Lords of Chaos Read online

  Table of Contents

  Praise

  Title Page

  Acknowledgements

  PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION

  Epigraph

  Chapter 1 - SYMPATHIES FOR THE DEVIL

  LUCIFER TURNS UP THE VOLUME

  ENTER THE BLACK POPE

  THE NEW WAVE OF BLASPHEMY

  THE UNHOLY TRINITY: VENOM

  A MERCYFUL KING

  THUNDER GODS: BATHORY

  Chapter 2 - DEATH METAL DIES, BLACK METAL ARRIVES

  UNITED SATANIC AMERICA

  SOUNDLY THRASHED

  DEATH THROES

  VIKING DEATH SQUADS

  Chapter 3 - A BLAZE IN THE NORTHERN SKY

  WHY NORWAY?

  Chapter 4 - MAYHEM IN THE DEAD ZONE

  DEAD END

  Chapter 5 - WELCOME TO HELL

  EXPERIMENTS IN EVIL

  HELL ON EARTH

  SPREADING THE FEAR

  Chapter 6 - ASHES

  FIRE IN THE MIND’S EYE

  THE BURNING TIMES

  THE COUNT’S EMISSARY

  BLACK METAL MEETS THE PRESS

  UGLY TRUTHS, SCREAMING HEADLINES

  FANNING THE FLAMES

  Chapter 7 - DEATHLIKE SILENCES

  HOMOSEXUAL MURDER

  EXIT THE PRINCE OF DEATH

  ANATOMY OF A SLAYING

  BARBARIAN ETHICS

  THE OFFICIAL STORY

  Chapter 8 - COUNT QUISLING

  FROM REALITY INTO MYTH

  THE WORLD ACCORDING TO VARG

  IN THE COMPANY OF HERETICS

  MINISTER OF PROPAGANDA

  UNIDENTIFIED FLYING ARYANS

  Chapter 9 - RESURGENT ATAVISM: THE METAPHYSICS OF HEATHEN BLACK METAL

  THE WILD HUNT DRAWS NIGH

  THE LURE AND LORE OF ARCHETYPES

  WOTAN REDIVIVUS

  IN THE SHADOW OF WOLVES

  THE MASKS OF ODIN

  Chapter 10 - THEIR SATANIC MAJESTIES

  OUTSIDERS LOOKING IN

  GIVING THE DEVIL MORE THAN HIS DUE

  THE HIGH PRIEST SPEAKS

  SELLING SATAN

  BLACKLISTING

  SMOLDERING PR STUNTS

  Chapter 11 - FUROR TEUTONICUS

  “HEATHEN HORROR”

  RADICAL RIGHT-WING ASYLUM SEEKERS?

  Chapter 12 - LORDS OF CHAOS

  SWEDEN

  FRANCE

  ENGLAND

  EASTERN EUROPE—RUSSIA & POLAND

  UNITED STATES

  FINLAND

  Chapter 13 - RAGNARÖK

  BLACK METAL BLACKSHIRTS

  CONVERGENCE OF EXTREMES

  THE NATIONALIST FRINGE

  GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG

  APPENDICES

  APPENDIX II

  APPENDIX III - “SATANISM IN NORWAY ” written and translated by Simen Midgaard

  BIBLIOGRAPHY

  MUSIC RESOURCES

  ENDNOTES

  ABOUT THE AUTHORS

  Copyright Page

  SELECTED PRAISE FOR THE FIRST EDITION OF LORDS OF CHAOS

  “The authors of Lords of Chaos clearly know the international Metal/Satanism picture and, largely through interviews, have brought information to light of which religion scholars as well as the general public ought to be aware … highly recommended.”

  —ROBERT ELLWOOD, HISTORIAN OF RELIGION, WRITING IN NOVA RELIGIO

  “With Lords of Chaos Michael Moynihan and Didrik Søderlind paint a portrait of a fantastic realm where Satanism, neo-paganism and National Socialism energized a musical scene in which fantasy was actualized in the burning of medieval churches in Norway…a uniquely valuable history of Black Metal music in general and of the Norwegian scene in particular as it is viewed by the participants themselves. Lords of Chaos is a compelling work deserving of a wide readership on both sides of the Atlantic.”

