Windir ('Primal Warrior' in English) was a folk black metal band from Sogndal, Norway. The band combined black metal with folk music and mythology. The band was formed in 1994 and released its debut album in 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. Many of Windir's lyrics are written in Sognamål.
Windir started as a one-man-band in 1994, and on the first album, Sóknardalr, Valfar plays everything except the drums himself. On Arntor Valfar decided to include more session members, but the screaming vocals, rhythm guitars, bass, synthesisers and accordion were still handled by Valfar. The third album, 1184, was written together with his friends in another Sogndal-based band, Ulcus. After this Ulcus merged with Windir, and from then on Windir presented itself as a full band. 1184 slightly changed the sound of Windir and included more electronic elements in the music. This provoked divided reactions from the fans. Likferd continued the musical style from 1184. On both 1184 and Likferd some of the lyrics are written in English. This was done in order to reach a larger audience, but also to give the music a wider spectre, and create other atmospheres.
Valfar, ein Windir is a 2-disc compilation album by Windir released in 2004. The first disc contains some new recordings, tributes, live songs, and rerecordings. The second disc is a "best of" collection. The money made with selling Valfar, ein Windir goes straight to Valfar's family. A version of the album was also released later that does not include the second disc. The bands contributing with tributes are: Enslaved, Finntroll, E-head, Notodden All Stars (Cosmocrator from MindGrinder, Samoth and Trym from Emperor/Zyklon) and Weh.
On January 14, 2004, Valfar went for a walk towards his family's cabin at Fagereggi, but he never arrived. Three days later, authorities found his body at Reppastølen in the Sogndal Valley. Valfar had been caught in a snow storm and suffered death from hypothermia. After that, the band was put to rest by the remaining members. The remaining members went their seperate ways forming two new bands; Vreid, created and headed by Hváll, and Cor Scorpii.
Final line-up:
* Valfar: Vocals, Accordion, and Additional Instruments
* Hvàll: Bass - (now in Vreid)
* Steingrim: Drums - (now in Vreid, ex-Cor Scorpii)
* Sture: Rhythm Guitar - (now in Vreid)
* Strom: Lead Guitar - (now in Cor Scorpii and Mistur)
* Righ: Synths - (now in Cor Scorpii)
Discography:
Demos:
1995 - Sogneriket
1996 - Det Gamle Riket
Albums:
1997 - Sóknardalr
1999 - Arntor
2001 - 1184
2003 - Likferd
2004 - Valfar, ein Windir (Compilation album, tributed to deceased founder Valfar)
DVD's:
2005 - SognaMetal
http://www.windir.no/
http://www.windir.tk/
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