Gaahl
Encyclopedia
Kristian Eivind Espedal better known by his stage name Gaahl, is a Norwegian vocalist, best known as the former frontman of Norwegian black metal
band Gorgoroth
. He is also the founder and frontman of Trelldom and Gaahlskagg
. As of 2008, he has been involved in other projects such as Wardruna
.
, a district in the county of Sogn og Fjordane
, Norway
. He spent his youth living in a sparsely populated valley called Espedal
, in the municipality of Fjaler
. Gaahl and his family still retain residences in the valley, although he now spends much of his time in Bergen
.
; although he only sang on the title track. He made his live debut in May that year, when Gorgoroth played five dates in Germany alongside Cradle of Filth. Ten years later in the January 2009 issue of Terrorizer Magazine
, Gaahl and Cradle of Filth frontman Dani Filth
wrongly claimed to have played thirty gigs together on this tour.
The first Gorgoroth album to feature Gaahl as main vocalist was Incipit Satan
. The album was recorded during July–October 1999, and was mainly written by Infernus. The music was entirely written by Infernus and Tormentor, while the lyrics were written by Infernus and Gaahl; the latter having written the lyrics for the title song as well as "Ein Eim av Blod og Helvetesild". This was also the first Gorgoroth album to feature elements of industrial
, dark ambient
, and noise music
.
In the period February–December 2002, Gaahl was imprisoned for assaulting a man, and was forced to pay the victim 158,000 NOK (26,963 US$). Gorgoroth began recording their album Twilight of the Idols
in May that year. Gaahl's imprisonment meant that he was unable to record his vocals until January 2003. The album was released in July that year.
In February 2004, Gorgoroth staged a concert in Kraków
, Poland
which featured impaled sheep heads, satanic symbols, and a mock-crucifixion
performed by naked models doused in blood. A police investigation took place with allegations of religious offense (which is prosecutable under Polish law) and cruelty to animals. Though these charges were considered, the band was not charged as they were unaware that what they were doing was illegal. The controversy led to the band being dropped from the Nuclear Blast Tour and the footage of the concert being confiscated by the police. Following this, Gorgoroth ended their contract with the label.
In January 2005, Gorgoroth began work on their next album. The instrumental parts were recorded between January and May 2005, and Gaahl arranged and recorded the vocals in March 2006. Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam
was released shortly thereafter. Although the title was conceived by Infernus, the lyrics and music of this album were written entirely by Gaahl and bassist King ov Hell
. From April–December 2006, Gaahl spent another nine months (of a fourteen-month sentence) in prison. He was accused of assaulting and torturing a man for six hours while collecting his blood into a cup and threatening to make him drink it. The victim received a total of 190,000 NOK (32,424 US$). Gaahl maintains that he was acting in self-defence, claiming that:
In January 2007, Gaahl was the focus of a documentary called True Norwegian Black Metal
. It was shown in five parts on vbs.tv, the broadcast network of Vice Magazine, in April. In it, Gaahl offered the film-makers a tour of his residence in Espedal and the surrounding countryside. The documentary was produced by photographer Peter Beste, who also starred in it.
In May 2007, he appeared on the third Trelldom album, Til Minne. Gaahl was the band's only founding member to appear on the album, which featured guitarist "Valgard", bassist "Stian", drummer "Are" and hardingfele
player Egil Furenes.
In October 2007, Gaahl and King ov Hell tried to remove founding member Infernus from Gorgoroth. This began the Gorgoroth name dispute
.
, Gaahl confirmed his homosexuality
.
Shortly thereafter, De Vero stated that he had received threats from various black metal fans, both at his door and by phone and email. It was also alleged that a fight had erupted backstage at Wacken Open Air, triggered by homophobic
remarks. Allegedly, the person who made the remarks had to be hospital
ised. However, Gaahl denied that anyone had ever "said anything derogatory" to him in person. When asked by the webzine FaceCulture if he thinks people will see him and his music differently now that he has publicly acknowledged his homosexuality, Gaahl replied:
In March 2009 the name dispute ended when Oslo City District Court ruled that Infernus was the rightful owner of the Gorgoroth name. It also found that by trying to oust Infernus, Gaahl and King had instead excluded themselves from the band. That month, Gaahl and King assumed the name God Seed.
