Varg Vikernes
Encyclopedia
Varg Vikernes (ˈʋɑrɡ ˈʋiːkəɳeːs; born 11 February 1973) 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 scene. In 1992, he joined the band Mayhem
and adopted the stage name Count Grishnackh. Around this time he became affiliated with the Heathen Front
and had several writings on Germanic neopaganism
published. In Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
, director Sam Dunn
described Vikernes as "the most notorious metal musician of all time".
In 1994, Vikernes was convicted of the murder of his Mayhem bandmate Øystein Aarseth
, known by his stage name Euronymous. Vikernes was further convicted of four counts of arson involving the burnings of historic churches, and was sentenced to 21 years in prison. Having served almost 16 years of his sentence, Vikernes was released on parole
in early 2009.
(aka 'Euronymous') of Mayhem
and for the burning of three Christian churches in Norway (he was also suspected of burning a fourth). He was eligible for parole in spring 2008, after serving 15 years in prison, but his application was denied. A June 2008 newspaper article mentions that Vikernes is married and has a daughter, born in 1993, and a son, born 2007. In a 2004 interview, Vikernes said that he has a daughter (whom he has seen twice since 1993) and that he had "never been married". In a 2008 interview, he referred to his two children as well as an expected third child. In connection with his parole in March 2009, Vikernes announced that he would be settling on a small farm in Telemark
with his family.
, one of the authors of Lords of Chaos, has been described as "quite active in the propaganda support network for Vikernes."
In the interviews printed in Lords of Chaos, Vikernes discusses his background and childhood. Lords of Chaos also includes an interview with his mother, Lene Bore. In the 2004 interview, Vikernes mentions that "she is working in a large oil company". He also claims his father is an "electronics engineer", whereas his brother, who (according to the Lords of Chaos interview) is "one and a half years older", is a "graduate civil engineer".
In the Lords of Chaos interview, Vikernes recalls an incident from his childhood: When he was about 6 years old, the family moved for about a year to Baghdad
, Iraq
, because Vikernes' "father was working for Saddam Hussein
", developing a computer program. Since there were no places available in the English school in Baghdad, the young Vikernes went to an Iraqi elementary school during this time. According to his interview, Vikernes here became "aware of racial matters". Corporal punishment
was not uncommon in the school, and on one occasion Vikernes had a "quarrel" with a teacher and called him "a monkey". But as Vikernes perceived it the teachers "didn't dare to hit me because I was white". Vikernes' mother also recalls how they "spent a year in Iraq", and that "the other children in his class would get slapped by their teachers; he would not." She mentions that this created problems, but generally she "has no good explanation" of how Varg developed his views. Vikernes reveals slightly more in his interview. When asked about his father, he says that he "had a swastika
flag at home" and that his father was hysterical about it. However, Vikernes feels that his father was a hypocrite, because he was worried about Vikernes "being a Nazi", whereas he too was "pissed about all the colored people he saw in town". About his mother, Vikernes says that she was "very race conscious", in the sense that she was afraid that Vikernes "was going to come home with a black girl!" At the time of the interview (1995), Vikernes still had a positive relationship with his mother, but "very little contact" with his father. His parents are divorced. Vikernes' father is said to have "left about 10 years ago", which would have been 1985, when Vikernes was 12.
There is some evidence that Vikernes was involved with the skinhead scene in Bergen before he became a part of the black metal scene. Goodrick-Clarke introduces Burzum
as the "musical vehicle" of the "ex-skinhead" Vikernes. According to the Encyclopedia of White Power
, "Vikernes first became involved with the extreme right as a National Socialist skinhead while he was an adolescent." When he is asked in the interview in Lords of Chaos whether he hung out with skinheads in Bergen, Vikernes boldly replies: "There were no skinheads in Bergen." He mentions, though, that he had short hair at that time and that he was into weapons, that he liked the Germans and hated the British and Americans.
band Old Funeral
. He played guitar with them during 1990–1991 and performed on their Devoured Carcass EP.
In 1991, Vikernes began a solo musical project named Burzum
, and quickly became involved with the early Norwegian black metal scene. During 1992–1993, he recorded four albums as Burzum.
Vikernes has stated that for the recording of these early albums he used an old Westone guitar, bought in 1987 from an acquaintance. He used the cheapest bass guitar there was in the shop and he borrowed drumsets from Old Funeral, Immortal and "another musician living nearby". On Hvis lyset tar oss
, he borrowed Hellhammer's drumset, the same one Hellhammer used to record De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
by Mayhem
. He used a Marshall
amplifier, but for the recording of Filosofem
he used the amplifier on his brother's stereo and some old fuzz pedals. For vocals, he would use whatever microphone the sound tech handed him, but during the recording of Filosofem he intentionally used the worst mic they had, a headset mic. On the track "Dungeons of Darkness" he used the large gong at Grieghallen for background noise (Euronymous
assisted him by beating his fists on it).
In 1992, Vikernes and Dimitrios Faust joined the black metal band Mayhem
.
, dating from the 12th century and considered architecturally significant, was burned to the ground in an arson. By January 1993, arson attacks had occurred on at least seven other major stave churches, including one on Christmas Eve
of 1992. Vikernes was found guilty of several of these cases: the arson and attempted arson of Åsane Church and Storetveit Church, respectively, in Bergen
, the arson of Skjold Church in Vindafjord
, and the arson of Holmenkollen Chapel in Oslo
. He was also charged with the arson of Fantoft stave church, although the jurors voted not guilty. The judges called this an error but did not overthrow the whole case.
Vikernes was rumored to have been motivated both by paganism
and theistic Satanism
, but has denied he was ever a Satanist.
In an interview with Michael Moynihan
, Vikernes made a statement about the church burnings that hints at a heathen
rather than a Satanist motivation:
Echoing this sentiment, he writes in Vargsmål: "For each devastated graveyard, one heathen grave is avenged, for each ten churches burnt to ashes, one heathen hof
is avenged, for each ten priest
s or freemasons assassinated, one heathen is avenged."
When asked whether the church burnings were linked to Odinism
or Ásatrú
he replied: "The point is that all these churches [i.e. church burnings] are linked to one person ... who was not Øystein obviously. All the church burnings, with the exception of Stavanger, because that was another group (who, by the way, have also turned into nationalistic pagans)."
. Vikernes had requested the interview in order to gain publicity for the black metal scene and for Aarseth's record store Helvete. However, the interview led to a police investigation and Vikernes was put under arrest for a week. Aarseth decided to close his record store due to this negative attention.
On August 10, 1993, Vikernes and Snorre Ruch
traveled from Bergen to Aarseth's apartment in Oslo
. Upon their arrival a confrontation began, which ended when Vikernes fatally stabbed Aarseth. His body was found outside the apartment with twenty-three cut wounds – two to the head, five to the neck, and sixteen to the back.
The entry on Varg Vikernes in the specialized Encyclopedia of White Power
mentions that the murder has been "variously described as a power struggle between rival leaders of a satanic circle, a conflict over a girl's affection, or a dispute over a record contract". Vikernes himself contends "that Aarseth planned to kill him and that he was striking first in self-defense". On his website, Vikernes elaborates that Aarseth had plotted to torture
him to death and videotape the event – using a meeting about an unsigned contract
as a pretext. On the night of the murder, Vikernes claims he intended to hand Aarseth the signed contract and "tell him to fuck off", but that Aarseth attacked him first. Additionally, Vikernes defends that most of Aarseth's cut wounds were caused by broken glass he had fallen on during the struggle. After the slaying, Vikernes drove to a nearby lake to dispose of his bloodied clothes before he returned to Bergen.
At the arrest of Vikernes, the police found 150 kg of explosives and 3,000 rounds of ammunition in Vikernes' home. According to Encyclopedia of White Power, Vikernes has stated that these explosives were "intended to blow up Blitz House
, the radical leftist and anarchist enclave in Oslo", a plan which "was reportedly on the verge of execution" and only prevented by Vikernes' arrest. In an article originally published in 1999, Kevin Coogan
points to Vikernes' planned attack in the Blitz House as a possible motive for the murder of Aarseth. Referring to the passages of Lords of Chaos quoted above, Coogan writes: "LOC offers strong evidence that Vikernes, who came from a divorced family and was raised by his mother Lene Bore, was a fascist well before he became a metalhead." Then he, too, mentions Vikernes' intent to "destroy an Oslo-based punk anti-fascist squat called Blitz House", and concludes: "Vikernes may have felt that he had no choice but to kill Euronymous before bombing Blitz House because 'the Communist' would almost certainly have opposed such an act". Though on Vikernes' website, he refers to the creators of "Lords of Chaos" as being unreliable sources.
