Steinar Sverd Johnsen
Encyclopedia
Steinar Sverd Johnsen is a Norwegian
keyboardist
and composer, born 1972. Sverd last played keyboards and synthesizers in Arcturus
and was also the main composer for the band. He formed the band with Jan Axel Blomberg
(also known as Hellhammer) of Mayhem
in 1987, originally under the moniker Mortem (where he played guitar). The band split up in April, 2007.
In 1998, Sverd was recruited by the band, The Kovenant
, known at the time as Covenant, along with Hellhammer. After the release of the album Nexus Polaris
, Sverd and the band parted ways.
Sverd has also been a guest on a few releases by prominent Norwegian black metal
bands, Ulver
and Satyricon
.
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...
keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
and composer, born 1972. Sverd last played keyboards and synthesizers in Arcturus
Arcturus (band)
Arcturus is an avant-garde metal band formed in Norway in 1987. They named it Arcturus , after the Behenian fixed star Arcturus.-Biography:The band has released four official full-length albums...
and was also the main composer for the band. He formed the band with Jan Axel Blomberg
Jan Axel Blomberg
Jan Axel "Hellhammer" Blomberg is a three time Spellemannprisen award-winning heavy metal drummer. He is most well known for his drumming with the band Mayhem, with which he began his career...
(also known as Hellhammer) of Mayhem
Mayhem (band)
Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1984 in Oslo, Norway and regarded as one of the pioneers of the influential Norwegian black metal scene...
in 1987, originally under the moniker Mortem (where he played guitar). The band split up in April, 2007.
In 1998, Sverd was recruited by the band, The Kovenant
The Kovenant
The Kovenant is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo/Hamar. The band originally formed as Covenant in 1993, but in 1999 were forced to change their name to The Kovenant due to a dispute with a Swedish electronic band of the same name....
, known at the time as Covenant, along with Hellhammer. After the release of the album Nexus Polaris
Nexus Polaris
Nexus Polaris is the second album recorded by Norwegian black metal band, The Kovenant, and was released in 1998 through Nuclear Blast.- Album history :...
, Sverd and the band parted ways.
Sverd has also been a guest on a few releases by prominent Norwegian black metal
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....
bands, Ulver
Ulver
Ulver is a musical group from Norway. Since their first, folklore-influenced black metal release entitled Bergtatt – Et eeventyr i 5 capitler , Ulver’s musical style has been fluid and increasingly eclectic, blending genres such as rock, electronica, symphonic and chamber traditions, noise and...
and Satyricon
Satyricon (band)
Satyricon is a Norwegian black metal band, and the first one in the genre to join a multi-national record label .-Biography:Satyricon was formed in 1990 by Czral and Wargod. Ulver and Satyr soon joined them...
.
With Arcturus
- Promo 90 (Demo) (1990)
- My Angel SP (1991)
- ConstellationConstellation (EP)Constellation is an EP by the Norwegian black metal band Arcturus. It was limited to only 500 copies. Tracks from this album were later re-recorded on Aspera Hiems Symfonia and re-released on Aspera Hiems Symfonia/Constellation/My Angel compilation....
MCD (1994) - Aspera Hiems SymfoniaAspera Hiems SymfoniaAspera Hiems Symfonia is the debut album by the Norwegian black metal band Arcturus. Four songs are re-recorded versions from the Constellation EP and four are new songs. The album title is in Latin and means "harsh winter's symphony"...
(1995) - Constellation LP (1997)
- La Masquerade InfernaleLa Masquerade InfernaleLa Masquerade Infernale is a 1997 album by Arcturus. Released by Misanthropy Records, the album is a huge step away from the slow, doom-influenced melodic black metal of Aspera Hiems Symfonia...
(1997) - Disguised MastersDisguised MastersDisguised Masters is a compilation album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. The album has two new songs: White Tie Black Noise and Deception Genesis. Other tracks are re-mixed versions of songs from La Masquerade Infernale and Du Nordavind from Aspera Hiems Symfonia...
(1999) - Aspera Hiems Symfonia/Constellation/My AngelAspera Hiems Symfonia/Constellation/My AngelAspera Hiems Symfonia '95, Constellation '94 and My Angel '91 is a compilation album by the Norwegian black metal band Arcturus. The album contains their first full-length album Aspera Hiems Symfonia and two earlier releases, Constellation and My Angel...
re-release (2001) - The Sham MirrorsThe Sham MirrorsThe Sham Mirrors is the third full-length album by Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. It was released on April 9, 2002.The Sham Mirrors is a departure from the band's previous albums...
(2002) - Sideshow SymphoniesSideshow SymphoniesSideshow Symphonies is an album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. It was released on September 19, 2005. It is the first to feature Simen "ICS Vortex" Hestnæs as the principal vocalist and Tore Moren as second guitarist, as well as the first Arcturus album released by Season of Mist...
(2005) - Shipwrecked In OsloShipwrecked In OsloShipwrecked In Oslo is the first DVD release by Arcturus. It was released on August 21, 2006 by Season Of Mist. The DVD includes a set of 15 songs all from their performance filmed at Rockefeller Music Hall during the Sonic Solstice Festival in Oslo, on September 24, 2005...
(2006)
As a session musician
- SatyriconSatyricon (band)Satyricon is a Norwegian black metal band, and the first one in the genre to join a multi-national record label .-Biography:Satyricon was formed in 1990 by Czral and Wargod. Ulver and Satyr soon joined them...
- The ShadowthroneThe ShadowthroneThe Shadowthrone is the second album by the Norwegian black metal band Satyricon.-Track listing:#"Hvite Krists død" – 8:27#"In the Mist by the Hills" – 8:01#"Woods to Eternity" – 6:13#"Vikingland" – 5:14...
(1994) (credited as S.S.) - Ved Buens EndeVed Buens EndeVed Buens Ende is a Norwegian heavy metal band. Their sound is diverse with quiet instrumental jazz influenced sections and aggressive black metal blast beats and vocals...
- ...Coiled in Obscurity (1995)
As a guest musician
- UlverUlverUlver is a musical group from Norway. Since their first, folklore-influenced black metal release entitled Bergtatt – Et eeventyr i 5 capitler , Ulver’s musical style has been fluid and increasingly eclectic, blending genres such as rock, electronica, symphonic and chamber traditions, noise and...
- Bergtatt - Et Eeventyr i 5 CapitlerBergtatt - Et Eeventyr i 5 Capitler-Credits:*Garm - vocals, lyrics*Håvard Jørgensen - guitar*Torbjørn Pedersen - guitar*Erik Olivier Lancelot - drums*Skoll - bass guitar*Sverd - piano*Lill Kathrine Stensrud - female voice, flute...
(1995) - FleuretyFleuretyFleurety is a Norwegian avant-garde metal band. The band was formed in 1991 by Svein Egil Hatlevik and Alexander Nordgaren.-History:The band released their first demo Black Snow in 1993. After that came the 7" EP A Darker Shade of Evil in 1994, released via the English label Aesthetic Death Records...
- Department of Apocalyptic AffairsDepartment of Apocalyptic AffairsDepartment of Apocalyptic Affairs is the second album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Fleurety. The band used many guest musicians from the Norwegian music scene.-Track listing:#"Exterminators" – 6:50#"Face in a Fever" – 6:16...
- (2000)