  —DR. JEFFREY KAPLAN, AUTHOR OF RADICAL RELIGION IN AMERICA

  “This definitive study of Black Metal bridges the gap between fans and students of music subcultures, avoiding the twin evils of fanzine hype and academic detachment. Wise, witty and informative, Moynihan and Søderlind have written a model genre study in an engagingly accessible style through which their deep understandings shine.”

  —DEENA WEINSTEIN, AUTHOR OF HEAVY METAL: A CULTURAL SOCIOLOGY

  “An unusual combination of true crime journalism, rock and roll reporting and underground obsessiveness, Lords of Chaos turns into one of the more fascinating reads in a long time. This unpredictable collection of interviews, histories, quotes and anecdotes stares long and hard into the dark heart of the Satanic Black Metal movement and returns with a sober analysis on the subject.

  “To their credit, Moynihan and Søderlind manage to avoid both the frequent flippancy of the mainstream media as well as the backward bending apologizing of the counter culture press. For them, the world of Black Metal offers legitimate insights into art, ethics and politics, but they never forget just how strange these people are…”

  —DAVID THOMAS, THE DENVER POST

  “A fascinating study in extremism… Lords of Chaos is the rare exception, proving of interest not just to fans of the genre, but also to any students of true crime, sociology, and cultism. This both intelligent and accessible book will definitely serve as the textbook on the black metal scene for years to come.”

  —BAY AREA MUSIC NEWS

  “Gripping stuff, a book about scary rock that is really scary.”

  —BOOKLIST

  “Long the source of rumors, wildly exaggerated stories, and misinformation, the saga of black metal has finally been been chronicled intelligently and accurately … [shows] the blood-red dividing line between the drama of antichrist superstars and the limits of human reality.”

  —BIKINI

  “A meticulously researched exposé…a fascinating read. If you thought the feuds associated with Death Row Records were a bit over-the-top, then take a glimpse into the dark corners of the metal underground.”

  —THE FACE

  “This exhaustive, near-academic look at metal’s satanic underground simultaneously traces the Devil’s ascent through rock history and provides cultural antecedents for music-related violence and paganism.”

  —ALTERNATIVE PRESS

  “Lords of Chaos is a brilliantly interwoven, if unlikely, bundle of journalistic branches—music, true-crime, occult, and subcultural anthropology. [It] benefits immeasurably from the authors’ commitment to long-term study, and the care they’ve taken to convey the contradictions and differences within the scene, demolishing the oversimplified coverage in the sensationalistic press.”

  —BRUTARIAN

  “Well-written and highly academic… A non-fiction take on the cultural, political, and social implications of a music realm gone mad… I was somewhat hesitant in picking up a book which might fall into a trap of adding to the notoriety of the sporadically violent media pariahs it portrays, but Moynihan and Søderlind don’t do them any favors.”

  —WET INK

  “Lords of Chaos is the definitive study of the Black Metal subculture, the events which issued from it, and the divergent and convergent trends which it impacted. Its value goes much further.”

  —RÛNA

  “Paints a grim picture of the infamous Norwegian death metal scene in the early ’90s… Testimonies reveal a lethal brand of childish, psychopathic obsession vastly more scary than the ponderous and deliberately offensive music scene that spawned them.”

  —BIZARRE

  “[Lords of Chaos] includes not only the sensationalistic, fiery, blood-and-guts side of the black metal story, but the elegant and passionate side as well; the life-and-death struggle by a few dedicated young people to rise above the mediocrity and complacence
that surrounded them.”

  —FLIPSIDE

  “A fascinating and deeply tragic story supported by hilarious photographs.”

  —LOADED

  “A riveting read, equal parts history, sociopolitical analysis, and true crime.”

  —SPIN

  “The most exciting book since the Old Testament…a masterwork of music history.”

  —SPEX (GERMANY)

  “Finally someone has compiled an exhaustive resource regarding the seamy and Satanic side of pop music and culture. Whatever your musical or religious outlook, this book has the facts you need to understand what’s going on in Death Metal music.”

  —BOB LARSON, RADIO & TV PERSONALITY, AUTHOR OF NUMEROUS CHRISTIAN-ORIENTED BOOKS ON SATANISM, THE OCCULT, AND CONTEMPORARY CULTURE.