The media speculated that Euronymous and Vikernes had conspired to blow up Nidaros Cathedral
, which appears on the cover of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
. Vikernes denied this allegation in a 2009 interview, stating "I was getting [the explosives and ammunition] in order to defend Norway if we were attacked any time. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union could have decided to attack us. We have no reason to trust neither the government, the royal family or the military because of what happened last time we were attacked. We are left to ourselves".
of black metal band Hades Almighty
. In a controversial display, Vikernes smiled at the moment his verdict was read, an image that was widely reprinted in the news media.
Vikernes asserts he did not take part in any church burnings. He described the trial thusly:
and Hliðskjálf), which are composed of dark ambient
songs. Vikernes was denied access to an electric guitar, bass guitar or drums, and instead used a synthesizer
. In 2000, Vikernes terminated his musical project because of what he perceived to be negative notoriety. He believed that his philosophy was constantly misinterpreted by an ignorant fan base that was too closely related to black metal and Satanism
. Through his website, he indicated that he intended to continue Burzum after his release from prison, stating: "I will publish a few books, possibly using a pseudonym in order to stay anonymous, and perhaps a Burzum album or two, but that's it". Regarding the style of his next album, Vikernes stated on his website: "[A future album] will, as far as I can tell, sound much like the old albums, whether I like it or not, because I'm incapable of making music that doesn't sound rather 'Burzumic'."
In October 2003, Vikernes failed to return to his low-security prison in Tønsberg
, Norway after having been granted a short leave. He was found riding in a stolen Volvo car, which, according to the media, contained an unloaded AG3
automatic rifle, a handgun, numerous large knives, a gas mask, camouflage clothing, a laptop, a compass, a GPS device
, various maps and a fake passport (it is thought that Vikernes came to be in possession of this equipment by means of a military barracks). For this thirteen months were added to his sentence, and he was then moved to a maximum-security prison in Trondheim
. He was subsequently moved again, this time to Tromsø
Prison.
When Vikernes was convicted, it was possible to be released on parole
after serving 12 years of a 21-year sentence, but in 2002, before he became eligible, the Norwegian Parliament extended this to 14 years. In June 2006, after serving 12 years, Vikernes was denied parole by the Department of Criminal Justice for this reason. His lawyer, John Christian Elden, has complained that the policy change is a form of retroactive legislation
. Article 97 of the Norwegian constitution prohibits any law being given retroactive force.
Varg Vikernes was denied parole again in June 2008, although he was allowed to leave Tromsø Prison for short periods to visit his family. His full sentence would run for another seven years. In March 2009, however, Vikernes' parole was announced. He had then served 15 years of his 21-year sentence.
On May 24, 2009, Vikernes was released from prison on probation.
Vidar von Herske. Goodrick-Clarke also uses the book Lords of Chaos, and a manifesto called Vargsmål ('Speech of the Wolf'), which Vikernes began to write after his imprisonment. According to Lords of Chaos, Vargsmål became available on the internet for some time in 1996, but not in a printed form. In 1997, a Norwegian publisher released a paperback edition of the book; its publication was financed by Vikernes' mother, Lene Bore. Vikernes has denounced the English translation of his book in an article on his website. He has also stated on the website that "Vargsmål was written in anger, while I was young and in isolation, and the book is marked by this".
describes him as "busy promoting his Odinist and National Socialist philosophy from behind bars."
In a July 2005 statement on his website entitled "The Nazi Ghost", Vikernes states that although he "occasionally used the term 'nazism' to describe [his] ideological foundation", he no longer describes himself as a 'Nazi'.
Vikernes expresses a desire to not be associated with anti-Slavic
sentiments. He identifies three things which distinguish him from the "Nazis": "unlike them I am not socialistic (not even on a national level), I am not materialistic and I believe in (the ancient Scandinavia
n) democracy
."
In the late 90s, "to avoid confusion" and "to find a term more suitable and accurate", Vikernes coined the term "odalism" based on the Odal
rune. "[F]rom Norse óðal (homeland
, allodium, allodial law, nobility
, noble
, inherited goods, fatherland
, land property, distinguished family, distinguished, splendid
, kin
and the nation
)." He explains, "In it lies Paganism
, traditional nationalism
, racialism
and environmentalism
." Vikernes contrasts it with "modern 'civilization'" which he equates with "capitalism
, materialism
, Judeo-Christianity, pollution
, urbanization
, race-mixing, Americanization
, socialism
, globalization
, et cetera
". He places importance on the fact that odalism "is not a term tainted by history"; in contrast with nazism:
In other texts on his website, he embraces racism
and eugenics
("race hygiene"). However, he makes the point that following one's own culture is an equally valid and beneficial choice for all peoples. Vikernes states that although he is a racist, he hates no one and that "hatred is irrational".
Heathen Front
. The Heathen Front started as a group in Norway, Norsk Hedensk Front (Norwegian Heathen Front) or NHF, and grew into the international Allgermanische Heidnische Front (Pan-Germanic Heathen Front) or AHF. At the time of their publication, the article on Vikernes in the Encyclopedia of White Power and Gods of the Blood
by the Swedish scholar Matthias Gardell considered Vikernes to be the leader (and the founder) of the Norwegian Heathen Front. Goodrick-Clarke mentions that Vikernes underlined "his role as chieftain of his Norwegian Heathen Front" with the writing of Vargsmål.
In a 2009 interview with Vikernes, the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet
pointed out that he has been linked to neo-Nazi and racist groups during his time in prison. Vikernes replied: "I have never formed or been a member of such organizations. The only organization I am a member of is Riksmålsforbundet
" (The Society for the Preservation of Traditional Standard Norwegian).
When he was asked about his involvement in the AHF in a 2004 interview published on burzum.org, Vikernes pointed out that it was Antifa groups who "repeatedly wrote" that the NHF was a Neo-Nazi group and that he was their leader, claims which he describes as "persecution". He also said that "the [Norwegian] secret police claimed adamantly" that he was the leader of the Heathen Front. Vikernes then continued by stating that, as a result of these claims, he left the Heathen Front, to see what "the Antifa/Monitor morons and the secret police would do". In practice, Vikernes stated, he never was a member of the group, since, being in prison, he could not participate in their activities and he had not ever "met half of them". If he would want to write articles for their magazine, he could do that, regardless of whether he was a member or not.
that make use of themes from old Germanic folklore
. In these, Satan
is referenced as an aspect of the Germanic god Odin
in the context of an 'eye' that is a source of light (i.e. the sun), there are also mentions of a 'spear' and a 'hall of battle', which are also masked references to Odin
. This was done with the double meaning of Odin as the 'adversary' of Jewish
and Christian
tradition. Many have thus inferred that Vikernes is or was a Satanist
, though he has stated many times that he is opposed to Satanism as he considers it to be a reactionary form of Christianity.
According to Vikernes:
Vikernes now embraces a "modern scientific worldview resting on a foundation made up of the Pagan values and ideals: loyalty, wisdom, courage, love, discipline, honesty, intelligence, beauty, responsibility, health and strength." He draws a direct connection between both race and intelligence
and intelligence and religion, denouncing theism
as "mental enslavement" fit only for "inferior races". Vikernes goes on to say "If it is supposed to serve a purpose Paganism needs to be an ideology, not a religion". Despite accusing mainstream theists of holding onto "Stone Age
misconceptions", Vikernes still holds that religious myths should be turned to in areas where science has not yet achieved a complete understanding of the natural world—such as the origin of life and where we go after death, if anywhere at all.
In addition to Vargsmål, works by Vikernes on his personal world view
include Irminsûl and Germansk Mytologi og Verdensanskuelse ('Germanic Mythology and Worldview').