In early 2009, Gaahl spent two months in Spain
. King stated in an interview that Gaahl had been spending time in Spain working on lyrics and vocal arrangements for the debut God Seed album. However, in another interview in April 2009, King stated that:
In summer 2009, God Seed performed at Hellfest Summer Open Air
in June and With Full Force
in July. In August, Gaahl revealed that he had quit the band. His bandmate King later clarified that Gaahl had in fact chosen to retire from metal music for the time being. King put the band 'on hold' as a result. Shortly after, vocalist Shagrath
took Gaahl's place and the band was renamed Ov Hell
.
In January 2010, Gaahl was hired by Den Nationale Scene
in Bergen
to play a role in Svartediket, a performance for the 2010 Bergen International Festival
. This caused controversy due to Gaahl's anti-Christian standpoint and support for church burnings. The Bishop of Bjørgvin
spoke against Gaahl's involvement.
. In December 2005, he discussed this in an interview. However some sources have claimed otherwise.
In 2008 he confirmed being homosexual. On 27 January 2010, Gaahl won the award "gay person of the year" in Bergen at the event "Bergen Gay Galla". He was present and accepted the award.
and can often be seen wearing a Mjolnir pendant.
, but objects to being labelled as such. In an early interview he stated that "I am my own God as I am my own Satan. So I'm not a Satanist judging by those terms". He jokingly added, "Maybe you could call it Gaahlism". He repeated this belief in the documentary True Norwegian Black Metal
when he said "the god within yourself is the only true god". In an interview for the documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
—at which time he was Gorgoroth's vocalist— Gaahl was asked what inspired the band's music, to which his sole reply was "Satan". When asked what Satan represented, he again answered with a single word: "Freedom".
Gaahl explained his use of Satanic themes thus:
When asked if he was influenced by Friedrich Nietzsche
in his beliefs and his use of the "superman
" terminology, Gaahl replied: "for me he doesn't mean anything and I haven't a lot of things in common with him. Personally, I focus on myself, on my own thoughts".
Gaahl has expressed opposition to the Church of Satan
, describing it as a group of "weak people flocking like rats, afraid of standing alone" and adding "Anton LaVey
and his followers are incredibly ridiculous. It's all so childish. I will not waste my breath on discussing them".
However, in a controversial interview from 1995 he also stated:
and left-wingers
. However, in a controversial 1995 interview he stated his support for Varg Vikernes
, Adolf Hitler
and Roman
emperors Julius Caesar
, Augustus
, Caligula
and Nero
. He also described people such as "niggers", "mulattoes" and Muslim
s as "subhuman". In 2008 when asked about such controversial stances in Rock Hard magazine. Gaahl explained:
Presumably during the 1990s, the stances Gaahl supposedly maintained prompted the Anti-Defamation League
to list Trelldom on its Hate Music Groups.
Other appearances:
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 Gorgoroth
Gorgoroth
Gorgoroth is a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen. Formed in 1992 by Infernus , the band is named after the dead plateau of evil and darkness in the land of Mordor from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. The group is currently signed to Regain Records and have released...
. He is also the founder and frontman of Trelldom and Gaahlskagg
Gaahlskagg
Gaahlskagg is a Norwegian black metal band from Sunnfjord, Norway, founded in 1998 by Gaahl and Skagg. Gaahl and Skagg were also members of the band Sigfader at the time, and they established this band to create more extreme and shocking music.They first released the Split CD: Erotic Funeral Party...
. As of 2008, he has been involved in other projects such as Wardruna
Wardruna
Wardruna is a musical project based on Nordic spiritualism and the runes of the Elder Futhark . It was started by Einar "Kvitrafn" Selvik in 2003, along with Gaahl and Lindy Fay Hella....
.
Background
Gaahl was born in 1975 in SunnfjordSunnfjord
Sunnfjord is a traditional district in Western Norway located in Sogn og Fjordane county. It includes the municipalities of Askvoll, Fjaler, Flora, Førde, Gaular, Jølster, Naustdal, and the southernmost parts of Bremanger...
