A Sad Day for Metal

[Rider of Theli]

A sad day indeed... (paraphrased from Blabbermouth.net)

BATHORY mastermind Thomas "Quorthon" Forsberg was found dead in his apartment in Stockholm, Sweden on Monday, June 7, informed sources have told BLABBERMOUTH.NET. The 39-year-old son of Black Mark Records owner Börje Forsberg, widely considered to be one of black metal's founding fathers, died of an apparent heart failure. Forsberg was known to have been battling heart problems for years.

Legendary video director and founding BATHORY member Jonas Åkerlund has spoken to Sweden's Expressen newspaper about the passing of "Quorthon"...

"It's so sad. He had much more to offer," Åkerlund said.

Jonas, who formed the band with Forsberg in the early '80s, went on to have a successful video-directing career, having worked with the likes of METALLICA, PRODIGY, MADONNA and U2.

"[BATHORY came onto the scene] extremely early," Åkerlund said. "People like Marilyn Manson, Billy Corgan and the members of METALLICA have all come up to me and have told me that they listened to BATHORY."

According to Åkerlund, it was Thomas Forsberg's creativity that made the band such an influence on so many younger metal acts.

"[Quorthon] had a high cult status," Jonas said. "He wasn't interested in attention, he just wanted to play his music."

 

[Rider of Theli]

*raises frosty frothing mug to Quorthon's memory*

"When the wind cries out my name
And time has come for me to die
Then wrap me in my cape
And lay my sword down at my side

Then place me on a ship of Oak
And let it drift with tide
Let the flames purify my soul
On its way to hall up high"

from 'Shores in Flames

"Northern winds, take my song up high,
To the Hall of glory in the sky.
So its gates shall greet me open wide,
When my time has come to die."

from 'Song to Hall Up High'


Odin guide your son home and watch over him that he may he rest in eternal peace.

~Hoyt.

 

[Snowmaker]

Who?

 

[Bryant]

I was never big into Bathory, but it is ashamed to see an artist die at a fairly young age. A toast to his memory and my condolences to his family friends and fans.


Bryant

 

[Rider of Theli]

Who?

...only the founding father of Scandinavian Black Metal. Quorthon led the way for bands such as Venom, Mercyful Fate, and many more (...information I've taken from many articles I've read before and after Quorthon's death - I guess it's all a matter of opinion). And many of today's acts also recognize his contributions to black metal - Amon Amarth, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Finntroll, Children of Bodom, et. al.

But to be honest, I was only ever into his work from the latter years of Bathory - the Viking Metal Years.

Great, atmospheric, epic viking metal.

 

[Fangface]

A huge loss for Metal indeed. RIP

But Bathory didn't lead the way for Venom and Mercyful Fate, as they were around years before Bathory.

 

[gringalet]

Yes, I thought that Quorthon was actually influenced by Venom etc. But anyway, a terrible waste if it is true.

 

[Fangface]

He said in a past interview that he didn't know Venom when he started Bathory, his main influence was Motörhead at the time.


Anyway, it is confirmed by the official website now