Early Norwegian black metal scene

The Norwegian black metal scene was vehemently opposed to Christianity and organized religion as a whole. In interviews during the early 1990s, Euronymous and other members of the scene portrayed themselves as militant misanthropic devil worshippers who sought to spread hatred, sorrow, and evil. They criticized the Church of Satan for being too "humane." The theistic Satanism they advocated was an inversion of Christianity. Euronymous was the key figure behind this ideology. When asked why such statements were made to the press, Ihsahn of Emperor stated, "I think that was very much to create fear among people." He added that the scene "wanted to be in opposition to society" and "tried to concentrate more on just being 'evil' than having a real Satanic philosophy." Vikernes claimed that the reason they professed to advocate "evil" was to provoke. According to the book Lords of Chaos, many who knew Euronymous claim that "the extreme Satanic image he projected was, in fact, just that – a projection which bore little resemblance to his real personality." Those making this assertion include Necrobutcher, Kjetil Manheim, while Metalion, who had known Euronymous since 1985 and considered him his best friend, remarked that Euronymous "was always telling what he thought... worshipping death and being extreme." Regarding other members of the scene, Samuel Fridh suggests that there is no evidence to support their early claims of being devil worshippers, and Leif A. Lier, who led the police investigation following Euronymous's death, stated that he and his team had not encountered a single Satanist. Tenebris from the Misanthropic Luciferian Order, a Swedish Satanic order, noted that the Norwegian scene "meant a lot as long as it lasted. Back then, in 1991, things mainly concerned black metal and ideological Satanism (not so much practical Satanism, but anyway...)... It grew quickly to become a sort of black metal army... and kind of stood and fell with Euronymous and his shop. Therefore, it vanished with his death in '93... Sadly enough, many people involved at the time betrayed their ideals and lost their interest when things fell apart. Like it was nothing more than a hype of temporary nature." Regarding the term "black metal," Euronymous stated that it applies to any heavy metal band that identifies as theistic Satanists and writes Satanic lyrics. At the time, bands with a style akin to Norwegian black metal but lacking Satanic lyrics tended to use alternative terms to describe their music. Some bands within the scene were intrigued by pre-Christian Norway and its traditions, and there was an undercurrent of romantic nationalism present. Additionally, some scene members engaged with Nazi imagery, primarily as a means of provocation. In a private letter written in the early 1990s, Euronymous asserted that "almost all" Norwegian black metal bands at the time were "more or less Nazis." He expressed an interest in totalitarian communist states, claiming he wished to see people "rot under communist dictatorship." == Origins ==

wearing corpse paint During the 1980s, black metal was a loose collective of a few heavy metal bands that shared Satanic lyrics; however, most of the "first wave" bands employed Satanism primarily for shock value. Mayhem's debut EP Deathcrush (1987) was one of the most influential releases from the first wave of black metal, largely founding the early Norwegian black metal scene. The band drew on the influence of the first wave of black metal such as Hellhammer, Venom and Bathory, the punk of Amebix, GBH, Discharge and the Misfits, as well as more experimental groups like Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd. In the book Lords of Chaos, Mayhem were credited as the band who combined the influence of the disparate styles of black metal's first wave and created the style that is understood as black metal today. In 1988, the band hired vocalist Per "Dead" Ohlin of the Swedish band Morbid. Dead wore corpse paint, black and white makeup to achieve a ghastly appearance. According to Mayhem bassist Necrobutcher, "it wasn't anything to do with the way Kiss and Alice Cooper used makeup. Dead actually wanted to look like a corpse. He didn't do it to look cool." Dead would also bury his stage clothes and dig them up to wear on concert nights. Stigma Diabolicum (formed in 1989 and later changed their name to Thorns) and Mortem (formed in 1989). Mayhem guitarist Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth and Snorre "Blackthorn" Ruch of Thorns developed a style of riffing where guitarists played full chords utilising all the strings of the guitar instead of relying on power chords, which typically use only two or three strings, which would become a key element of the subsequent waves of black metal. == Dead's suicide ==

On 8 April 1991, Mayhem vocalist and lyricist Per Yngve Ohlin, known by the stage name "Dead," committed suicide with a shotgun while alone in a house shared by the band. Fellow musicians described Dead as odd, introverted, and depressed. For performances, he made himself look like a corpse and engaged in self-harm while performing. Dead was discovered by Mayhem guitarist Euronymous with his wrists and throat slit and a gunshot wound to his forehead. Before calling the police, Euronymous took a camera and photographed the body after rearranging some items. Euronymous exploited Dead's suicide to enhance Mayhem's "evil" image, claiming that Dead had killed himself because black metal had become "trendy" and commercialized. He created necklaces purportedly made from fragments of Dead's skull and distributed them to musicians he considered worthy. Metal Hammer writer Enrico Ahlig cited the notoriety of the event as beginning the second wave of black metal. Mayhem bassist Jørn 'Necrobutcher' Stubberud noted, "people became more aware of the black metal scene after Dead had shot himself [...]; I think it was Dead's suicide that really changed the scene." The suicide caused a rift between Euronymous and some of his friends, particularly Necrobutcher, who were disgusted by his attitude towards Dead. Two other members of the scene would later commit suicide: Erik 'Grim' Brødreskift (of Immortal, Borknagar, Gorgoroth) in 1999 and Espen 'Storm' Andersen (of Strid) in 2001. == Helvete and the "Black Circle" ==

