norwegian summer holidays the record contained the band's first official black metal recordings and is considered a classic within the genre. It was the first album of what fans dub the "Unholy Trinity", the other albums being Under a Funeral Moon and Transilvanian Hunger. It was the last album to feature bassist Dag Nilsen. In 2020, the album was put on the National Library of Norway's permanent exhibition due to its significance to Norwegian culture and as a starting point for Norwegian black metal.

<i>Under a Funeral Moon</i> 1993 studio album by Darkthrone

Under a Funeral Moon is the third studio album by the Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. It was recorded in June 1992 and released on 15 February 1993 by Peaceville Records. Written and recorded to create a "pure black metal album", it is the second of what is dubbed the band's "Unholy Trinity", along with A Blaze in the Northern Sky and Transilvanian Hunger. Under a Funeral Moon was the last album on which guitarist Zephyrous performed; he left the band shortly after its release.

<i>Transilvanian Hunger</i> 1994 studio album by Darkthrone

Transilvanian Hunger is the fourth studio album by Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. It was released 17 February 1994 by Peaceville Records.

<i>Panzerfaust</i> (album) 1995 studio album by Darkthrone

Panzerfaust is the fifth studio album by Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone, released in June 1995 by Moonfog Productions (Europe) and The End Records. The track "Quintessence" featured lyrics by Varg Vikernes, their second and final album to do so. As with the previous album Transilvanian Hunger, all instruments on Panzerfaust were recorded solely by Fenriz on a 4-track recorder set up in his bedroom ; with Nocturno Culto performing vocals on all songs except for the outro.

<i>Total Death</i> 1996 studio album by Darkthrone

Total Death is the sixth studio album by Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. It was recorded in August and October 1995 at Ancient Specter Ruins and released in 1996 by Moonfog Productions.

<i>Ravishing Grimness</i> 1999 studio album by Darkthrone

Ravishing Grimness is the seventh studio album by Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. It was released 29 September 1999 by Moonfog Productions.

<i>Plaguewielder</i> 2001 studio album by Darkthrone

Plaguewielder is the eighth studio album by Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. It was released 10 September 2001 by Moonfog Productions.

<i>Sardonic Wrath</i> 2004 studio album by Darkthrone

Sardonic Wrath is the 10th studio album by the Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. It was released 6 September 2004 by Moonfog Productions, and was the band's last album on that record label. It was also Darkthrone's last album recorded solely in the black metal style, with subsequent albums featuring stronger punk traits. However, Einar Sjursø observed in Terrorizer that "even if there is a certain punk attitude to the odd riff here and there" it is a case of "the diabolic duo [Fenriz and Nocturno Culto]...simply drawing more influences into the Darkthrone melting pot, turning them into crystalline Darkthrone riffs".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nocturno Culto</span> Musical artist

Ted Arvid Skjellum, also known by the stage name Nocturno Culto, is a Norwegian musician and school teacher best known as the vocalist, lead guitarist, and partial bassist of the influential black metal band Darkthrone. He has been with the band since 1988. He is also the vocalist of the band Sarke, and has a solo project called Gift of Gods. He currently works in Norway as a school teacher, and has a son and a daughter. He has also released a documentary film called The Misanthrope in which he deals with black metal music and life in Norway.

<i>The Cult Is Alive</i> 2006 studio album by Darkthrone

The Cult Is Alive is the 11th studio album by the Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. It was released 27 February 2006 by Peaceville Records. This album represented a shift in the band's style, as they incorporated more punk and crust punk traits. Drummer Fenriz stated, "Call it black metal or evil rock, I don't care..."

Storm was a Norwegian viking metal band that originally included Fenriz of Darkthrone and Satyr of Satyricon. Later on, Kari Rueslåtten, formerly of the band The 3rd and the Mortal, also joined them on vocals. The project only released one album, titled Nordavind, released in 1995, which makes them among the first viking and folk metal bands.

