Fenriz

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Gylve Fenris Nagell
Birth name Leif Nagell
Also known as Fenriz
Born November 28, 1971 (1971-11-28) (age 36)
Origin Norway
Genre(s) Black metal
Death metal
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s) Drums
Bass guitar
Electric guitar
Years active 1986–present
Associated acts Darkthrone
Isengard
Neptune Towers
Valhall
Storm
Dødheimsgard
Satyricon

Fenriz (born Leif Nagell on November 28, 1971 and later known as Gylve Fenris Nagell) is best known as the drummer and lyricist of the two-piece Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone. However, he is a prolific musician who has been involved with a number of bands, solo efforts, and side projects spanning a variety of musical genres.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Gylve Nagell was born in 1971. His first exposure to metal music came when he was three years old and received Uriah Heep's album Sweet Freedom for his birthday. At the age of five, he would fashion belts for himself out of paper in an imitation of those worn by Mick Box. Later musical interests of his included rock and heavy metal groups such as The Doors and Metallica.

Darkthrone was created as a death metal band by the name of Black Death in 1986. At the same time, Fenriz was involved in a group called Valhall, which practiced in his basement. Fenriz has expressed that he had a passive interest in Bathory by 1986, but claims that he did not understand the "darkness" of black metal until hearing a song by the Hungarian band Tormentor in 1989 (he gives similar credit to Mercyful Fate). The same year, Fenriz left Valhall in order to concentrate on Darkthrone. He also started a solo viking metal project entitled Isengard, for Darkthrone was a band that opposed stylistic progression and change. Fenriz's solo ambient project Neptune Towers served as an example of his varied musical tastes. It was followed by another quintessential contribution to the folk metal scene with Storm.

Fenriz now claims to be apolitical, remaining non-partisan towards the events of early Norwegian black metal. In one interview, Fenriz stated that he was against the book Lords of Chaos, comparing its hype to Oprah. Fenriz prefers to keep Darkthrone out of the spotlight; in late 2004 he turned down a nomination for a Norwegian Alarm Award. He claimed that Darkthrone had "no interest in being part of the glitter and showbiz side of the music industry". Fenriz is known for his refusal to play live and his lack of interest in the music business in general (he is not opposed to file sharing, as demonstrated through his apathy toward the very premature leak of Darkthrone's 2004 release Sardonic Wrath on the Internet).

Fenriz currently lives in Oslo, and has a record label with Nocturno Culto called Tyrant Syndicate Productions, which is a sub-label of Peaceville Records (to which Darkthrone is signed). In late 2004, Fenriz released a compilation album through Peaceville entitled Fenriz Presents... The Best of Old-School Black Metal, which included selected tracks from such influential artists as Celtic Frost, Hellhammer, Burzum, and Bathory. He has expressed plans to release a thrash metal compilation in the future.


[edit] Musical projects

  • Darkthrone – drums, occasionally – rhythm guitar, vocals, lyrics (1986-present)
  • Valhall – drums (1987-1989)
  • Isengard – drums, guitar, bass, vocals, lyrics (1989-1995) – solo project
  • Neptune Towers – keyboard, farfisa organ, synthesizers (1993-1995) – solo project
  • Dødheimsgard – bass and synthesizer on Kronet Til Konge (1995)
  • Storm – drums, vocals (1995)
  • Eibon – drums (since 1999, band status unknown)

[edit] Guest appearances and contributions

[edit] Discography

Note: All albums are with Darkthrone, unless noted otherwise. This does not include guest appearances.

[edit] External links