  “Speaking of dark and twisted reads, Michael Moynihan and Didrik Søderlind’s Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground has everything: wacky Norwegians burning down churches to get back at Christians for stamping out Odin worship, murder, suicide, more than you ever wanted to know about the Norway vs. Sweden black-metal rivalries, and the (d)evolution from theatrical Satanic to slightly-more-serious Wotanic Nazi metal. Plenty of interviews—from the late Anton LaVey to Norwegian metal villain Varg Vikernes—make this a mighty entertaining bedtime reader.”

  —PULSE

  “With its numerous original documents and informative interviews with all the important representatives of the scene, Lords of Chaos is the first serious history of the rise of a music scene that was first marginalized as exotic and extreme, and in the end was hushed up by the press on account of its criminal element.”

  —FINANCIAL TIMES (GERMANY)

  “Lords of Chaos brings much light into a realm of darkness where previously rumors and mystical transfigurations had reigned.”

  —VISIONS (GERMANY)

  “Rev up a chainsaw. Flick on the blender and a couple of power drills. Stand directly behind an F-16, right before it blasts off into space. A jackhammer should do to set the tempo. Now get down on all fours, contort your face into the wickedest grimace you can muster, and scream until your vocal cords collapse. If all of this makes you feel just the least bit ridiculous, hit yourself in the face with a roofing hammer until you can’t laugh anymore. There now. Listen carefully. This is what Black Metal sounds like.

  “Black Metal’s ‘medieval Satanism’ is the logical fulfillment of Christianity’s worst apocalyptic fantasies, or at least the ones the media have irresponsibly legitimized. It is rebellion taken to its natural conclusion … destruction for its own sake, an adrenalized nihilism that revels in every toppled steeple. Lords of Chaos … lets the genre’s more luminous personalities speak for themselves, stringing countless first-hand interviews into a seamless chronological narrative. It’s a task few other writers could have pulled off, whether geeked-up music journalists or academic outsiders. Surprisingly balanced, exhaustingly thorough, and—lest we forget that a lot of these folks come across more like professional wrestlers than terrorists—darkly humorous, it is a comprehensive look at a phenomenon that’s rarely been scrutinized.”

  —VOR TRU

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  THIS BOOK HAS BEEN A NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE MAKING, AND IS THE RESULT of collaborations both close-at-hand and long distance. Most of the interviews with the Norwegians in the book were done in person in the fall of 1995 by myself, assisted and abetted by my co-author, Didrik Søderlind. Most were conducted in English, which should explain the occasionally awkward turn-of-phrase from some of our subjects. However, like the Scandinavians in general, their usage of English is often frighteningly superior to the average American youth of today. A few of the interviews, with Lene Bore and Snorre Ruch most notably, were done in Norwegian and translated by Didrik Søderlind. More recently in 1997 he also conducted the interviews with Asbjørn Dyrendal, Katrine Fangen, Henrik Lunde, Martin Alvsvåg, Ketil Sveen, Per Anders Nordengen, Kjetil Wiedswang, and Willy Kobbhaug.

  The remaining interviews were all conducted by myself, either by phone or mail, during the period of 1995–97. The bulk of the book was written and organized by myself, with important editorial contributions from Didrik. A few key sections of the book were written by him, specifically the material on the religious/social situation in Norway, and the current trends in political extremism there. The descriptions of the Helvete shop were also written by Didrik, much of it based on his own recollections from the period, having met and spoken with Øystein Aarseth a number of times.

  We have provided endnotes which attempt to document as many of the statements in this book as was humanly possible. The citations are as detailed as we were able to make them. We were unable to track down the exact date of a few newspaper or fanzine articles, especially the latter which were often provided to us in the form of photocopies. There is also a lengthy bibliography comprised of both general works and specifically cited works which were crucial to our effort.

  There are a multitude of friends and acquaintances who have contributed to this book in some manner, and hopefully I will have remembered them all below. My apologies to anyone who has been overlooked.

