Tristania was a Norwegian gothic metal band formed in 1996 by Morten Veland, Einar Moen and Kenneth Olsson. Tristania's music is usually classified as Gothic metal with death influences, due to its strong tie and legacy within the gothic metal history. Their songs largely dealt with dark and sentimental topics, including depression, sadness, suicide, love, absence, and anger.
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 were written in Sognamål. Windir produced four albums in their nearly 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 several 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.
Stian Tomt Thoresen, known professionally as Shagrath, is a Norwegian musician. He is the vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and a founding member of the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir and Also, founding member, rhythm guitarist and bassist of Chrome Division.
Sóknardalr is the debut studio album by Norwegian black metal band Windir. It was released in March 1997 through the Head Not Found record label.
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 for which Windir is normally known, it nevertheless kept its folk elements, albeit with inspiration from electronic music. This release provoked divided reactions, with some fans and critics 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 the 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.
Chrome Division is a Norwegian rock band formed in 2004. The current lineup consists of founding member Shagrath on rhythm guitar, along with Eddie Guz as the vocalist, Mr Damage on lead guitar and Tony White on drums. The band has released five albums through Nuclear Blast: Doomsday Rock 'n Roll in 2006, Booze, Broads and Beelzebub in 2008, 3rd Round Knockout in 2011, Infernal Rock Eternal in 2014, and One Last Ride in 2018. The band announced that their fifth album would be their last.
Vaakevandring was a Norwegian unblack metal band that was active from 1996 to 2007. The name in Norwegian is a reference to the resurrection of Jesus. Vaakevandring played symphonic black metal with influences from Norwegian folk music.
I Krig is the third album by the Norwegian black metal band Vreid.
Kraft is the first album by the Norwegian black metal band Vreid.
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.
Milorg is the fourth album by the Norwegian black metal band Vreid. The name leads from the Norwegian resistance group Milorg in World War II. The songs are all about the German invasion of Norway during the "Weserübung" and their fight against them.
Demo 98/99 is a demo from the Norwegian symphonic unblack metal band Vaakevandring, released in 1999 through Nordic Mission, a label co-founded by Vaakevandring member Pål Dæhlen. Demo 98/99 was produced by Stian Aarstad, a former keyboardist from the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. Aaarstad also contributed vocals to the track "Fader Vaar". The band titled the recording as it did to ensure that listeners would not expect a studio quality album. The style of the album was described as symphonic and melodic black metal influenced by Norwegian folk music. The output was considered comparable to that of Sanctifica, Crimson Moonlight, and Dimmu Borgir. Though only a demo recording, the release was very well received and propelled the band into popularity. HM writer Matt Morrow rated the album 9.5 out of 10, and writer Johannes Jonsson gave the album 3 out of 5. The songs from the demo were later re-mastered and re-released with an additional song — "To Find Eternal Peace" — in 2004 as an extended play entitled Vaakevandring, through the label Momentum Scandinavia.
Sognametal is a live DVD by Windir released in 2005. It was performed and recorded in Rockefeller Auditorium, Oslo, on 3 September 2004, the day that would have been Valfar's 26th birthday. Sognametal is the last material released by Windir and marks the ultimate end of the band.
Stian Westerhus is a Norwegian guitarist known for his experimental style, explored with keyboardist Øystein Moen in the bands Jaga Jazzist and Puma and with Sidsel Endresen, Nils Petter Molvær, Arve Henriksen, Jan Bang, and Ingar Zach.
Erik Evju is a Norwegian musician, playing dark neo-folk music under the name Weh. He recorded several demos between 2002 and 2006, all of which were compiled and eventually released on CD in 2011 via Soulseller Records as the double album Origins. In 2005, following the death of Windir vocalist Terje "Valfar" Bakken, Evju was asked by Hvall (Windir/Vreid) if he would contribute a song to a planned tribute album for Valfar. Under the Weh name Evju recorded the song Likbør from Windir's first album Sóknardalr with Morten Hennum Nicolaysen producing.
The following is a list of notable events and releases of the year 1978 in Norwegian music.