, Nazi collaborator
minister-president
of occupied Norway between 1942 and 1945 and involuntary originator of the term quisling
-regime, had developed an extremely obscure esoteric
doctrine labeled 'Universism'. An online article about him mentions that the only "modest intellectual influence" he ever had with this doctrine was "on certain extreme strains of Norwegian black metal music". This impression is indeed given in Lords of Chaos. In the interview there, Varg Vikernes is faced with the question whether Quisling's religion was pagan or Christian. Moynihan & Søderlind write: "Vikernes has discovered his predecessor in Vidkun Quisling." At one point, he temporarily took the name 'Kvisling', but he explained this choice in Vargsmål:
Vikernes stated in an interview, "They [the Norwegian government at the beginning of World War II] ran like chickens, leaving Norway, with absolutely NO authorities, and when Vidkun Quisling tried to bring order back, he was thanked with a bullet in his heart after the war." This is the only known instance of Vikernes mentioning Vidkun Quisling, besides Lords of Chaos; on www.burzum.org Vikernes does not mention Vidkun Quisling at all.
created by J. R. R. Tolkien
. His stage name Grishnackh is taken from that of an orc in The Two Towers
. The name Burzum, meaning darkness, was taken from the Black Speech
inscribed on the One Ring
in The Lord of the Rings
. The inscription read "Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul" or in English "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them." Additionally, before settling for Burzum, the band was initially named Uruk-Hai
, a breed of orcs within the fiction.
Vikernes interpreted The Lord of the Rings on his website, allegedly showing the connections to paganism in the books.
wrote a book entitled Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground with co-author Didrik Søderlind that is concerned with the events of the early black metal scene in Norway, a book many of the participants of the Norwegian black metal scene have accused of misquotation and distortion of facts. One extensive review has been written by Kevin Coogan
, author of a biography of the neo-fascist writer and activist Francis Parker Yockey
. In Lords of Chaos, as Coogan writes, "Moynihan suggests that Vikernes is an avatar of a long-repressed Odinist archetype analogous to what Jung claimed for Nazi Germany in his famous 1936 essay on Wotan." The book's thesis about black metal as a "rise" of this Odinist archetype is factually problematic: "LOC's musings about fascism and black metal largely hang on a thin evidential thread, Varg Vikemes."
There is also a review of this book available on Burzum's official website, www.burzum.org, that is allegedly written by Varg Vikernes:
(Satan Rides the Media), to which Vikernes has given a more positive review. As its title implies, the movie focuses on the often hysterical media coverage of the church burning cases and the black metal scene in general. In the film, Vikernes accuses Finn Bjørn Tønder (a journalist who writes for Bergens Tidende
(BT)) of deliberately informing the police about his identity after he had completed an anonymous interview. Vikernes was arrested only hours after the interview, one day before it was published, and was released after a week in prison due to lack of proof. In the film, Svein Erik Krogvoll (head of criminal investigations, Bergen Police District) evades the question whether Tønder preserved Vikernes' anonymity by stating "It was all OK and legal".
According to Satan rir media, it was also the BT who gave Vikernes the name "Greven" (The Count). However, Vikernes has said in Vargsmål that "the reason I chose this name was not to have a tough name. The word 'count (greven)' comes from the Latin word 'comites' that means partner or companion. I am the true Germanic folk's 'partner' and 'companion' and with that I chose this title".
Satan rir media claims that by emphasizing the Satanist angle, the Norwegian news media unwittingly created a mass following for Burzum and Vikernes, both in Norway and internationally.
. Interviewed in prison by American directors Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell, Vikernes explains, in great detail, the circumstances surrounding both the creation of black metal and the murder of Euronymous.
Other appearances:
Unofficial sites
Vikernes was born near 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 , ....
, 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...
. In 1991, he founded the one-man music project Burzum
Burzum
Burzum is a musical project by Varg Vikernes . It began during 1991 in Bergen, Norway and quickly became prominent within the early Norwegian black metal scene...
, which quickly became popular within the early Norwegian black metal scene. In 1992, he joined the band 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...
and adopted the stage name Count Grishnackh. Around this time he became affiliated with the Heathen Front
Heathen Front
The Allgermanische Heidnische Front was an international Neo-Nazi organization espousing a philosophy influenced by anti-Semitism, xenophobia and folkish heathenry or Ásatrú, often called Odalism.-History:...
and had several writings on Germanic neopaganism
Germanic 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...
published. In 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...
, director Sam Dunn
Sam Dunn
Sam Dunn is a Canadian anthropologist and film-maker whose work focuses on the culture of heavy metal. Together with Scot McFadyen, Dunn owns Toronto-based production company Banger Films, Inc.-Metal: A Headbanger's Journey:...
described Vikernes as "the most notorious metal musician of all time".
In 1994, Vikernes was convicted of the murder of his Mayhem bandmate Øystein Aarseth
Euronymous
Øystein Aarseth , who went by the pseudonym Euronymous, was a Norwegian guitarist and co-founder of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem...
, known by his stage name Euronymous. Vikernes was further convicted of four counts of arson involving the burnings of historic churches, and was sentenced to 21 years in prison. Having served almost 16 years of his sentence, Vikernes was released on parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
in early 2009.
Biography
Vikernes was sentenced to 21 years in prison for the August 1993 murder of Øystein AarsethEuronymous
Øystein Aarseth , who went by the pseudonym Euronymous, was a Norwegian guitarist and co-founder of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem...
(aka 'Euronymous') 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...
and for the burning of three Christian churches in Norway (he was also suspected of burning a fourth). He was eligible for parole in spring 2008, after serving 15 years in prison, but his application was denied. A June 2008 newspaper article mentions that Vikernes is married and has a daughter, born in 1993, and a son, born 2007. In a 2004 interview, Vikernes said that he has a daughter (whom he has seen twice since 1993) and that he had "never been married". In a 2008 interview, he referred to his two children as well as an expected third child. In connection with his parole in March 2009, Vikernes announced that he would be settling on a small farm in Telemark
Telemark
is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
with his family.
Background, childhood and adolescence
Vikernes does not have a published biography (authorized or unauthorized), but some information can be gathered from interviews he has given and from articles on the web page www.burzum.org. Michael MoynihanMichael Moynihan (journalist)
Michael Moynihan is an American journalist, publisher and musician. He is best known for co-writing the book Lords of Chaos, about black metal....
, one of the authors of Lords of Chaos, has been described as "quite active in the propaganda support network for Vikernes."
In the interviews printed in Lords of Chaos, Vikernes discusses his background and childhood. Lords of Chaos also includes an interview with his mother, Lene Bore. In the 2004 interview, Vikernes mentions that "she is working in a large oil company". He also claims his father is an "electronics engineer", whereas his brother, who (according to the Lords of Chaos interview) is "one and a half years older", is a "graduate civil engineer".
In the Lords of Chaos interview, Vikernes recalls an incident from his childhood: When he was about 6 years old, the family moved for about a year to Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, because Vikernes' "father was working for Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
", developing a computer program. Since there were no places available in the English school in Baghdad, the young Vikernes went to an Iraqi elementary school during this time. According to his interview, Vikernes here became "aware of racial matters". Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...
was not uncommon in the school, and on one occasion Vikernes had a "quarrel" with a teacher and called him "a monkey". But as Vikernes perceived it the teachers "didn't dare to hit me because I was white". Vikernes' mother also recalls how they "spent a year in Iraq", and that "the other children in his class would get slapped by their teachers; he would not." She mentions that this created problems, but generally she "has no good explanation" of how Varg developed his views. Vikernes reveals slightly more in his interview. When asked about his father, he says that he "had a swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
flag at home" and that his father was hysterical about it. However, Vikernes feels that his father was a hypocrite, because he was worried about Vikernes "being a Nazi", whereas he too was "pissed about all the colored people he saw in town". About his mother, Vikernes says that she was "very race conscious", in the sense that she was afraid that Vikernes "was going to come home with a black girl!" At the time of the interview (1995), Vikernes still had a positive relationship with his mother, but "very little contact" with his father. His parents are divorced. Vikernes' father is said to have "left about 10 years ago", which would have been 1985, when Vikernes was 12.
There is some evidence that Vikernes was involved with the skinhead scene in Bergen before he became a part of the black metal scene. Goodrick-Clarke introduces Burzum
Burzum
Burzum is a musical project by Varg Vikernes . It began during 1991 in Bergen, Norway and quickly became prominent within the early Norwegian black metal scene...
as the "musical vehicle" of the "ex-skinhead" Vikernes. According to the Encyclopedia of White Power
Encyclopedia of White Power
Encyclopedia of White Power: A Sourcebook on the Radical Racist Right is a reference book edited by Jeffrey Kaplan. It focuses on the White Power movement, mainly U.S...