  An initial and sincere word of thanks is due to my good friend Peter Sotos, at whose suggestive encouragement many years ago I first began to investigate much of the material which later wound up documented in these pages. Likewise to editor and publisher Adam Parfrey, who supported its development into a full-length book. Beyond his aforementioned contributions, my co-author Didrik Søderlind provided assistance in too many other ways to count, as well as hospitality and generosity during my weeks in Norway. My parents also deserve thanks for their help and support of this endeavor in numerous ways. Gratitude is due to this book’s designer Sean Tejaratchi for his putting his invaluable and indelible visual stamp on the appearance of its cover and contents.

  Those who consented to be interviewed during my visit to Norway deserve special thanks: Varg Vikernes, Lene Bore, Simen Midgaard (also for permission to reprint his fine article on “Satanism in Norway”), Pål Mathiesen, Ihsahn and Samoth of Emperor, Snorre Ruch, Bård Eithun, and Metalion. Thanks are due as well to the helpful liaisons at the Ila, Ullersmo, and Tønsberg prisons.

  Sincere thanks to Elden M. for allowing me to use his interview with Abaddon of Venom; to Finn Bjørn Tønder for permission to reproduce his revealing Bergens Tidende interview with Varg Vikernes; to Kadmon for the kind permission to reprint his excellent “Oskorei” essay; to David Walsten for permission to reprint his Fantoft Stave Church photos; to Nihil for generous access to some of his vast photographic archives; likewise to Samoth, Bård Eithun, Hendrik and Wolf Möbus, Rikke Lundgreen, Metalion, Lene Bore, and Rayshele Teige for providing photographs.

  Pictures in the book have been credited to the photographer whenever possible, although some wished to remain anonymous. Uncredited illustrations are from my own archives.

  Others who were interviewed and/or provided crucial insight or information without which this book would be vastly inferior include: Anton LaVey and Blanche Barton, Hendrik Möbus, Jan Axel Blomberg, Erik and Garm of Ulver, King Diamond, M.W. Daoloth, Quorthon, Kerry Bolton, “Gungnir,” Johnny Hedlund, Dani from Cradle of Filth, Asbjørn Dyrendal (and for permission to quote at length from his incisive report “Media Constructions of ‘Satanism’ in Norway”), Willy Kobbhaug, Larry King of the Ft. Myers Sheriff ’s Dept., Henrik Lunde, and Katrine Fangen.

  Invaluable suggestions, material, or other assistance was provided by: R.N. Taylor and Karen Taylor, Tiziana Stupia, Jan Rune Bruun, David Thomas, Linn and Hugo Lundhaug, Andrea Meyer, Anne Bergestrand, Mårten Björkman, Torsten Cornils, Matt Ward, Eric Stenflo, George Petros and Steve Blush at Seconds, Robert Ward, Jim Goad, Peter Gilmore and Peggy Nadramia, Carl Abrahamsson, Josh Buckley, Donovan Ives, Pascal Schubert, Werner Linke, Paula Hogan at Fierce Records, Sophie Diamantis at Roadrunner Records, Rayshele Teige at Osmose USA, Marco Barbieri, Stephen O’Malley, Chad Hensley, Ed Balog, Neil S
ceeny, Ben Solis, Carrie Petersen, “Wolf ” of Burznazg Productions, Paul Thind and Necropolis Records, Moribund Records, and Thomas Thorn.

  Important assistance with the translation of foreign newspaper articles and texts was generously given by Henry Möller, Markus Wolff, and Eric Owens.

  Deepest gratitude is due to Cornelia Moynihan and especially Annabel Lee for taking considerable time to read and offer suggestions to the manuscript. Their thoughtful criticisms laid the basis for essential improvements in the final book.

  For suggestions and contributions that have helped to improve the new edition, we would like to thank Stephen Flowers, Max Fredriksson, Tyler Davis, Kola Krauze, Jürgen Bäuerle, Stephan Pockrandt, Timo Kölling, Timo Kötter, Thor Wanzek, Martin Kreischer, Melanie Aschenbrenner, Martin Köller, and Christoph Dzur. Didrik extends gratitude to Ike Vil and Antti Litmanen from the Babylon Whores for help with lodging in Helsinki and translation of articles, and also to Tania Stene for lodging in Trondheim.

  Last but not least, for the new edition we thank Jacob Jervell, Mattias Gardell, Michael Rothstein, Asbjørn Slettemark, Merja Hermonen, Per Bangsund, Eivind Eckbo, and Yorck Eysel for their interviews.