Mayhem guitarist Euronymous was "the central figure involved in the formation of the Norwegian black metal scene," which he "almost single-handedly founded." During May–June 1991, he opened a record shop called Helvete (Norwegian for "Hell"). The shop was located at Schweigaards gate 56 in Oslo. Norwegian black metal musicians often gathered at the shop and in its basement. These included members of Mayhem, members of Emperor, Varg "Count Grishnackh" Vikernes of Burzum, and "Blackthorn" of Thorns. Euronymous also established an independent record label called Deathlike Silence Productions, which was based at Helvete. This label released albums by Norwegian bands Mayhem and Burzum, Swedish bands Merciless and Abruptum, and Japanese band Sigh. Euronymous, Varg, lived in the shop at various times. Emperor drummer Bård "Faust" Eithun also lived and worked there. According to Stian "Occultus" Johansen, the space that Euronymous rented "was far too big and the rent was too high. That's the reason why it never did well." Only a small part of the building was utilized for the shop itself. Euronymous closed Helvete in early 1993 when it began to attract the attention of the police and media. The store has since reopened under the name Neseblod Records, in the same location but with significantly less floor space. ('Neseblod' is Norwegian for 'nosebleed'.) Many of the original artifacts still remain, and the store also identifies as a "black metal museum." The site was damaged by fire on 9 April 2024, resulting in the evacuation of nearby residences. == Church arsons and attempts ==

, restored in 1997. In 1992, members of the Norwegian black metal scene initiated a wave of arson attacks on Christian churches. By 1996, there had been at least 50 attacks in Norway; Vikernes was found guilty of burning down the Holmenkollen Chapel, Skjold Church, and Åsane Church. The musicians Faust, Samoth, (both of Emperor), and Jørn Inge Tunsberg (of Hades Almighty) Conversely, others, such as Necrobutcher and Kjetil Manheim of Mayhem and Abbath of Immortal, The following is a partial list of church arsons: 1992 • 23 May: attempted burning of Storetveit Church in Bergen Municipality. • 6 June: burning of Fantoft Stave Church in Bergen Municipality – Varg Vikernes is strongly suspected as the culprit but was not convicted. • 1 August: burning of Revheim Church in Stavanger Municipality. • 21 August: burning of Holmenkollen Chapel in Oslo Municipality – Varg Vikernes and Faust were convicted for this; Euronymous also participated but was murdered in August 1993. • 1 September: burning of Ormøya Church in Oslo Municipality. • 13 September: burning of Skjold Church in Vindafjord Municipality – Varg Vikernes and Samoth were convicted for this. • 3 October: burning of Hauketo Church in Oslo Municipality. • 24 December: burning of Åsane Church in Bergen Municipality • 27 March: burning of Seegård Church in Gjøvik Municipality. • 25 May: burning of Såner Church in Vestby Municipality. • 14 June: burning of Moe Church in Sandefjord Municipality. • 21 July: attempted burning of a church college in Porsgrunn Municipality. • 3 September: attempted burning of Vågsbygd Church college in Kristiansand Municipality. • 3 November: burning of Innset Church in Rennebu Municipality. == Murder of Magne Andreassen ==

On 21 August 1992, Bård "Faust" Eithun murdered Magne Andreassen, a gay man, in Lillehammer. According to Faust, while walking home at night, a man made a sexual advance toward him, and Faust agreed to walk with him to the Olympic park. Once in the woods, Faust stabbed Andreassen 37 times, then proceeded to kick him in the head repeatedly as he laid on the ground. Faust claimed that he felt no remorse at the time. In the late 1990s, he reflected on the murder, stating, "I was outside, just waiting to get out some aggression. It's not easy to describe why it happened. It was meant to happen, and if it was this man or another man, that's not really important." Ihsahn, his bandmate in Emperor, remarked that Faust "had been very fascinated by serial killers for a long time, and I guess he wanted to know what it's like to kill a person." Initially, the police had no suspects, and Faust remained free for approximately a year. However, he confided in Euronymous, Vikernes, and a few others about his crime. The day following the stabbing, he returned to Oslo and allegedly burned down Holmenkollen Chapel with Vikernes and Euronymous. After the murder of Euronymous in August 1993, Faust was arrested and confessed to Andreassen's murder. In 1994, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison but was released in 2003. == Bergens Tidende article ==

