Windir
Encyclopedia
Windir was a black metal
band from Sogndal
, Norway
. The band combined black metal with folk music
and mythology
. The band was formed in 1994 and released its debut album in 1997. Windir was a project of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Terje "Valfar" Bakken.
Windir produced four albums in their almost ten years of existence, each more complex and successful than the last. The band broke up when Valfar died of hypothermia
.
Many of Windir's lyrics are written in Sognamål.
. He was buried on the 27th of January at Stedje Church in Norway. In March 2004 Windir officially disbanded.
A compilation album containing Windir outtakes and B-Sides, Valfar, ein Windir
, was released in 2004 as a tribute to Valfar. On September 3, 2004, in Oslo, Windir's remaining members performed their last concert to go back to their roots and keep base with what they thought was real. Enslaved
, Finntroll
, Notodden All Stars, Weh, E-Head and Mindgrinder were the guest bands. Three bands would be formed by some of the remaining members of Windir, Vreid
, Mistur and Cor Scorpii
.
, most of whom are ex-members of Windir or friends of them. These bands include:
Vreid
,
Cor Scorpii
,
Mistur,
Sigtyr and
Feigd.
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band from Sogndal
Sogndal
Sogndal is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The village of Sogndalsfjøra is the administrative center of Sogndal municipality. Other main villages include Kaupanger, Kjørnes, and Fjærland...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The band combined black metal with folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
. The band was formed in 1994 and released its debut album in 1997. Windir was a project of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Terje "Valfar" Bakken.
Windir produced four albums in their almost ten years of existence, each more complex and successful than the last. The band broke up when Valfar died of hypothermia
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
.
Many of Windir's lyrics are written in Sognamål.
Valfar's death
On January 14, 2004, Terje "Valfar" Bakken went to his family's cabin at Fagereggi, Norway by foot. On January 17, his body was found at Reppastølen in the Sogndal valley. He died from hypothermiaHypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
. He was buried on the 27th of January at Stedje Church in Norway. In March 2004 Windir officially disbanded.
A compilation album containing Windir outtakes and B-Sides, Valfar, ein Windir
Valfar, ein Windir
Valfar, ein Windir is a 2-disc compilation album by Windir released in 2004 . It contains some new recordings, tributes, live songs, and rerecordings. The money made with selling Valfar, ein Windir goes straight to Valfar's family...
, was released in 2004 as a tribute to Valfar. On September 3, 2004, in Oslo, Windir's remaining members performed their last concert to go back to their roots and keep base with what they thought was real. Enslaved
Enslaved (band)
Enslaved is a progressive black metal band formed in June 1991 in Sveio, Norway, and currently based out of Bergen, Norway.-History:Enslaved was formed in June 1991 by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson when they were 13 and 17 years old, respectively. The band name was inspired by an Immortal demo...
, Finntroll
Finntroll
Finntroll is a folk metal band from Helsinki, Finland. They combine elements of black metal and folk metal. Finntroll's lyrics are mostly in Swedish, the only exception being the song "Madon Laulu" on Visor Om Slutet...
, Notodden All Stars, Weh, E-Head and Mindgrinder were the guest bands. Three bands would be formed by some of the remaining members of Windir, Vreid
Vreid
Vreid is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 2004 after the break up of Windir following the death of lead singer and founder Valfar. The remaining members along with new guitarist Ese formed Vreid...
, Mistur and Cor Scorpii
Cor Scorpii
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...
.
Final line-up
- ValfarTerje BakkenTerje "Valfar" Bakken was the lead singer and founder of the Norwegian black/folk metal band Windir. Windir was started as a one-man project, but it was expanded into a full band with the release of their 3rd album, 1184...
- vocals, accordion, and additional instruments - Hvàll (Jarle Kvåle) - bass guitar
- Steingrim (Jørn Holen) - drums
- Sture Dingsøyr - rhythm guitar
- Strom (Stian Bakketeig) - lead guitar
- Righ (Gaute Refsnes) - keyboards
Past members
- Sorg - guitars
- Cosmocrator - clean vocals on 11841184 (Windir Album)1184 is an album by Windir released in 2001. Valfar composed this album with the band Ulcus. Departing from the sound of which Windir is normally known for, it nevertheless kept its folk elements, albeit with inspiration from electronic music...
and LikferdLikferdLikferd is the fourth full-length album by the Norwegian Viking / black / folk metal band Windir, which was released in 2003. It was the last official album released by Windir before the death of Valfar.-Track listing:... - Vegard - vocals (some songs on SognaMetalSognametalSognametal 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...
DVD) (Vegard is Valfar's brother)
Demos
The demos feature Valfar on vocals, Sorg on guitars, and Steingrim on drums.- Sogneriket (1994)
- Det Gamle Riket (1995)
Albums
- SóknardalrSóknardalrSóknardalr is an album by Windir released in 1997. Sóknardalr is the old Norse name of Valfar's hometown: Sogndal. The lyrics are written in the Sogndal dialect and the song titles are written in nynorsk, the official written form in Sogndal....
(1997) - ArntorArntorArntor is the second full-length album by the Norwegian Viking / black / folk metal band Windir. It was released on October 11, 1999 through Head Not Found...
(1999) - 11841184 (Windir Album)1184 is an album by Windir released in 2001. Valfar composed this album with the band Ulcus. Departing from the sound of which Windir is normally known for, it nevertheless kept its folk elements, albeit with inspiration from electronic music...
(2001) - LikferdLikferdLikferd is the fourth full-length album by the Norwegian Viking / black / folk metal band Windir, which was released in 2003. It was the last official album released by Windir before the death of Valfar.-Track listing:...
(2003) - Valfar, ein WindirValfar, ein WindirValfar, ein Windir is a 2-disc compilation album by Windir released in 2004 . It contains some new recordings, tributes, live songs, and rerecordings. The money made with selling Valfar, ein Windir goes straight to Valfar's family...
(2004, compilation album, a tribute to deceased founding member Valfar)
SognaMetal
With the coining of the term, the genre "SognaMetal" as established by Windir has inspired many bands from the small region of Sogn og FjordaneSogn og Fjordane
is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde....
, most of whom are ex-members of Windir or friends of them. These bands include:
Vreid
Vreid
Vreid is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 2004 after the break up of Windir following the death of lead singer and founder Valfar. The remaining members along with new guitarist Ese formed Vreid...
,
Cor Scorpii
Cor Scorpii
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...
,
Mistur,
Sigtyr and
Feigd.