Windir

Infobox musical artist
Name = Windir


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Origin = Sogndal, Norway
Genre = Black metal Viking metal Folk metal
Years_active = 1994–2004
Label = Tabu Head Not Found
Associated_acts = Vreid
Cor Scorpii
URL = [http://www.windir.no/ www.windir.no]
Current_members = Valfar - vocals Hvåll - bass guitar "Steingrim" - drums "Sture" - rhythm guitar Strom - lead guitar Righ - keyboards
Past_members =

Windir ("Warrior" in English) was a folkloric black metal band from Sogndal, Norway. The band combined black metal with Norwegian folk music and mythology. The band was formed in 1994, but did not release an album until 1997. Windir was a project of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Terje "Valfar" Bakken.

Windir produced four albums in their almost ten years of existence, each more complex and successful than the last. The band broke up when Valfar died of hypothermia amidst the hills of Sogndal on January 14, 2004.

Many of Windir's lyrics are written in the local dialect Sognamål.

Valfar's death

On January 14th, 2004, Terje "Valfar" Bakken went to his family's cabin at Fagereggi, Norway by foot. Seeing he had never arrived his family contacted local authorities, who organized a search party. On January 17th, Valfar's body was found at Reppastølen in the Sogndal valley. Apparently surprised by the extreme weather and deep snow, he had attempted to turn back toward home, but died from hypothermia on the way. He was buried on the 27th of January at Stedje Church in Norway. In March of 2004 Windir officially disbanded.A compilation album containing Windir outtakes and B-Sides, "Valfar, ein Windir", was released in 2004 as a tribute to Valfar. On September 3rd 2004, in Oslo, Windir's remaining members performed their last concert in honor of Valfar. Enslaved, Finntroll and Mindgrinder were the guest bands. [ [http://www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=360 Encyclopaedia Metallum - Windir ] ] [ [http://wm04.allmusic.com/cg/amg%2edll?p=amg&sql=11:dvfixqykldke~T1 allmusic ((( Windir > Biography ))) ] ] [ [http://www.rockdetector.com/officialbio,10063.sm WINDIR | Unique, Detailed Biography | Rockdetector ] ] Two bands would be formed by some of the remaining members of Windir, Vreid and Cor Scorpii.

Members

Final line-up

*Valfar - vocals, accordion, and additional instruments
*Hvàll (Jarle Kvåle) - bass guitar
*Steingrim (Jørn Holen) - drums
*Sture Dingsøyr - rhythm guitar
*Strom (Stian Bakketeig) - lead guitar
*Righ (Gaute Refsnes) - keyboards

Past members

*Sorg - guitars
*Cosmocrator - clean vocals on "1184" and "Likferd"
*Vegard - vocals (some songs on "SognaMetal" DVD) (Vegard is Valfar's brother)

Discography

Demos

The demos feature Valfar on vocals, Sorg on guitars, and Steingrim on drums.
*"Sogneriket" (1995)
*"Det Gamle Riket" (1995)

Albums

*"Sóknardalr" (1997)
*"Arntor" (1999)
*"1184" (2001)
*"Likferd" (2003)
*"Valfar, ein Windir" (2004, compilation album, a tribute to deceased founding member Valfar)

Videos

*"SognaMetal" (DVD, 2005)

References

External links

* [http://www.windir.no/ Official website]
* [http://www.windir.no/default.aspx?p=biography&lang=engelsk Biography]