, a district in the county of Sogn og Fjordane
Sogn 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....
, 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...
. He spent his youth living in a sparsely populated valley called Espedal
Espedal
Espedal is a place in Fjaler, Norway.Espedal may also refer to:*Espedal Øvre, a village in Forsand, Norway-People with the surname:*Ronny Espedal, Norwegian footballer*Kristian Espedal or Gaahl, Norwegian black metal vocalist*Alf Espedal, SOE agent...
, in the municipality of Fjaler
Fjaler
Fjaler is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnfjord. The administrative centre is the village of Dale. Other places in Fjaler include Flekke and Espedal....
. Gaahl and his family still retain residences in the valley, although he now spends much of his time in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
.
Early career (1993–1998)
Gaahl became involved with black metal in 1993, when he co-formed the band Trelldom with guitarist "Tyrant" and bassist "Taakeheim". They released a demo in March 1994, with "Goat Pervertor" on drums. Gaahl and Tyrant recorded and released Trelldom's first album Til Evighet in early 1995, with help from drummer "Ole Nic". In 1998 they released the album Til et Annet with drummer "Mutt". That year, Gaahl become involved with the bands Sigfader and Gaahlskagg. The former included Stian Lægreid ("Skagg"), Tarjei Øvrebotten ("Goatboy"), Jan Atle Lægreid ("Thurzr"), Einar Selvik ("Kvitrafn") and Mutt. The latter included Skagg, Thurzr and Mutt. Sigfader and Gaahlskagg each released an EP in 1999.With Gorgoroth (1998–2007)
Gaahl joined Gorgoroth in 1998, and was first heard on their fourth album DestroyerDestroyer (Gorgoroth album)
- Personnel :*Ares - bass *Daimonion - synth *Frost - drums *Gaahl - vocals *Infernus - guitars , bass , vocals , drums...
; although he only sang on the title track. He made his live debut in May that year, when Gorgoroth played five dates in Germany alongside Cradle of Filth. Ten years later in the January 2009 issue of Terrorizer Magazine
Terrorizer Magazine
Terrorizer is an extreme music magazine published by Dark Arts Ltd. in the United Kingdom. It is released every four weeks with thirteen issues a year and features a 'Fear Candy' covermount CD, a twice yearly 'Fear Candy Unsigned' CD, and a double-sided poster.-1993:Terrorizer published its first...
, Gaahl and Cradle of Filth frontman Dani Filth
Dani Filth
Dani Filth is the lyricist, vocalist and founding member of the metal band Cradle of Filth.-Personal life:...
wrongly claimed to have played thirty gigs together on this tour.
The first Gorgoroth album to feature Gaahl as main vocalist was Incipit Satan
Incipit Satan
Incipit Satan is the fifth full-length album by Norwegian black metal band Gorgoroth. It was released in February 2000 through Nuclear Blast and reissued in 2006 by Back on Black Records.The music was written entirely by guitarists Infernus and Tormentor...
. The album was recorded during July–October 1999, and was mainly written by Infernus. The music was entirely written by Infernus and Tormentor, while the lyrics were written by Infernus and Gaahl; the latter having written the lyrics for the title song as well as "Ein Eim av Blod og Helvetesild". This was also the first Gorgoroth album to feature elements of industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
, dark ambient
Dark ambient
Dark ambient is a subgenre of ambient music that features foreboding, ominous, or discordant overtones. Although it had its roots in the 1970s, Dark ambient emerged in the 1980s and 1990s with the introduction of newer, smaller, and more affordable Effects units, synthesizer and sampling technology...
, and noise music
Noise music
Noise music is a term used to describe varieties of avant-garde music and sound art that may use elements such as cacophony, dissonance, atonality, noise, indeterminacy, and repetition in their realization. Noise music can feature distortion, various types of acoustically or electronically...
.
In the period February–December 2002, Gaahl was imprisoned for assaulting a man, and was forced to pay the victim 158,000 NOK (26,963 US$). Gorgoroth began recording their album Twilight of the Idols
Twilight of the Idols (album)
Twilight of the Idols is the sixth album by Norwegian black metal band Gorgoroth. It was released in 2003 through Nuclear Blast and reissued in 2006 through Back on Black Records....
in May that year. Gaahl's imprisonment meant that he was unable to record his vocals until January 2003. The album was released in July that year.
