big?
Well, I wish I was a bit more prepared for this. It caught me offguard
due to my own fallibility of not verifying the date. Oh well, good
thing I recognized it when I did. I would have imprinted my foot in
some little kid's face if I missed it.
Two years ago to this day Terje "Valfar" Bakken was found dead in the Sogndal valley in Norway. Who was this man? I shall tell you...
Valfar was the mainman of one of the greatest black metal bands to ever record music...namely Windir. For the first two demos and albums, Sóknardalr and Arntor, Valfar did everything himself, but then later had guys coming from the band Ulcus to play in Windir. From there they released two more albums, 1184 and Likferd, before his death in early 2004. Of course, this is only a very vague nutshell of the story of Valfar and Windir.
Though I didn't get into Windir until late last year when I first heard 1184. I found it was a hard listen as I had never heard something with the extreme melodic riffs and very involved keyboard. I then heard Arntor and found the true magic this band has harnessed. After a few listens I was more turned on by Windir than any other band I had heard up to that point. This band entranced me like no other. With each listen it grew more and more on me. The chills got more and more intense. To try and attempt this justice in mere words is an obstacle I could never overcome; this album inparticular has to be heard to hear its transcending sound. Valfar's harsh and emotional screams, the powerful screeching lead, the drums (even if it was a machine), the fucking accordion! Jesus, I nearly shed a lone tear one time hearing "Arntor, ein Windir" in listening to the the bridge and just thinking about how this guy froze to death in the wilderness. What was going through his mind at only fucking 25? It's a fucking tragedy that this shit has to happen to the young and great. Unfortunately, it does happen.
Excuse the rambling, but I seriously can't say enough good things about this band. If you haven't heard them you MUST...they changed how I view metal (this is assuming you even like black metal). Windir is truly Valfar's incarnation in music. He could relay his feelings and thoughts so intricately into sound...it's unbelieveable. But yeah, I just wanted to post this. I felt a need to. Someone has to remember this man. I know his family and Vreid and other Windir followers are. I need not worry he's passed on; he'll always be with me in his music.
RIP Valfar
9/3/1979 - 1/17/2004
Two years ago to this day Terje "Valfar" Bakken was found dead in the Sogndal valley in Norway. Who was this man? I shall tell you...
Valfar was the mainman of one of the greatest black metal bands to ever record music...namely Windir. For the first two demos and albums, Sóknardalr and Arntor, Valfar did everything himself, but then later had guys coming from the band Ulcus to play in Windir. From there they released two more albums, 1184 and Likferd, before his death in early 2004. Of course, this is only a very vague nutshell of the story of Valfar and Windir.
Though I didn't get into Windir until late last year when I first heard 1184. I found it was a hard listen as I had never heard something with the extreme melodic riffs and very involved keyboard. I then heard Arntor and found the true magic this band has harnessed. After a few listens I was more turned on by Windir than any other band I had heard up to that point. This band entranced me like no other. With each listen it grew more and more on me. The chills got more and more intense. To try and attempt this justice in mere words is an obstacle I could never overcome; this album inparticular has to be heard to hear its transcending sound. Valfar's harsh and emotional screams, the powerful screeching lead, the drums (even if it was a machine), the fucking accordion! Jesus, I nearly shed a lone tear one time hearing "Arntor, ein Windir" in listening to the the bridge and just thinking about how this guy froze to death in the wilderness. What was going through his mind at only fucking 25? It's a fucking tragedy that this shit has to happen to the young and great. Unfortunately, it does happen.
Excuse the rambling, but I seriously can't say enough good things about this band. If you haven't heard them you MUST...they changed how I view metal (this is assuming you even like black metal). Windir is truly Valfar's incarnation in music. He could relay his feelings and thoughts so intricately into sound...it's unbelieveable. But yeah, I just wanted to post this. I felt a need to. Someone has to remember this man. I know his family and Vreid and other Windir followers are. I need not worry he's passed on; he'll always be with me in his music.
RIP Valfar
9/3/1979 - 1/17/2004