Fenriz
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Fenriz, born Gylve Fenris Nagell, is best known as the drummer and lyricist for the two-piece Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. However, he is a prolific musician who has been involved in a wide array of bands, solo efforts, and side projects spanning a variety of musical genres.
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Biography
Gylve Nagell was born in 1971. His first exposure to metal music came when he was three years old and received Uriah Heep's album Sweet Freedom for his birthday. At the age of five, he would fashion belts for himself out of paper in an imitation of those worn by Mick Box. Later musical interests of his included rock and heavy metal groups such as The Doors and Metallica.
Darkthrone was created as a death metal band by the name of Black Death in 1987. At the same time, Fenriz was involved in a group called Valhall, which practised in his basement. Fenriz has expressed that he had a passive interest in Bathory by 1986, but claims that he did not understand the "darkness" of black metal until hearing a song by the Hungarian band Tormentor in 1989 (he gives similar credit to Mercyful Fate). The same year, Fenriz left Valhall in order to concentrate on Darkthrone. He also started a solo folk metal project entitled Isengard, for Darkthrone was a band that opposed stylistic progression and change. Fenriz's solo ambient project Neptune Towers served as an example of his varied musical tastes. It was followed by another quintessential contribution to the folk metal scene with Storm, whose single release Nordavind inspired some controversy over its perceived nationalistic theme.
Fenriz now claims to be apolitical, remaining non-partisan towards the events of early Norwegian black metal. In one interview, Fenriz stated that he was against the book Lords of Chaos, comparing its hype to Oprah. Fenriz prefers to keep Darkthrone out of the spotlight; in late 2004 he turned down a nomination for a Norwegian Alarm Award. He claimed that Darkthrone had "no interest in being part of the glitter and showbiz side of the music industry". Fenriz is known for his refusal to play live and his lack of interest in the music business in general (he is not opposed to file sharing, as demonstrated through his apathy toward the very premature leak of Darkthrone's 2004 release Sardonic Wrath on the internet).
Fenriz currently lives in Oslo, and has a record label with Nocturno Culto called Tyrant Syndicate Productions, which is a sub-label of Peaceville Records (to which Darkthrone is signed). In late 2004, Fenriz released a compilation album through Peaceville entitled Fenriz Presents... The Best of Old School Black Metal, which included selected tracks from such influential artists as Celtic Frost, Hellhammer, and Bathory. He has expressed plans to release a thrash metal compilation in future.
Musical Projects
- Darkthrone - Drums, lyrics (Since 1987)
- Valhall - Drums (1987-1989)
- Isengard - Drums, guitars, bass, vocals (1989-1995) *solo project
- Neptune Towers - Keyboards (1993-1995) *solo project
- DHG (Dødheimsgard) - Bass (1994-1995)
- Storm - Drums, vocals (1995) *credited as Herr Nagell
- Eibon - Drums (Since 1999)
- Strid
- Vombator
- DJ Ebola *not to be confused with the German DJ of the same name
Guest Appearances and Contributions
- Satyricon - Session bassist, lyrics for Nemesis Divina (1996), percussion on Rebel Extravaganza (1999)
- Ulver - Vocals on Themes from William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell (1999)
- Aura Noir - Vocals on Increased Damnation (2000)
- Cadaver Inc. - Guitars
- Thorns - Guitars, drums
- Seth - Lyrics
External Links
- Moonfog Productions Official Site (http://www.moonfog.com)
- Tyrant Syndicate Productions (http://www.peaceville.com/tsp.html) (on Peaceville Records (http://www.peaceville.com))