In February 2004, Gorgoroth staged a concert in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
which featured impaled sheep heads, satanic symbols, and a mock-crucifixion
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
performed by naked models doused in blood. A police investigation took place with allegations of religious offense (which is prosecutable under Polish law) and cruelty to animals. Though these charges were considered, the band was not charged as they were unaware that what they were doing was illegal. The controversy led to the band being dropped from the Nuclear Blast Tour and the footage of the concert being confiscated by the police. Following this, Gorgoroth ended their contract with the label.
In January 2005, Gorgoroth began work on their next album. The instrumental parts were recorded between January and May 2005, and Gaahl arranged and recorded the vocals in March 2006. Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam
Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam
- Credits :Musicians:* Gaahl – vocals* Infernus – guitars* King ov Hell – bass* Frost – drums Other personnel:* Mixed by Gorgoroth and Herbrand Larsen in Bergen....
was released shortly thereafter. Although the title was conceived by Infernus, the lyrics and music of this album were written entirely by Gaahl and bassist King ov Hell
King ov Hell
Tom Cato Visnes , better known as King ov Hell or simply King, is a Norwegian musician and ex-teacher. He is best known as the former bassist of black metal band Gorgoroth, but he is also the co-founder of Ov Hell, God Seed, Jotunspor, Sahg and I...
. From April–December 2006, Gaahl spent another nine months (of a fourteen-month sentence) in prison. He was accused of assaulting and torturing a man for six hours while collecting his blood into a cup and threatening to make him drink it. The victim received a total of 190,000 NOK (32,424 US$). Gaahl maintains that he was acting in self-defence, claiming that:
I was the one who was attacked, but they think I punished him too hard. As I always say, when people cross my line ... then I will be the one to decide what their punishment will be.
In January 2007, Gaahl was the focus of a documentary called True Norwegian Black Metal
True Norwegian Black Metal (documentary)
True Norwegian Black Metal is a 2007 5-part documentary produced by VBS/Vice Magazine. The documentary mainly covers some aspects of the life of black metal vocalist Gaahl - renowned for his work with Gorgoroth and Trelldom. Principal photography took place in January 2007 over a ten day period in...
. It was shown in five parts on vbs.tv, the broadcast network of Vice Magazine, in April. In it, Gaahl offered the film-makers a tour of his residence in Espedal and the surrounding countryside. The documentary was produced by photographer Peter Beste, who also starred in it.
In May 2007, he appeared on the third Trelldom album, Til Minne. Gaahl was the band's only founding member to appear on the album, which featured guitarist "Valgard", bassist "Stian", drummer "Are" and hardingfele
Hardingfele
A Hardanger fiddle is a traditional stringed instrument used originally to play the music of Norway. In modern designs, the instruments are very similar to the violin, though with eight or nine strings and thinner wood...
player Egil Furenes.
In October 2007, Gaahl and King ov Hell tried to remove founding member Infernus from Gorgoroth. This began the Gorgoroth name dispute
Gorgoroth name dispute
The Gorgoroth name dispute was in the context of the use of a name for a Norwegian black metal band - which was derived from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium - between band founder Infernus and members Gaahl and King ov Hell...
.
Post-Gorgoroth (2008 onward)
In July 2008, Gaahl revealed in an online interview that he was involved in the creation of Wynjo, an upcoming fashion collection for women, together with Norwegian modeling agent Dan De Vero and designer Sonja Wu. At the same time, it was also revealed that he and De Vero had a "close relationship" since 2006. It was stated that they were no longer a couple but remained as good friends. In an interview for the November 2008 issue of Rock HardRock Hard (magazine)
Rock Hard is a heavy metal magazine originally released in Germany. It was founded in 1983 by Holger Stratmann and is dedicated to all styles of rock and heavy metal. The magazine has independent offspring with the same name in France, Greece, Italy and Spain....
, Gaahl confirmed his homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
.