, "Vikernes first became involved with the extreme right as a National Socialist skinhead while he was an adolescent." When he is asked in the interview in Lords of Chaos whether he hung out with skinheads in Bergen, Vikernes boldly replies: "There were no skinheads in Bergen." He mentions, though, that he had short hair at that time and that he was into weapons, that he liked the Germans and hated the British and Americans.
Early musical career
Vikernes had been learning the guitar since he was 14. When he was about seventeen, Vikernes came into contact with the members of the Bergen death metalDeath metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band Old Funeral
Old Funeral
Old Funeral was a black/death metal band from Bergen, Norway.Old Funeral was one of the first bands to form in the Norwegian extreme metal scene, getting its start in 1988...
. He played guitar with them during 1990–1991 and performed on their Devoured Carcass EP.
In 1991, Vikernes began a solo musical project named Burzum
Burzum
Burzum is a musical project by Varg Vikernes . It began during 1991 in Bergen, Norway and quickly became prominent within the early Norwegian black metal scene...
, and quickly became involved with the early Norwegian black metal scene. During 1992–1993, he recorded four albums as Burzum.
Vikernes has stated that for the recording of these early albums he used an old Westone guitar, bought in 1987 from an acquaintance. He used the cheapest bass guitar there was in the shop and he borrowed drumsets from Old Funeral, Immortal and "another musician living nearby". On Hvis lyset tar oss
Hvis lyset tar oss
Hvis lyset tar oss is the fourth release by the Norwegian black metal artist Burzum. It was recorded in September 1992, but not released until May 1994...
, he borrowed Hellhammer's drumset, the same one Hellhammer used to record De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is an album by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. Songwriting began as early as 1987, but due to the suicide of vocalist Dead and murder of guitarist Euronymous , the album's release was delayed until May 1994...
by 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...
. He used a Marshall
Marshall Amplification
Marshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
amplifier, but for the recording of Filosofem
Filosofem
Filosofem is the fifth release by the Norwegian black metal artist Burzum. It was recorded in March 1993 and was the last recording before Varg Vikernes' imprisonment. However, the album was not released until January 1996....
he used the amplifier on his brother's stereo and some old fuzz pedals. For vocals, he would use whatever microphone the sound tech handed him, but during the recording of Filosofem he intentionally used the worst mic they had, a headset mic. On the track "Dungeons of Darkness" he used the large gong at Grieghallen for background noise (Euronymous
Euronymous
Øystein Aarseth , who went by the pseudonym Euronymous, was a Norwegian guitarist and co-founder of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem...
assisted him by beating his fists on it).
In 1992, Vikernes and Dimitrios Faust joined the black metal band 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...
.
Arson of churches
On 6 June 1992, the Fantoft stave churchFantoft stave church
Fantoft Stave Church is a reconstructed stave church in the Fana borough of the city of Bergen, Norway.The church was originally built in Fortun in Sogn, a village near inner or eastern end of Sognefjord around the year 1150. In the 19th century the church was threatened by demolition, as were...
, dating from the 12th century and considered architecturally significant, was burned to the ground in an arson. By January 1993, arson attacks had occurred on at least seven other major stave churches, including one on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
of 1992. Vikernes was found guilty of several of these cases: the arson and attempted arson of Åsane Church and Storetveit Church, respectively, 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 , ....
, the arson of Skjold Church in Vindafjord
Vindafjord
Vindafjord is a municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Haugaland.Vindafjord was established as a new municipality on 1 January 1965 after the merger of the municipalities of Sandeid and Vats and large parts of Imsland, Skjold and Vikedal...
, and the arson of Holmenkollen Chapel in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. He was also charged with the arson of Fantoft stave church, although the jurors voted not guilty. The judges called this an error but did not overthrow the whole case.
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
and theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism
Theistic Satanism, sometimes referred to as Traditional Satanism, Spiritual Satanism or Devil Worship, is a form of Satanism with the primary belief that Satan is an actual deity or force to revere or worship. Other characteristics of Theistic Satanism may include a belief in magic, which is...
, but has denied he was ever a Satanist.
In an interview with Michael Moynihan
Michael Moynihan (journalist)
Michael Moynihan is an American journalist, publisher and musician. He is best known for co-writing the book Lords of Chaos, about black metal....
, Vikernes made a statement about the church burnings that hints at a heathen
Germanic paganism
Germanic paganism refers to the theology and religious practices of the Germanic peoples of north-western Europe from the Iron Age until their Christianization during the Medieval period...
rather than a Satanist motivation:
I am not going to say that I burnt any churches. But let me put it this way: There was one person who started it. I was not found guilty of burning the Fantoft stave church, but anyway, that was what triggered the whole thing. That was the 6th of June and everyone linked it to Satanism ... What everyone overlooked was that on the 6th June, 793, in Lindesfarne in BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
was the site of the first known VikingVikingThe term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
raid in history, with Vikings from HordalandHordalandis a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen...
, which is my county ... They [the Christians] desecrated our graves, our burial mounds, so it's revenge.
Echoing this sentiment, he writes in Vargsmål: "For each devastated graveyard, one heathen grave is avenged, for each ten churches burnt to ashes, one heathen hof
Heathen hofs
Heathen hofs or Germanic pagan temples were the temple buildings of Germanic paganism; there are also a few built for use in modern Germanic neopaganism...
is avenged, for each ten priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
s or freemasons assassinated, one heathen is avenged."
When asked whether the church burnings were linked to Odinism
Odinism
Odinism is a type of Germanic Neopaganism.Odinism may also refer to:*Norse paganism** the cult of Odin- See also :*Odinist Fellowship*Odinic Rite*The Odin Brotherhood*Wotanism, a Völkisch / White Nationalist movement*Wodenism...
or Ásatrú
Ásatrú
is a form of Germanic neopaganism which developed in the United States from the 1970s....
he replied: "The point is that all these churches [i.e. church burnings] are linked to one person ... who was not Øystein obviously. All the church burnings, with the exception of Stavanger, because that was another group (who, by the way, have also turned into nationalistic pagans)."
Murder of Øystein Aarseth
In late January 1993, Vikernes was interviewed by a journalist from Bergens TidendeBergens Tidende
Bergens Tidende is Norway's fourth largest newspaper and largest newspaper outside Oslo, with a circulation of about 87,000 copies . Founded in 1868, it is a Norwegian-language newspaper published daily in Bergen. It reaches approximately 260,000 readers every day , mainly in the counties of...
. Vikernes had requested the interview in order to gain publicity for the black metal scene and for Aarseth's record store Helvete. However, the interview led to a police investigation and Vikernes was put under arrest for a week. Aarseth decided to close his record store due to this negative attention.
On August 10, 1993, Vikernes and Snorre Ruch
Thorns (band)
Thorns is a Norwegian black metal band that formed in 1989 and was part of the early Norwegian black metal scene. They made two highly influential demos in the early 1990s, Grymyrk and Trøndertun, but have only released one full-length album....
traveled from Bergen to Aarseth's apartment in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. Upon their arrival a confrontation began, which ended when Vikernes fatally stabbed Aarseth. His body was found outside the apartment with twenty-three cut wounds – two to the head, five to the neck, and sixteen to the back.
The entry on Varg Vikernes in the specialized Encyclopedia of White Power
Encyclopedia of White Power
Encyclopedia of White Power: A Sourcebook on the Radical Racist Right is a reference book edited by Jeffrey Kaplan. It focuses on the White Power movement, mainly U.S...
mentions that the murder has been "variously described as a power struggle between rival leaders of a satanic circle, a conflict over a girl's affection, or a dispute over a record contract". Vikernes himself contends "that Aarseth planned to kill him and that he was striking first in self-defense". On his website, Vikernes elaborates that Aarseth had plotted to torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
him to death and videotape the event – using a meeting about an unsigned contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
as a pretext. On the night of the murder, Vikernes claims he intended to hand Aarseth the signed contract and "tell him to fuck off", but that Aarseth attacked him first. Additionally, Vikernes defends that most of Aarseth's cut wounds were caused by broken glass he had fallen on during the struggle. After the slaying, Vikernes drove to a nearby lake to dispose of his bloodied clothes before he returned to Bergen.
