Forseti was a dark folk / apocalyptic folk crossover of German

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 musician Andreas Ritter, from the city of Jena

Jena

Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...

. For studio recordings and live performances, he is supported by other musicians. Forseti

Forseti

Forseti is an Æsir god of justice and reconciliation in Norse mythology. He is generally identified with Fosite, a god of the Frisians...

 is a Norse god

Norse mythology

Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...

 of justice, peace, and truth. The band Forseti was conceived in 1997, when Ritter bought his first acoustic guitar (though he made music beforehand).

"In 1997 I bought my first guitar and discovered my love of acoustic music. By then it was clear to me that Forseti would never use electronic instruments, neither in the studio nor on stage. A purely acoustic arrangement produces much more warmth and emotion. […] Closer to my real aim is that the music encourages people to develop a feel for nature or natural things, and encourages us to view ourselves as an integral part of the natural world."

Ritter is reported to have suffered a heart attack

Myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...

 in May 2005, causing him to lose some bodily functions and inflicting brain damage. This provoked the release of a collaborative album entitled Forseti lebt ("Forseti Lives") in 2006, in support of the musician. Participating artists were: Sonne Hagal

Sonne Hagal

Sonne Hagal is a German experimental and neofolk group.-Albums and EPs:-Compilations:-Unofficial:**...

, Sonnentau, B'eirth (In Gowan Ring), :Of the Wand and the Moon:, Death in June

Death in June

Death in June are a neofolk group led by English folk musician Douglas Pearce, better known as Douglas P. The band was originally formed in Britain in 1981 as a trio, but after the other members left in 1984 and 1985 to work on other projects, the group became the work of Douglas P. and various...

, Waldteufel, Lux Interna, Northman, Fire + Ice, Darkwood

Darkwood (band)

-Albums and EPs:-Official:**...

, and Primus Inter Pares

Primus inter pares

Primus inter pares is Latin phrase describing the most senior person of a group sharing the same rank or office.When not used in reference to a specific title, it may indicate that the person so described is formally equal, but looked upon as an authority of special importance by their peers...

.

Albums and EPs

Year	Title	Additional information
1999	Jenzig	10"
2002	Windzeit	CD/Box
2004	Erde	CD

Compilations

Year	Title	Additional information
1999	Das Graue Corps	10"
1999	Der Tod Im Juni	CD5"
2000	From Nowhere To Nothing	LP
2000	Lichttaufe - Der Folklore Liedschatz	CD
2000	Thaglasz 6	CD + 8"
2000	The Pact: ...Of The Gods	CD
2001	Le Jardin Des Supplices: Eros & Thanatos	CD
2002	Songs For Landeric	2xCD
2002	Tempus Arborum	CD
2003	Eisiges Licht	CD
2003	Flammenzauber III: Tonwerk Zum Festival	CD
2005	Eichendorff - Liedersammlung	CD
2005	Looking For Europe	4xCD

External links

• Official Forseti site
• Grunwald, Forseti's label
• Interview with Andreas Ritter in Ikoen Magazine (German)