Shortly thereafter, De Vero stated that he had received threats from various black metal fans, both at his door and by phone and email. It was also alleged that a fight had erupted backstage at Wacken Open Air, triggered by homophobic
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
remarks. Allegedly, the person who made the remarks had to be hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
ised. However, Gaahl denied that anyone had ever "said anything derogatory" to him in person. When asked by the webzine FaceCulture if he thinks people will see him and his music differently now that he has publicly acknowledged his homosexuality, Gaahl replied:
Mankind is known to be narrow-minded, so... maybe some [will have a negative reaction]. But I guess it will even out the score in a way. I think it will be positive for some and negative for some. It's always good to have some negative as well. Otherwise you would end up with equality and equality is the worst thing in the world. Equality is stagnation. It doesn't let anything grow. It holds back.
In March 2009 the name dispute ended when Oslo City District Court ruled that Infernus was the rightful owner of the Gorgoroth name. It also found that by trying to oust Infernus, Gaahl and King had instead excluded themselves from the band. That month, Gaahl and King assumed the name God Seed.
In early 2009, Gaahl spent two months in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. King stated in an interview that Gaahl had been spending time in Spain working on lyrics and vocal arrangements for the debut God Seed album. However, in another interview in April 2009, King stated that:
We have recorded everything in the studio and are just waiting for Gaahl to put vocals on it. So we have only vocals and the final mix to go before it's all done. It's sometimes a nightmare to work with him in the studio because of the pride he puts into the smallest details. If he's not in the right mood or doesn't find the correct words we get nothing done. At times I've spent days in the studio counting seconds with nothing happening. It's the same way now, but I know in the end the result will be unique and powerful.
In summer 2009, God Seed performed at Hellfest Summer Open Air
Hellfest Summer Open Air
Hellfest is an annual music festival which takes place in Clisson, France in mid-June. It is held within the Val de Moine sport complex in Clisson, approximately 35 km south-east of the city of Nantes, and approximately 400 km south-west of the nation's capital Paris. Billed as an "extreme music...
in June and With Full Force
With Full Force
With Full Force is a metal, hardcore and punk festival held annually in Germany since 1994. The 2011 edition took place on July 1 and July 3 at the Roitzschjora airport in Löbnitz near Leipzig in the Saxon county of Delitzsch.-2010:...
in July. In August, Gaahl revealed that he had quit the band. His bandmate King later clarified that Gaahl had in fact chosen to retire from metal music for the time being. King put the band 'on hold' as a result. Shortly after, vocalist Shagrath
Shagrath
Shagrath is a Norwegian musician best known as the vocalist of Dimmu Borgir.-Biography:Stian Thoresen was born on November 18, 1976 in Jessheim, outside of Oslo, Norway....
took Gaahl's place and the band was renamed Ov Hell
Ov Hell
Ov Hell is a Norwegian black metal supergroup started by Shagrath and King ov Hell in 2009. The band's debut album, The Underworld Regime, was released in February 2010 by Indie Recordings.-Background:...
.
In January 2010, Gaahl was hired by Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene
Den Nationale Scene is the largest theatre in Bergen, Norway. Den Nationale Scene is also one of the oldest permanent theatre in Norway.-History:...
in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
to play a role in Svartediket, a performance for the 2010 Bergen International Festival
Bergen International Festival
Bergen International Festival is an annual international music and cultural festival in Bergen, Norway. The festival is the largest in the Nordic countries in its genre and has a large number of activities in music, dance, literature, visual arts, folklore etc...
. This caused controversy due to Gaahl's anti-Christian standpoint and support for church burnings. The Bishop of Bjørgvin
Diocese of Bjørgvin
Bjørgvin Diocese is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers churches located in the counties of Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane. The cathedral city is Bergen. Bergen Cathedral, formerly the Church of Saint Olaf, serves as the seat of the presiding Bishop...
spoke against Gaahl's involvement.
Personal life
During the trial in 2004, it was claimed that Gaahl is a vegetarianVegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
. In December 2005, he discussed this in an interview. However some sources have claimed otherwise.
In 2008 he confirmed being homosexual. On 27 January 2010, Gaahl won the award "gay person of the year" in Bergen at the event "Bergen Gay Galla". He was present and accepted the award.