At the arrest of Vikernes, the police found 150 kg of explosives and 3,000 rounds of ammunition in Vikernes' home. According to Encyclopedia of White Power, Vikernes has stated that these explosives were "intended to blow up Blitz House
Blitz (movement)
Blitz is an anarchist, communist and socialist youth community in Oslo, Norway, founded in 1982. The group has often been criticized for their use of violent methods of political protest.- The house :...
, the radical leftist and anarchist enclave in Oslo", a plan which "was reportedly on the verge of execution" and only prevented by Vikernes' arrest. In an article originally published in 1999, Kevin Coogan
Kevin Coogan
Kevin Coogan is an American investigative journalist. He is the author of the biography Dreamer of the Day: Francis Parker Yockey and the Postwar Fascist International....
points to Vikernes' planned attack in the Blitz House as a possible motive for the murder of Aarseth. Referring to the passages of Lords of Chaos quoted above, Coogan writes: "LOC offers strong evidence that Vikernes, who came from a divorced family and was raised by his mother Lene Bore, was a fascist well before he became a metalhead." Then he, too, mentions Vikernes' intent to "destroy an Oslo-based punk anti-fascist squat called Blitz House", and concludes: "Vikernes may have felt that he had no choice but to kill Euronymous before bombing Blitz House because 'the Communist' would almost certainly have opposed such an act". Though on Vikernes' website, he refers to the creators of "Lords of Chaos" as being unreliable sources.
The media speculated that Euronymous and Vikernes had conspired to blow up Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral
Nidaros Cathedral is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It was the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nidaros from its establishment in 1152 until its abolition in 1537. Since the Reformation, it has been the cathedral of the...
, which appears on the cover of De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is an album by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. Songwriting began as early as 1987, but due to the suicide of vocalist Dead and murder of guitarist Euronymous , the album's release was delayed until May 1994...
. Vikernes denied this allegation in a 2009 interview, stating "I was getting [the explosives and ammunition] in order to defend Norway if we were attacked any time. During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union could have decided to attack us. We have no reason to trust neither the government, the royal family or the military because of what happened last time we were attacked. We are left to ourselves".
Trial
Vikernes' trial began on May 2, 1994. During the court case, the 22-year-old Snorre Ruch, who drove Vikernes to and from Øystein's apartment and stood outside during the incident, was put on trial together with Vikernes and sentenced to 8 years imprisonment. Vikernes was sentenced to 21 years imprisonment, the maximum sentence in Norway. He was found guilty of murdering Øystein Aarseth and the arson of four churches, one of which involved Jørn TunsbergJørn Inge Tunsberg
Jørn Inge Tunsberg is a black metal musician. He lives in Bergen and plays guitar in the black metal band Hades Almighty and industrial metal band Dominanz. Formerly in the bands Immortal, Old Funeral, and Amputation. He was convicted for Åsane church arson on Christmas Eve of 1992 along with Varg...
of black metal band Hades Almighty
Hades Almighty
Hades Almighty is a black metal band hailing from Bergen, Norway. They were formed in 1992, originally under the moniker Hades. They were forced to change their name to Hades Almighty in 1998, following complaints from an American band with a prior claim to the name.-Biography:Hades were formed in...
. In a controversial display, Vikernes smiled at the moment his verdict was read, an image that was widely reprinted in the news media.
Vikernes asserts he did not take part in any church burnings. He described the trial thusly:
They presented one witness in each case who claimed I had burned this or that church, and that was it. "Guilty". Just like that. This process was repeated four times, and I was found guilty of kindling four churches, three of them having burned to the ground. There was not a single piece of physical evidence in any of these cases. I was convicted solely because of the testimony of one single person in each case.
Time in prison
During his time in prison, Vikernes recorded two albums (Dauði BaldrsDauði Baldrs
Dauði Baldrs or Dauthi Baldrs is an album by the Norwegian artist Burzum. Unlike Burzum's previous work, which was black metal, this is a dark ambient album...
and Hliðskjálf), which are composed of 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...
songs. Vikernes was denied access to an electric guitar, bass guitar or drums, and instead used a synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
. In 2000, Vikernes terminated his musical project because of what he perceived to be negative notoriety. He believed that his philosophy was constantly misinterpreted by an ignorant fan base that was too closely related to black metal and Satanism
Satanism
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...
. Through his website, he indicated that he intended to continue Burzum after his release from prison, stating: "I will publish a few books, possibly using a pseudonym in order to stay anonymous, and perhaps a Burzum album or two, but that's it". Regarding the style of his next album, Vikernes stated on his website: "[A future album] will, as far as I can tell, sound much like the old albums, whether I like it or not, because I'm incapable of making music that doesn't sound rather 'Burzumic'."
In October 2003, Vikernes failed to return to his low-security prison in Tønsberg
Tønsberg
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, southern Norway, located around north-east of Sandefjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tønsberg....
, Norway after having been granted a short leave. He was found riding in a stolen Volvo car, which, according to the media, contained an unloaded AG3
Heckler & Koch G3
The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....
automatic rifle, a handgun, numerous large knives, a gas mask, camouflage clothing, a laptop, a compass, a GPS device
GPS navigation device
A GPS navigation device is any device that receives Global Positioning System signals for the purpose of determining the device's current location on Earth...
, various maps and a fake passport (it is thought that Vikernes came to be in possession of this equipment by means of a military barracks). For this thirteen months were added to his sentence, and he was then moved to a maximum-security prison in Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
. He was subsequently moved again, this time to Tromsø
Tromsø
Tromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
Prison.
When Vikernes was convicted, it was possible to be released on parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
after serving 12 years of a 21-year sentence, but in 2002, before he became eligible, the Norwegian Parliament extended this to 14 years. In June 2006, after serving 12 years, Vikernes was denied parole by the Department of Criminal Justice for this reason. His lawyer, John Christian Elden, has complained that the policy change is a form of retroactive legislation
Ex post facto law
An ex post facto law or retroactive law is a law that retroactively changes the legal consequences of actions committed or relationships that existed prior to the enactment of the law...
. Article 97 of the Norwegian constitution prohibits any law being given retroactive force.
Varg Vikernes was denied parole again in June 2008, although he was allowed to leave Tromsø Prison for short periods to visit his family. His full sentence would run for another seven years. In March 2009, however, Vikernes' parole was announced. He had then served 15 years of his 21-year sentence.
On May 24, 2009, Vikernes was released from prison on probation.
Beliefs
According to Goodrick-Clarke, "while in jail, Vikernes began to formulate his nationalist heathen ideology using material from Norse mythology combined with racism and occult National Socialism." Goodrick-Clarke bases this account of Vikernes' beliefs on some articles that Vikernes had written for the short-lived "neo-Nazi magazine" Filosofem, published byVidar von Herske. Goodrick-Clarke also uses the book Lords of Chaos, and a manifesto called Vargsmål ('Speech of the Wolf'), which Vikernes began to write after his imprisonment. According to Lords of Chaos, Vargsmål became available on the internet for some time in 1996, but not in a printed form. In 1997, a Norwegian publisher released a paperback edition of the book; its publication was financed by Vikernes' mother, Lene Bore. Vikernes has denounced the English translation of his book in an article on his website. He has also stated on the website that "Vargsmål was written in anger, while I was young and in isolation, and the book is marked by this".
Political affiliation
After his conviction, Vikernes began identifying himself as a neo-Nazi. The Encyclopedia of White PowerEncyclopedia of White Power
Encyclopedia of White Power: A Sourcebook on the Radical Racist Right is a reference book edited by Jeffrey Kaplan. It focuses on the White Power movement, mainly U.S...
describes him as "busy promoting his Odinist and National Socialist philosophy from behind bars."
In a July 2005 statement on his website entitled "The Nazi Ghost", Vikernes states that although he "occasionally used the term 'nazism' to describe [his] ideological foundation", he no longer describes himself as a 'Nazi'.
The reason I have been drawn to and occasionally have expressed support for 'nazism' is mainly because many of the Norwegian (and German) 'Nazis' embraced our Pagan religion as our blood-religion and they rejected Judeo-Christianity as Jewish heresyHeresyHeresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
Vikernes expresses a desire to not be associated with anti-Slavic
Anti-Slavism
Anti-Slavism, also known as Slavophobia, a form of racism or xenophobia, refers to various negative attitudes towards Slavic peoples, most common manifestation being claims of inferiority of Slavic nations with respect to other ethnic groups...
sentiments. He identifies three things which distinguish him from the "Nazis": "unlike them I am not socialistic (not even on a national level), I am not materialistic and I believe in (the ancient Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n) democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
."
