Gaahl
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Gaahl | |
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 Gaahl live
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kristian Eivind Espedal[1] |
| Born | August 7, 1975 |
| Origin | Espedal, Norway |
| Genre(s) | Black metal |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1993-present |
| Associated acts | Gorgoroth Gaahlskagg Trelldom Sigfader |
| Website | Gorgoroth Website |
Kristian Eivind Espedal (born August 7, 1975), better known by his stage name Gaahl, is a Norwegian black metal vocalist, and is the frontman of his version of Norwegian band Gorgoroth.
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[edit] Biography
Gaahl was born in the village of Espedal in Fjaler, Norway in 1975. He spent his youth living in a small village, which his family has owned for centuries.[2] Gaahl, along with his family, still reside in the village, though they are fifteen minutes apart from each other.[2] He has a reputation as an enigmatic character, for example, he was schooled in the same place from the age of 4 to 18 and was one of two students in the school building, the other committing suicide after leaving.[2]
Gaahl has been involved with black metal since 1992, and has been in bands such as Gaahlskagg (with Gorgoroth live guitarist Skagg)[3], Trelldom[4], and Sigfader (with Skagg and Kvitrafn)[5]. Gaahl joined Gorgoroth in 1998, and was first heard on their Nuclear Blast album Destroyer; however, he only sang on the title track.
Gaahl was sentenced to one year in prison for assault in 2001, and was forced to pay the victim 158,000 NOK (26,963 US$).[6]In 2006, Gaahl spent another 9 months (of a 14 month sentence) in prison for brutally assaulting a man and alleged torture in 2002. The victim received a total of 190,000 NOK (32,424 US$).[6] Gaahl was released in December 2006.[7]
He was briefly interviewed for the 2005 documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey. He gives commentary on the events in Norway in the early 90s as well as some of his views on Satanism and Christianity.[8]
In April 2007 Gaahl appeared in a five-part series entitled True Norwegian Black Metal. The series was produced by famous photographer Peter Beste. The series debuted on vbs.tv, the broadcast network of Vice Magazine. Gaahl offered Beste an interview and tour of his estate.
[edit] Gorgoroth dispute
[edit] Beliefs
Gaahl is popularly known as a Satanist, although he in fact regards Satan as culturally and spiritually irrelevant, and only uses Satanism to promote his staunch anti-Christianity on the basis that 'we live in a Christian world and we have to speak their language', also using it for its confrontational value to counter Christian imposition. In actuality, he is a practitioner of old Norse Shamanism, and is opposed to imposition of one's own religious beliefs on others. He can often be seen wearing a Mjolnir pendant. [9][10] Ostensibly, Gaahl's spiritual beliefs further cemented Gorgoroth's lyrical suppression. He is also a vegetarian and is "very fussy about food" according to his mother.[11]
[edit] Discography
[edit] With Gorgoroth
- Destroyer (1998)
- Incipit Satan (2000)
- Originators of the Northern Darkness - A Tribute to Mayhem (Tribute album to Mayhem) (Song: "Life Eternal") (2001)
- Twilight of the Idols (2003)
- Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam (2006)
- True Norwegian Black Metal - Live in Grieghallen (2008)
[edit] With Trelldom
- Disappearing of the Burning Moon (1994)
- Til Evighet (1995)
- Til et Annet… (1998)
- Til Minne... (2007)
[edit] With Gaahlskagg
- Split with Stormfront (1999)
- Erotic Funeral (2000)
[edit] With Sigfader
- Sigfaders Hevner (1999)
[edit] References
- ^ Norsk Black / Ekstrem Metal
- ^ a b c Beste, Peter. "True Norwegian Black Metal", VBS.tv, YouTube, 2007-04-27. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
- ^ Encyclopaedia Metallum - Gaahlskagg
- ^ Encyclopaedia Metallum - Trelldom
- ^ Encyclopaedia Metallum - Sigfader
- ^ a b Campion, Chris. "In the face of death", The Observer, Guardian Unlimited, 2005-02-20. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
- ^ Metal Hammer - News Article
- ^ YouTube - Metal: A Headbanger's Journey- Gaahl Interview
- ^ Imhotep
- ^ Gorgoroth interview @ Tartareandesire.com
- ^ Tisdall, Jonathan. "Black metal vocalist faces prison", Aftenposten, 2004-04-28. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
[edit] External links
- True Norwegian Black Metal Part 1
- True Norwegian Black Metal Part 2
- True Norwegian Black Metal Part 3
- True Norwegian Black Metal Part 4
- True Norwegian Black Metal Part 5
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