Windir

Windir came out of Sogndal, Norway in the mid-1990s, essentially the solo project of Valfar (Terje Bakken). Their first album, 'Sóknardalsrímur,' arrived in 1997 with lyrics rooted in local folklore and Norse mythology. The music was black metal, but from the start it had a melodic pull that felt different from the genre's more straightforward aggression.

By the time of albums like 'Arntor' and '1184,' Windir's sound had opened up to include folk elements, creating a blend that was both harsh and strangely beautiful. Valfar's vocals could shift from a raw growl to a clear, almost plaintive singing voice on tracks like 'Arntor, Ein Windir' and 'Journey To The End.' This gave the music an atmospheric quality that went beyond typical black metal conventions.

The band's run ended in 2004 when Valfar died in a swimming accident. After that, the remaining members chose not to continue under the Windir name.