In the late 90s, "to avoid confusion" and "to find a term more suitable and accurate", Vikernes coined the term "odalism" based on the Odal
Odal
Odal is a Germanic word which relates to property, heritability or nobility. It can refer to the following:*Allodium:** Odelsrett, a traditional Scandinavian law...
rune. "[F]rom Norse óðal (homeland
Homeland
A homeland is the concept of the place to which an ethnic group holds a long history and a deep cultural association with —the country in which a particular national identity began. As a common noun, it simply connotes the country of one's origin...
, allodium, allodial law, nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
, noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
, inherited goods, fatherland
Fatherland
Fatherland is the nation of one's "fathers", "forefathers" or "patriarchs". It can be viewed as a nationalist concept, insofar as it relates to nations...
, land property, distinguished family, distinguished, splendid
Splendid
Splendid was a musical duo featuring Angie Hart and Jesse Tobias, who at the time were also husband and wife.-History:The duo met in Canada, August 1996, when Australian band Frente!, fronted by Hart, arrived to play over two weeks of support dates for Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill tour,...
, kin
Kinship
Kinship is a relationship between any entities that share a genealogical origin, through either biological, cultural, or historical descent. And descent groups, lineages, etc. are treated in their own subsections....
and the nation
Nation
A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...
)." He explains, "In it lies Paganism
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
, traditional nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
, racialism
Racialism
Racialism is an emphasis on race or racial considerations. Currently, racialism entails a belief in the existence and significance of racial categories, but not necessarily that any absolute hierarchy between the races has been demonstrated by a rigorous and comprehensive scientific process...
and environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
." Vikernes contrasts it with "modern 'civilization'" which he equates with "capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
, materialism
Materialism
In philosophy, the theory of materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter is the only substance...
, Judeo-Christianity, pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
, urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
, race-mixing, Americanization
Americanization
Americanization is the influence of the United States on the popular culture, technology, business practices, or political techniques of other countries. The term has been used since at least 1907. Inside the U.S...
, socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
, et cetera
Et cetera
Et cetera is a Latin expression that means "and other things", or "and so forth". It is taken directly from the Latin expression which literally means "and the rest " and is a loan-translation of the Greek "καὶ τὰ ἕτερα"...
". He places importance on the fact that odalism "is not a term tainted by history"; in contrast with nazism:
The 'nazi ghost' has scared millions of EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans from caring about their blood and homeland for sixty years now, and it is about time we banish this ghost and again start to think and care about the things that (whether we like it or not) are important to us.
In other texts on his website, he embraces racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
and eugenics
Eugenics
Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
("race hygiene"). However, he makes the point that following one's own culture is an equally valid and beneficial choice for all peoples. Vikernes states that although he is a racist, he hates no one and that "hatred is irrational".
Involvement in the Heathen Front
According to several sources, during his time in prison, Vikernes became a central figure in the Neo-völkischNeo-völkisch movements
Neo-völkisch movements, as defined by the historian Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, cover a wide variety of mutually influencing groups of a radically ethnocentric character which have emerged, especially in the English-speaking world, since World War II...
Heathen Front
Heathen Front
The Allgermanische Heidnische Front was an international Neo-Nazi organization espousing a philosophy influenced by anti-Semitism, xenophobia and folkish heathenry or Ásatrú, often called Odalism.-History:...
. The Heathen Front started as a group in Norway, Norsk Hedensk Front (Norwegian Heathen Front) or NHF, and grew into the international Allgermanische Heidnische Front (Pan-Germanic Heathen Front) or AHF. At the time of their publication, the article on Vikernes in the Encyclopedia of White Power and Gods of the Blood
Gods of the Blood
Gods of the Blood: The Pagan Revival and White Separatism is a book by Swedish scholar Mattias Gardell discussing Neopaganism and white separatism, neo-fascism and antisemitism.It was published by Duke University Press in May 2003....
by the Swedish scholar Matthias Gardell considered Vikernes to be the leader (and the founder) of the Norwegian Heathen Front. Goodrick-Clarke mentions that Vikernes underlined "his role as chieftain of his Norwegian Heathen Front" with the writing of Vargsmål.
In a 2009 interview with Vikernes, the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet
Dagbladet
Dagbladet is Norway's second largest tabloid newspaper, and the third largest newspaper overall with a circulation of 105,255 copies in 2009, 18,128 papers less than in 2008. The editor in chief is Lars Helle....
pointed out that he has been linked to neo-Nazi and racist groups during his time in prison. Vikernes replied: "I have never formed or been a member of such organizations. The only organization I am a member of is Riksmålsforbundet
Riksmålsforbundet
Riksmålsforbundet is the main organisation for Riksmål, one of the written standard of the Norwegian language ....
" (The Society for the Preservation of Traditional Standard Norwegian).
When he was asked about his involvement in the AHF in a 2004 interview published on burzum.org, Vikernes pointed out that it was Antifa groups who "repeatedly wrote" that the NHF was a Neo-Nazi group and that he was their leader, claims which he describes as "persecution". He also said that "the [Norwegian] secret police claimed adamantly" that he was the leader of the Heathen Front. Vikernes then continued by stating that, as a result of these claims, he left the Heathen Front, to see what "the Antifa/Monitor morons and the secret police would do". In practice, Vikernes stated, he never was a member of the group, since, being in prison, he could not participate in their activities and he had not ever "met half of them". If he would want to write articles for their magazine, he could do that, regardless of whether he was a member or not.
Religion
Vikernes has written lyrics for several songs by DarkthroneDarkthrone
Darkthrone is a Norwegian black metal band. They formed in 1987 as a death metal band, but after embracing the black metal style in 1991, they became a driving force in the Norwegian black metal scene. For most of this period Darkthrone has consisted of just two musicians, Nocturno Culto and...
that make use of themes from old Germanic folklore
German folklore
German folklore shares many characteristics with Scandinavian folklore and English folklore due to their origins in a common Germanic mythology. It reflects a similar mix of influences: a pre-Christian pantheon and other beings equivalent to those of Norse mythology; magical characters associated...
. In these, Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
is referenced as an aspect of the Germanic god Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
in the context of an 'eye' that is a source of light (i.e. the sun), there are also mentions of a 'spear' and a 'hall of battle', which are also masked references to Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
. This was done with the double meaning of Odin as the 'adversary' of Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
and Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
tradition. Many have thus inferred that Vikernes is or was a Satanist
Satanism
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...
, though he has stated many times that he is opposed to Satanism as he considers it to be a reactionary form of Christianity.
According to Vikernes:
Christianity was created by some decadent and degenerated Romans as a tool of oppression, in the late Roman era, and it should be treated accordingly. It is like handcuffs to the mind and spirit and is nothing but destructive to mankind. In fact, I don't really see Christianity as a religion. It is more like a spiritual plague, a mass psychosis, and it should first and foremost be treated as a problem to be solved by the medical science. Christianity is a diagnosis. It's like Islam and the other Asian religions, a HIVHIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDSAIDSAcquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
of the spirit and mind.
Vikernes now embraces a "modern scientific worldview resting on a foundation made up of the Pagan values and ideals: loyalty, wisdom, courage, love, discipline, honesty, intelligence, beauty, responsibility, health and strength." He draws a direct connection between both race and intelligence
Race and intelligence
The connection between race and intelligence has been a subject of debate in both popular science and academic research since the inception of intelligence testing in the early 20th century...
and intelligence and religion, denouncing theism
Theism
Theism, in the broadest sense, is the belief that at least one deity exists.In a more specific sense, theism refers to a doctrine concerning the nature of a monotheistic God and God's relationship to the universe....
as "mental enslavement" fit only for "inferior races". Vikernes goes on to say "If it is supposed to serve a purpose Paganism needs to be an ideology, not a religion". Despite accusing mainstream theists of holding onto "Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
misconceptions", Vikernes still holds that religious myths should be turned to in areas where science has not yet achieved a complete understanding of the natural world—such as the origin of life and where we go after death, if anywhere at all.
