Much has been learned about early music in Norway from physical artifacts found during archaeological digs. These include instruments such as the lur. Viking and medieval sagas also describe musical activity, as do the accounts of priests and pilgrims from all over Europe coming to visit St Olav's grave in Trondheim.
Ulver is a Norwegian experimental electronica band founded in 1993, by vocalist Kristoffer Rygg. Their early works, such as debut album Bergtatt, were categorised as folklore-influenced black metal, but the band has since evolved a fluid and increasingly eclectic musical style, blending genres such as experimental rock, electronica, ambient, trip hop, symphonic and chamber traditions, noise, progressive and experimental music into their oeuvre. 1997 marked their international debut with the release of their third album Nattens madrigal through German label Century Media. However, following discord with the label, Rygg formed his own imprint, Jester Records, in 1998.
Arcturus is a Norwegian avant-garde metal band formed in 1991. Their name, which means "Bear Guardian", references the Behenian fixed star Arcturus.
Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell is the fourth studio album by Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver. Produced with Kristoffer Rygg, together with Knut Magne Valle and Tore Ylwizaker, it was issued on 17 December 1998 via Jester Records. It is a musical adaptation of William Blake's poem The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. The album blends electronics, industrial music elements, progressive metal, avant-garde rock and ambient passages, following Blake's plates as track indexes. Stine Grytøyr, Ihsahn, Samoth and Fenriz all feature as guest vocalists.
Kristoffer Rygg, also known as Garm, Trickster G. Rex and God Head, is a Norwegian vocalist, musician and producer known primarily for his work with Ulver, Arcturus, and Borknagar.
Aura Noir is a Norwegian black/thrash metal band from Oslo. Aura Noir is heavily influenced by early thrash bands such as Voivod, Slayer, Sodom and Kreator, to the latter they have also dedicated some of their songs. The band's main lyrical themes focus on blasphemy, death and aggression.
Arcturian is the fifth studio album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. It was released on May 8, 2015 and was the first album by the band in ten years. The album features Simen "ICS Vortex" Hestnæs as the principal vocalist. The first single for the album, "The Arcturian Sign", was released on March 27, 2015.
Sideshow Symphonies is the fourth studio album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. It was released on 19 September 2005. It is the first to feature Simen "ICS Vortex" Hestnæs as the principal vocalist and Tore Moren as second guitarist, as well as the first Arcturus album released by Season of Mist. It marks yet another change in Arcturus' sound, with a cold, dreamy aesthetic featuring relatively quiet guitars, more prominent vocals, and a slightly reduced use of synthesizers.
Fleurety is a Norwegian avant-garde metal band. The band was formed in 1991 by Svein Egil Hatlevik and Alexander Nordgaren.
Infernö is a Norwegian thrash metal band. They formed in 1995, and are currently signed to Duplicate Records. The band's most known member is Carl-Michael "Aggressor" Eide. He has been a member of Cadaver, Dødheimsgard, Satyricon, Ulver and Ved Buens Ende. He is also a member of Aura Noir and Virus.
Deep Tracts of Hell is the second studio album by the Norwegian black metal band Aura Noir.
Department of Apocalyptic Affairs is the second album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Fleurety.
Ancestral Legacy is a Norwegian gothic metal-band, started in 1995 as Permafrost.
Death of Desire is a metal band formed in Bruchsal, Germany, in 2008, featuring Mayhem drummer Hellhammer and vocalist Dawn Desirée.
Knut Aalefjær is a Norwegian jazz musician, and composer, educated at the Norwegian Academy of Music. He is known as an eminent drummer who provide significant contributions in the Helge Lien Trio, the band Geir Lysne Listening Ensemble, with the vocalist Live Maria Roggen, the band of Kristin Asbjørnsen, and many others.
Astriaal are an Australian black metal band that formed in 1998, and are one of Australia's highest-profile black metal bands. The band have so far released 2 full-length albums and 3 EPs, and have supported well-known international acts such as Mayhem, Arcturus, Suffocation, Nile, Deeds of Flesh, Opeth and Pungent Stench. Astriaal's lyrics deal with Abyssal Theology, Nature and Misanthropy.
Esoteric Warfare is the fifth full-length studio album by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. It was released by Season of Mist on 6 June 2014 in Europe and Asia, and on 10 June 2014 in North America. It is the band's first album with Teloch on guitar since Blasphemer's departure from the band in 2008.
Nightmare Diaries is the second full-length album by Norwegian band Ancestral Legacy, released under the British independent record label Femme Metal Records on March 1, 2010, after signing a contract in December 2008.
Diabolical Age is the third studio album by Norwegian black metal band Ragnarok, released on January 31, 2000, under Head Not Found record label. It is the final album with vocalist Thyme. Arcturus guitarist Knut Magne Valle was the engineer on the recording sessions.
The following is a list of notable events and releases of the year 1974 in Norwegian music.