<i>Goatlord</i> (album) 1996 demo album by Darkthrone

Goatlord is a demo album by Norwegian band Darkthrone, released in 1996. The album was re-released by Peaceville Records in 2011, with a bonus track and new artwork approved by the band and a second disc containing commentary from Fenriz and Nocturno Culto.

Ivar Enger, also known as "Zephyrous", is a Norwegian guitarist who played for the black metal band Darkthrone.

<i>F.O.A.D.</i> 2007 studio album by Darkthrone

F.O.A.D. is the 12th studio album by the Norwegian band Darkthrone. It was released 25 September 2007 by Peaceville Records. Special editions of the album contained a postcard, poster and T-shirt.

<i>Frostland Tapes</i> 2008 compilation album by Darkthrone

Frostland Tapes is a compilation album by the Norwegian black metal band, Darkthrone. It was released through Peaceville Records on 23 June 2008.

<i>Dark Thrones and Black Flags</i> 2008 studio album by Darkthrone

Dark Thrones and Black Flags is the 13th studio album by the Norwegian band Darkthrone. It was released 20 October 2008 by Peaceville Records. The music largely followed in the style of their previous album, F.O.A.D. Half of the lyrics and music were written by Nocturno Culto, while the other half were written by Fenriz.

<i>Circle the Wagons</i> (album) 2010 studio album by Darkthrone

Circle the Wagons is the fourteenth studio album by the Norwegian band Darkthrone. The album was released 5 April 2010 by Peaceville Records. Fenriz, the band's drummer, described the music as Darkthrone's "own brand of heavy metal/speed metal-punk", and declared it a further shift from their old black metal style. About half of the album was written by Fenriz and half by Nocturno Culto.

<i>Arctic Thunder</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Darkthrone

Arctic Thunder is the 16th studio album by Norwegian band Darkthrone. It was released 14 October 2016 by Peaceville Records. It was recorded from August to December 2015 at Necrohell II Studios. The first single from the album was "Tundra Leech".

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Meet Fenriz, the black metal hero who is now an Oslo councillor". The Guardian , 21 November 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Underground Attitude: Fenriz Of Darkthrone Interviewed". The Quietus , 19 March 2013.
  3. ↑ Ruskell, Nick (25 June 2021). "The 10 greatest Fenriz moments". Kerrang! . London: Wasted Talent Ltd. ISSN   0262-6624. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  4. 1 2 Fenriz interview. Voices from the Darkside.
  5. ↑ Darkthrone – A Blaze in the Northern Sky CD cover Archived 11 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  6. 1 2 Fenriz (16 November 2020). The album that defined early Norwegian black metal – Interview with Fenriz with English subtitles (Videotape) (in English and Norwegian). Nasjonalbiblioteket . Retrieved 24 March 2022– via YouTube.
  7. 1 2 3 "Inside Darkthrone's 'Old Star' With No-Longer Norwegian Politician Fenriz". Loudwire , 29 May 2019.
  8. ↑ "DARKTHRONE Refuse ALARM Award Nomination". Blabbermouth. 16 December 2004.
  9. ↑ "Det nye kommunestyret – Oppegård kommune". 16 September 2015. Archived from the original on 8 November 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  10. 1 2 "Darkthrone Iconoclast Fenriz Is a Reluctant Politician". CLRVYNT, 6 September 2016.
  11. ↑ Metal Injection Accessed 12 September 2016
  12. ↑ Rosenberg, Axl (8 September 2016). "Fenriz from Darkthrone Accidentally Got Elected to His Town Council". Metal Sucks. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  13. ↑ Fenriz interview. Iron Fist, 16 January 2013.
  14. ↑ Radio Fenriz. NTS Radio.
  15. 1 2 Norton, Justin (15 March 2013). "I Am The Working Class: The MetalSucks Interview with Fenriz". Metal Sucks. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
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