In addition to Vargsmål, works by Vikernes on his personal world view
World view
A comprehensive world view is the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing the entirety of the individual or society's knowledge and point-of-view, including natural philosophy; fundamental, existential, and normative postulates; or themes, values, emotions, and...
include Irminsûl and Germansk Mytologi og Verdensanskuelse ('Germanic Mythology and Worldview').
Influence of Vidkun Quisling
Vidkun QuislingVidkun Quisling
Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling was a Norwegian politician. On 9 April 1940, with the German invasion of Norway in progress, he seized power in a Nazi-backed coup d'etat that garnered him international infamy. From 1942 to 1945 he served as Minister-President, working with the occupying...
, Nazi collaborator
Collaborationism
Collaborationism is cooperation with enemy forces against one's country. Legally, it may be considered as a form of treason. Collaborationism may be associated with criminal deeds in the service of the occupying power, which may include complicity with the occupying power in murder, persecutions,...
minister-president
Minister-President
A minister-president is the head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments, in which a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government prevails, who presides over the council of ministers...
of occupied Norway between 1942 and 1945 and involuntary originator of the term quisling
Quisling
Quisling is a term used in reference to fascist and collaborationist political parties and military and paramilitary forces in occupied Allied countries which collaborated with Axis occupiers in World War II, as well as for their members and other collaborators.- Etymology :The term was coined by...
-regime, had developed an extremely obscure esoteric
Esotericism
Esotericism or Esoterism signifies the holding of esoteric opinions or beliefs, that is, ideas preserved or understood by a small group or those specially initiated, or of rare or unusual interest. The term derives from the Greek , a compound of : "within", thus "pertaining to the more inward",...
doctrine labeled 'Universism'. An online article about him mentions that the only "modest intellectual influence" he ever had with this doctrine was "on certain extreme strains of Norwegian black metal music". This impression is indeed given in Lords of Chaos. In the interview there, Varg Vikernes is faced with the question whether Quisling's religion was pagan or Christian. Moynihan & Søderlind write: "Vikernes has discovered his predecessor in Vidkun Quisling." At one point, he temporarily took the name 'Kvisling', but he explained this choice in Vargsmål:
One of my foremothers was called Susanne Malene Qisling. She was born 06-02-1811 and dies [sic] 10-05-1891. Qisling means "that which stems from a division of kingly descendants" [...]
Vikernes stated in an interview, "They [the Norwegian government at the beginning of World War II] ran like chickens, leaving Norway, with absolutely NO authorities, and when Vidkun Quisling tried to bring order back, he was thanked with a bullet in his heart after the war." This is the only known instance of Vikernes mentioning Vidkun Quisling, besides Lords of Chaos; on www.burzum.org Vikernes does not mention Vidkun Quisling at all.
The Lord of the Rings
From an early age, Vikernes was fascinated with the fictional realm of Middle-earthMiddle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
created by J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
. His stage name Grishnackh is taken from that of an orc in The Two Towers
The Two Towers
The Two Towers is the second volume of J. R. R. Tolkien's high fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. It is preceded by The Fellowship of the Ring and followed by The Return of the King.-Title:...
. The name Burzum, meaning darkness, was taken from the Black Speech
Black Speech
The Black Speech is a fictional language created by J. R. R. Tolkien.One of the languages of Arda in Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, it was spoken in the realm of Mordor...
inscribed on the One Ring
One Ring
The One Ring is a fictional artifact that appears as the central plot element in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy novels. It is described in an earlier story, The Hobbit , as a magic ring of invisibility. The sequel The Lord of the Rings describes its powers as being more encompassing than...
in The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
. The inscription read "Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul" or in English "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them." Additionally, before settling for Burzum, the band was initially named Uruk-Hai
Uruk-hai
The Uruk-hai are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth. They are introduced in The Lord of the Rings as an advanced breed or breeds of Orcs that serve Sauron and Saruman...
, a breed of orcs within the fiction.
Vikernes interpreted The Lord of the Rings on his website, allegedly showing the connections to paganism in the books.
Lords of Chaos
American journalist Michael MoynihanMichael Moynihan (journalist)
Michael Moynihan is an American journalist, publisher and musician. He is best known for co-writing the book Lords of Chaos, about black metal....
wrote a book entitled Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground with co-author Didrik Søderlind that is concerned with the events of the early black metal scene in Norway, a book many of the participants of the Norwegian black metal scene have accused of misquotation and distortion of facts. One extensive review has been written by Kevin Coogan
Kevin Coogan
Kevin Coogan is an American investigative journalist. He is the author of the biography Dreamer of the Day: Francis Parker Yockey and the Postwar Fascist International....
, author of a biography of the neo-fascist writer and activist Francis Parker Yockey
Francis Parker Yockey
Francis Parker Yockey was an American political thinker and polemicist best known for his neo-Spenglerian book Imperium: The Philosophy of History and Politics, published under the pen name Ulick Varange in 1948. This 600-page book argues for a culture-based, totalitarian path for the...
. In Lords of Chaos, as Coogan writes, "Moynihan suggests that Vikernes is an avatar of a long-repressed Odinist archetype analogous to what Jung claimed for Nazi Germany in his famous 1936 essay on Wotan." The book's thesis about black metal as a "rise" of this Odinist archetype is factually problematic: "LOC's musings about fascism and black metal largely hang on a thin evidential thread, Varg Vikemes."
There is also a review of this book available on Burzum's official website, www.burzum.org, that is allegedly written by Varg Vikernes:
I dare say the vast majority of all the statements made in this book are either misinterpretations; taken out of context; misunderstandings; malicious lies made by enemies; a result of ignorance; extreme exaggerations; and/or third-hand information at best. This includes the statements attributed to me!... [The authors] have no insight into or even good knowledge about the subjects discussed and ... don't understand one bit what black metal was about in 1991 and 1992... [They] have managed to fill the heads of a generation of metal fans with lies.
Satan rir media
Torstein Grude created a Norwegian documentary entitled Satan rir mediaSatan rir media
Satan rir media is a 1998 Norwegian documentary by Torstein Grude. The film covers the controversy that surrounded black metal musician Varg Vikernes in the early 1990s, who not only has been tied to a series of church arsons in Norway, but received widespread media attention for the murder of...
(Satan Rides the Media), to which Vikernes has given a more positive review. As its title implies, the movie focuses on the often hysterical media coverage of the church burning cases and the black metal scene in general. In the film, Vikernes accuses Finn Bjørn Tønder (a journalist who writes for Bergens Tidende
Bergens Tidende
Bergens Tidende is Norway's fourth largest newspaper and largest newspaper outside Oslo, with a circulation of about 87,000 copies . Founded in 1868, it is a Norwegian-language newspaper published daily in Bergen. It reaches approximately 260,000 readers every day , mainly in the counties of...
(BT)) of deliberately informing the police about his identity after he had completed an anonymous interview. Vikernes was arrested only hours after the interview, one day before it was published, and was released after a week in prison due to lack of proof. In the film, Svein Erik Krogvoll (head of criminal investigations, Bergen Police District) evades the question whether Tønder preserved Vikernes' anonymity by stating "It was all OK and legal".
According to Satan rir media, it was also the BT who gave Vikernes the name "Greven" (The Count). However, Vikernes has said in Vargsmål that "the reason I chose this name was not to have a tough name. The word 'count (greven)' comes from the Latin word 'comites' that means partner or companion. I am the true Germanic folk's 'partner' and 'companion' and with that I chose this title".
Satan rir media claims that by emphasizing the Satanist angle, the Norwegian news media unwittingly created a mass following for Burzum and Vikernes, both in Norway and internationally.
Until the Light Takes Us
Vikernes is one of the central figures in the 2009 documentary film Until The Light Takes UsUntil The Light Takes Us
Until the Light Takes Us is a 2009 feature documentary about Norwegian black metal, from directors Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell.-Featured interviewees:* Gylve "Fenriz" Nagell...
. Interviewed in prison by American directors Aaron Aites and Audrey Ewell, Vikernes explains, in great detail, the circumstances surrounding both the creation of black metal and the murder of Euronymous.
Influence on other church arsons
- Novak Majstorovic, then 19-year-old guitarist of the metal band Schwarzreich, was charged with arson and burglary in relation to the burning of a 100+-year-old Uniting ChurchUnited and uniting churchesUnited and uniting churches are churches formed from the merger or other form of union of two or more different Protestant denominations.Perhaps the oldest example of a united church is found in Germany, where the Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of Lutheran, United and Reformed...
in Ascot ValeAscot Vale, VictoriaAscot Vale is a suburb 7 km north-west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moonee Valley. At the 2006 Census, Ascot Vale had a population of 12,398....