In January 1993, an article in one of Norway's largest newspapers, Bergens Tidende (BT), brought the black metal scene into the media spotlight. Two friends of Vikernes interviewed him and submitted the interview to the newspaper, hoping for publication. In the anonymous interview, "Count Grishnackh" (Vikernes) claimed to have burned churches and killed a man in Lillehammer. BT journalist Finn Bjørn Tønder arranged a meeting with "Count Grishnackh." The journalists were summoned to an apartment and were allegedly warned they would be shot if they called the police. There, Vikernes and his companions told the journalists that they had burned the churches or knew who had done it and warned that the attacks would continue. They claimed to be devil worshippers and stated, "Our intention is to spread fear and evil." They provided the journalists with details about the arsons that had not yet been released to the press, prompting BT to consult with the police before publication, who confirmed these details. The article was published on 20 January as the front page of BT, headlined ("We set the churches on fire"), and included a photo of Vikernes, his face mostly obscured, holding two large knives. However, by the time the article was printed, Vikernes had already been arrested. The police allegedly tracked him down by visiting an address listed on a Burzum flyer, although Vikernes believes that Tønder betrayed him. According to Vikernes, the anonymous interview was orchestrated by him and Euronymous with the aim of spreading fear, promoting black metal, and attracting more customers to Helvete. Vikernes remarked on the interview, "I exaggerated a lot and when the journalist left we... had a good laugh, because he didn't seem to understand that I was pulling his leg." He added that the interview disclosed nothing that could prove his involvement in any crime. Vikernes claims that, after his arrest, "the journalist edited the interview and... published an insane version of it the following day, without even letting me read through it." Norwegian magazine Rock Furore published an interview with Vikernes in February 1993. In it, he commented on the prison system, saying, "It's much too nice here. It's not hell at all. In this country prisoners get a bed, toilet, and shower. It's completely ridiculous. I asked the police to throw me in a real dungeon, and also encouraged them to use violence." He was released in March due to a lack of evidence. Shortly after this incident, the Oslo police dispatched its Church Fire Group to Bergen, establishing a makeshift headquarters in the Hotel Norge. According to Lords of Chaos, citing a police report, Vikernes knocked on their door and "virtually forced his way into the suite." He was "dressed in chain mail, carrying two large knives in his belt, and flanked by two young men who apparently behaved as if they were his bodyguards or henchmen." Vikernes "stated that he was fed up with being harassed by the authorities, and that the police investigation into the Black Metal scene should be stopped." When police informed him that he had no right to issue orders, Vikernes "took one step back and raised his right arm in a Roman salute." == Murder of Euronymous ==

In early 1993, tensions escalated between Euronymous and Vikernes. On the night of 10 August 1993, Vikernes and Snorre 'Blackthorn' Ruch traveled from Bergen to Euronymous' apartment in Oslo. Upon their arrival, a confrontation ensued, during which Vikernes fatally stabbed Euronymous. His body was discovered outside the apartment, bearing 23 stab wounds—two to the head, five to the neck, and 16 to the back. Speculation surrounding the murder suggests it stemmed from a power struggle, a financial dispute over Burzum records, or an attempt to "outdo" a previous stabbing incident in Lillehammer. Vikernes, however, refutes these claims, asserting he killed Euronymous in self-defense. He contends that Euronymous had devised a plan to incapacitate him with an electroshock weapon, bind him, and torture him to death while filming the event, using a meeting regarding an unsigned contract as a ruse to ambush him. Necrobutcher later claimed that he had also intended to murder Euronymous himself due to his tasteless exploitation of Dead's suicide. Vikernes was apprehended on 19 August 1993, and many other individuals within the scene were questioned around the same time. Some confessed to their crimes and implicated others. In May 1994, Vikernes was sentenced to 21 years in prison (Norway's maximum penalty) for the murder of Euronymous, the arson of four churches, and possession of 150 kg of explosives. Two churches were set ablaze on the day he was sentenced, "presumably as a statement of symbolic support." Blackthorn received an eight-year prison sentence for his role as an accomplice in the murder. That month saw the release of the Mayhem album De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, featuring Euronymous on guitar and Vikernes on bass guitar. == Conflict with other music scenes ==

A strong rivalry existed between the Norwegian black metal and Swedish death metal scenes. Fenriz and Tchort noted that Norwegian black metal musicians had become "fed up with the whole death metal scene" and that "death metal was very uncool in Oslo" at that time. The Finnish band Black Crucifixion criticized the Norwegian band Darkthrone as "trendies" because Darkthrone had originally been a death metal band before transitioning to black metal. == List of music releases ==

The following is a partial list of notable black metal recordings and releases by the aforementioned bands released during 1987–1993. Releases in bold are albums, while the rest are demos and extended plays. == Documentaries and films ==

• Det svarte alvor (1994), aired on Norwegian TV by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK). • Satan rir Media (English: Satan Rides the Media) (1999). • Norsk Black Metal (2003), aired on Norwegian TV by the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK). • ''Metal: A Headbanger's Journey'' (2005) touches on black metal in the early 1990s and includes an extensive 25-minute feature on the DVD release. • Black Metal: A Documentary (2006), produced by Bill Zebub. • Murder Music: A History of Black Metal (2007). • Once Upon a Time in Norway (2007). • Pure Fucking Mayhem (2008). • Black Metal: The Norwegian Legacy (2008), produced by Bill Zebub. • Until the Light Takes Us (2009). • Black Metal: The Music of Satan (2010), produced by Bill Zebub. • Lords of Chaos (2018), directed by Jonas Åkerlund. • Helvete – historien om norsk black metal (2020). == See also ==