Beliefs
Gaahl is a practitioner of Norse ShamanismGermanic neopaganism
Germanic neopaganism is the contemporary revival of historical Germanic paganism. Precursor movements appeared in the early 20th century in Germany and Austria. A second wave of revival began in the early 1970s...
and can often be seen wearing a Mjolnir pendant.
Christianity and Satanism
Gaahl is strongly opposed to Christianity. He has often been mistaken as a SatanistSatanism
Satanism is a group of religions that is composed of a diverse number of ideological and philosophical beliefs and social phenomena. Their shared feature include symbolic association with, admiration for the character of, and even veneration of Satan or similar rebellious, promethean, and...
, but objects to being labelled as such. In an early interview he stated that "I am my own God as I am my own Satan. So I'm not a Satanist judging by those terms". He jokingly added, "Maybe you could call it Gaahlism". He repeated this belief in the documentary True Norwegian Black Metal
True Norwegian Black Metal (documentary)
True Norwegian Black Metal is a 2007 5-part documentary produced by VBS/Vice Magazine. The documentary mainly covers some aspects of the life of black metal vocalist Gaahl - renowned for his work with Gorgoroth and Trelldom. Principal photography took place in January 2007 over a ten day period in...
when he said "the god within yourself is the only true god". In an interview for the documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey is a 2005 documentary directed by Sam Dunn with Scot McFadyen and Jessica Wise. The film follows 31-year-old Dunn, a Canadian anthropologist, who has been a heavy metal fan since the age of 12...
—at which time he was Gorgoroth's vocalist— Gaahl was asked what inspired the band's music, to which his sole reply was "Satan". When asked what Satan represented, he again answered with a single word: "Freedom".
Gaahl explained his use of Satanic themes thus:
We live in a Christian world and we have to speak their language ... When I use the word 'Satan' it means the natural order, the will of a man, the will to grow, the will to become the superman and not to be oppressed by any law such as the church, which is only a way to control the masses.
When asked if he was influenced by Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
in his beliefs and his use of the "superman
Übermensch
The Übermensch is a concept in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche posited the Übermensch as a goal for humanity to set for itself in his 1883 book Thus Spoke Zarathustra ....
" terminology, Gaahl replied: "for me he doesn't mean anything and I haven't a lot of things in common with him. Personally, I focus on myself, on my own thoughts".
Gaahl has expressed opposition to the Church of Satan
Church of Satan
The Church of Satan is an organization dedicated to the acceptance of the carnal self, as articulated in The Satanic Bible, written in 1969 by Anton Szandor LaVey.- History :...
, describing it as a group of "weak people flocking like rats, afraid of standing alone" and adding "Anton LaVey
Anton LaVey
Anton Szandor LaVey , born Howard Stanton Levey, was the founder of the Church of Satan as well as a writer, occultist, and musician...
and his followers are incredibly ridiculous. It's all so childish. I will not waste my breath on discussing them".
Black metal
Regarding black metal, Gaahl sees individuality as the most important aspect of the genre. He has described black metal as "the depiction of honesty without compromise" and "a war for those who hear the whisper". When asked in the documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey (2005) for his thoughts on the church burnings associated with the early Norwegian black metal scene, Gaahl replied:Church burnings are, of course, a thing that I support one hundred percent. It should have been done much more, and will be done much more in the future. We have to remove every trace from what Christianity, and the semitic roots, have to offer this world.
However, in a controversial interview from 1995 he also stated:
Well, personally I don't mind it at all, but I fear that it might cause among people fear of nihilism and anti-Christian views that black metal represents, and in that way lead neutral people to succumbing to Christendom because that is what they accept and don't want to lose. I think it's the wrong way to proceed.
Politics
Gaahl maintains that he has no clear set of political beliefs, and that his circle of friends includes both right-wingersRight-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
and left-wingers
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
. However, in a controversial 1995 interview he stated his support for Varg Vikernes
Varg Vikernes
Varg Vikernes is a Norwegian black metal musician, writer, philosopher, religious and political activist, arsonist and convicted murderer.Vikernes was born near Bergen, Norway. In 1991, he founded the one-man music project Burzum, which quickly became popular within the early Norwegian black metal...
, Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
emperors Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
, Caligula
Caligula
Caligula , also known as Gaius, was Roman Emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most...
and Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
. He also described people such as "niggers", "mulattoes" and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s as "subhuman". In 2008 when asked about such controversial stances in Rock Hard magazine. Gaahl explained:
In the early '90s, there were all these different youth gangs in Norway and one thing led to another. I was involved in gang fights and had false friends ... There was no political disposition – not with me nor any of my friends. But you had to profess allegiance to a certain group if you wanted to defend yourself and not get your ass kicked.
Presumably during the 1990s, the stances Gaahl supposedly maintained prompted the Anti-Defamation League
Anti-Defamation League
The Anti-Defamation League is an international non-governmental organization based in the United States. Describing itself as "the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency", the ADL states that it "fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects...
to list Trelldom on its Hate Music Groups.
Discography
| Year | Title | Band |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Disappearing of the Burning Moon (demo) | Trelldom |
| 1995 | Til Evighet | Trelldom |
| 1998 | Til et Annet | Trelldom |
| 1998 | Destroyer Destroyer (Gorgoroth album) - Personnel :*Ares - bass *Daimonion - synth *Frost - drums *Gaahl - vocals *Infernus - guitars , bass , vocals , drums... |
Gorgoroth |
| 1999 | Sigfaders hevner (demo) | Sigfader |
| 1999 | Split With Stormfront | Gaahlskagg |
| 2000 | Erotic Funeral | Gaahlskagg |
| 2000 | Incipit Satan Incipit Satan Incipit Satan is the fifth full-length album by Norwegian black metal band Gorgoroth. It was released in February 2000 through Nuclear Blast and reissued in 2006 by Back on Black Records.The music was written entirely by guitarists Infernus and Tormentor... |
Gorgoroth |
| 2003 | Twilight of the Idols Twilight of the Idols (album) Twilight of the Idols is the sixth album by Norwegian black metal band Gorgoroth. It was released in 2003 through Nuclear Blast and reissued in 2006 through Back on Black Records.... |
Gorgoroth |
| 2006 | Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam - Credits :Musicians:* Gaahl – vocals* Infernus – guitars* King ov Hell – bass* Frost – drums Other personnel:* Mixed by Gorgoroth and Herbrand Larsen in Bergen.... |
Gorgoroth |
| 2006 | True Narcotic Black Metal | Secht |
| 2007 | Til Minne | Trelldom |
| 2008 | Black Mass Krakow 2004 Black Mass Krakow 2004 Black Mass Krakow 2004 is a live concert DVD by Norwegian black metal band, Gorgoroth. It was released on June 9th in Europe and on July 8th in the US. The DVD features the band's controversial 2004 concert that was filmed in a TV studio in Kraków, Poland... |
Gorgoroth |
| 2008 | True Norwegian Black Metal - Live in Grieghallen True Norwegian Black Metal - Live in Grieghallen -Credits:*Infernus - guitars & bass *Gaahl - vocals*Teloch - session guitars*Garghuf - session drumsAll music and lyrics by Infernus, except track 1 , track 2 and track 4 .... |
Gorgoroth |
| 2009 | Runaljóð - gap var Ginnunga | Wardruna |
| 2009 | Skandinavisk misantropi | Skitliv |
Other appearances:
- 2005: Metal: A Headbanger's JourneyMetal: A Headbanger's JourneyMetal: A Headbanger's Journey is a 2005 documentary directed by Sam Dunn with Scot McFadyen and Jessica Wise. The film follows 31-year-old Dunn, a Canadian anthropologist, who has been a heavy metal fan since the age of 12...
(documentary) - 2007: True Norwegian Black MetalTrue Norwegian Black Metal (documentary)True Norwegian Black Metal is a 2007 5-part documentary produced by VBS/Vice Magazine. The documentary mainly covers some aspects of the life of black metal vocalist Gaahl - renowned for his work with Gorgoroth and Trelldom. Principal photography took place in January 2007 over a ten day period in...
(documentary)