, Australia in August 2004. He was convicted and sentenced to three years in Youth Detention. In all media depictions of the event, he is said to have been heavily influenced by Burzum. However, he has stated on several message boards across the internet that the influence does not stretch beyond the superficial, and that the media has overblown his statements to the police to suit their own ends. He claims that the arson had very little in common with Vikernes' attacks. Majstorovic was released in August 2006. His current whereabouts are unknown. - Kalle Holm, an 18-year-old FinnFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
known to have played drums in several Finnish metal bands, has stated on his website that he was influenced by Burzum. He set fire to the Porvoo CathedralPorvoo CathedralPorvoo cathedral is a cathedral in Porvoo, Finland. It was built in the 15th century, although the oldest parts date from the 13th century. It is used by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and is the seat of the Diocese of Borgå, Finland's Swedish-speaking diocese...
in Finland in May 2006: the roof of the church burned, but the ceiling, vaults and interiors survived undamaged. The attorney's claims that the motives behind the arson were related to a "hatred towards Christianity" were overruled in court. He was sentenced to three years and two months of imprisonment without parole. The sentence was later doubled to six years and six months by the Court of Appeal. - The Winnipeg SunWinnipeg SunThe Winnipeg Sun is a daily tabloid-sized newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.It is owned by Sun Media, a subsidiary of Quebecor Media, and shares many characteristics typical of Sun Media tabloids, including an emphasis on local news stories, extensive sports coverage, a Canadian conservatism...
reported that three people were convicted on June 27, 2006 of arson in a fire that destroyed the Minnedosa United ChurchUnited Church of CanadaThe United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
in Minnedosa, ManitobaMinnedosa, ManitobaMinnedosa is a town in the southwestern part of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Situated 50 kilometres north of Brandon, Manitoba on the Little Saskatchewan River, the name means "flowing water" in Sioux. The population of Minnedosa reported in the 2006 Statistics Canada Census was 2,474...
, Canada on February 12, 2006. One was sentenced to three years in prison, the second to two years and the third to two years less a day. All three were ordered to pay CAD $1.2 million in restitution. Justice officials said the church was set on fire on February 11, Vikernes' birthday.
Discography
As Burzum:- 1992 – BurzumBurzum (album)Burzum is the self-titled debut album by the Norwegian black metal artist Burzum. It was recorded in January 1992 and released in March of that year. The album was later re-released as Burzum / Aske to include the songs from the Aske EP...
(recorded January 1992) - 1993 – Det som engang varDet som engang var-Credits:*Count Grishnackh – vocals, rhythm and lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, synthesizer-External links:*...
(recorded April 1992) - 1993 – AskeAske (album)Aske is the second release by the Norwegian black metal artist Burzum. It was recorded in April and August 1992, and released in March 1993. Bass guitar on the EP is performed by Samoth of the band Emperor....
(recorded August 1992) - 1994 – Hvis lyset tar ossHvis lyset tar ossHvis lyset tar oss is the fourth release by the Norwegian black metal artist Burzum. It was recorded in September 1992, but not released until May 1994...
(recorded September 1992) - 1996 – FilosofemFilosofemFilosofem is the fifth release by the Norwegian black metal artist Burzum. It was recorded in March 1993 and was the last recording before Varg Vikernes' imprisonment. However, the album was not released until January 1996....
(recorded March 1993) - 1997 – Dauði BaldrsDauði BaldrsDauði Baldrs or Dauthi Baldrs is an album by the Norwegian artist Burzum. Unlike Burzum's previous work, which was black metal, this is a dark ambient album...
(recorded in prison 1994–1995) - 1999 – Hliðskjálf (recorded in prison 1998)
- 2010 – BelusBelus (album)- Charts :...
(recorded in 2009) - 2011 – FallenFallen (Burzum album)Fallen is the eighth studio album by the Norwegian black metal musician Burzum released on March 7th, 2011.The cover art is taken from the painting Elegy by French painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau.- Recording :...
(recorded in 2010)
Other appearances:
- 1991 – Old FuneralOld FuneralOld Funeral was a black/death metal band from Bergen, Norway.Old Funeral was one of the first bands to form in the Norwegian extreme metal scene, getting its start in 1988...
– Devoured Carcass (performed electric guitar) - 1994 – DarkthroneDarkthroneDarkthrone is a Norwegian black metal band. They formed in 1987 as a death metal band, but after embracing the black metal style in 1991, they became a driving force in the Norwegian black metal scene. For most of this period Darkthrone has consisted of just two musicians, Nocturno Culto and...
– Transilvanian HungerTransilvanian HungerTransilvanian Hunger is the fourth studio album by Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone, released in 1994 through Peaceville Records. It was the band's first album to be recorded with just two members, Nocturno Culto and Fenriz, following the departure of Zephyrous...
(wrote lyrics for four songs) - 1995 – DarkthroneDarkthroneDarkthrone is a Norwegian black metal band. They formed in 1987 as a death metal band, but after embracing the black metal style in 1991, they became a driving force in the Norwegian black metal scene. For most of this period Darkthrone has consisted of just two musicians, Nocturno Culto and...
– PanzerfaustPanzerfaust (album)Panzerfaust is the fifth album by Norwegian black metal band, Darkthrone. It was released in 1995 and was their first album with record label Moonfog Productions. It was released in North American under The End Records...
(wrote lyrics for one song) - 1994 – MayhemMayhem (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...
– De Mysteriis Dom SathanasDe Mysteriis Dom SathanasDe Mysteriis Dom Sathanas is an album by Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. Songwriting began as early as 1987, but due to the suicide of vocalist Dead and murder of guitarist Euronymous , the album's release was delayed until May 1994...
(performed bass guitar)
Writings
- 1997 – Vargsmål
- 2000 – Germansk Mytologi og Verdensanskuelse
- 2001 – Guide to the Norse Gods and Their Names
- 2002 – Irminsûl
- 2011 – Sorcery And Religion In Ancient Scandinavia
Documentation
- Kevin CooganKevin CooganKevin Coogan is an American investigative journalist. He is the author of the biography Dreamer of the Day: Francis Parker Yockey and the Postwar Fascist International....
. 1999. How Black is Black Metal? Hit List 1:1 (February/March), 33–59. Retrieved July 23, 2009. - Mattias GardellMattias GardellHans Bertil Mattias Gardell is a Swedish scholar of comparative religion. He is the current holder of the Nathan Söderblom Chair of Comparative Religion at Uppsala University, Sweden....
. 2003. Gods of the BloodGods of the BloodGods of the Blood: The Pagan Revival and White Separatism is a book by Swedish scholar Mattias Gardell discussing Neopaganism and white separatism, neo-fascism and antisemitism.It was published by Duke University Press in May 2003....
: The Pagan Revival and White Separatism. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-3071-4 - Nicholas Goodrick-ClarkeNicholas Goodrick-ClarkeNicholas Goodrick-Clarke B.A. , D.Phil. is a professor of Western Esotericism at University of Exeter and author of several books on esoteric traditions....
. 2003. Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism and the Politics of Identity. New York University Press. ISBN 0-8147-3155-4 - Jeffrey Kaplan (Ed.). 2000. Encyclopedia of White PowerEncyclopedia of White PowerEncyclopedia of White Power: A Sourcebook on the Radical Racist Right is a reference book edited by Jeffrey Kaplan. It focuses on the White Power movement, mainly U.S...
: A Sourcebook on the Radical Racist Right. AltaMira Press. ISBN 978-0-7425-0340-3 - Michael MoynihanMichael Moynihan (journalist)Michael Moynihan is an American journalist, publisher and musician. He is best known for co-writing the book Lords of Chaos, about black metal....
& Didrik Søderlind. 1998. Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground. Feral House. ISBN 0-922915-48-2 - Torstein Grude. 1998. Satan rir mediaSatan rir mediaSatan rir media is a 1998 Norwegian documentary by Torstein Grude. The film covers the controversy that surrounded black metal musician Varg Vikernes in the early 1990s, who not only has been tied to a series of church arsons in Norway, but received widespread media attention for the murder of...
(Satan Rides the Media). (film)
External links
Official sitesUnofficial sites