Quorthon (Thomas Börje Forsberg)

Thomas "Quorthon" Forsberg (February 17, 1966 – June 7, 2004) was the founder and main song writer of the pioneering Swedish heavy metal band Bathory. His fans considered him the father of both the black metal and viking metal genres, the latter having a more evolved and operatic style. He composed the music and wrote the lyrics on all of Bathory's albums. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (440x602, 44 KB) Licensing This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company or organization to promote their work or product in the media, such as advertising material or a promotional photo in a press kit. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (440x602, 44 KB) Licensing This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company or organization to promote their work or product in the media, such as advertising material or a promotional photo in a press kit. ... February 17 is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that emerged as a defined musical style in the 1970s, having its roots in hard rock bands which, between 1967 and 1974, mixed blues and rock to create a hybrid with a thick, heavy, guitar-and-drums-centered sound, characterised by the... Bathory was a Swedish heavy metal band, and is regarded as one of the forefathers of the black metal and viking metal genres. ... Black metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal, which properly started in the early 1990s, though its inspirations were formed in the early 1980s. ... Viking Metal is a cross-genre reference usually used to describe the lyrical and thematic elements of bands rather than the music itself. ... An album is a collection of related audio tracks, released together commercially in an audio format to the public. ...

Quorthon formed Bathory in 1984 when he was 18 years old. Always underfunded, the quality of the albums was rough and eventually created a style that many bands would later emulate. In fact, he personally paid for the production of Bathory's music video for "One Rode to Asa Bay" in 1990. The video was shown on MTV's Headbanger's Ball, though he had not yet seen it at the time he was interviewed for the program. A music video (also promo) is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Original logo of The Ball. ...

Beginning in the 1990s, he took full control of Bathory, choosing to forego performing live in order to spend time recording music with hired musicians. He also played a bass guitar on almost all of his albums, and mostly used a drum machine or a session drummer.

In 1993 Quorthon set Bathory aside and recorded and released two albums under the name "Quorthon". First was called Album released in 1994, and Purity of Essence in 1997. The albums were more rock oriented than Bathory's black/viking metal style. While working on these albums he found new inspiration to continue composing music for Bathory. Album is the name of 1994 music album by Quorthon. ... Purity of Essence is the second and last album released by Quorthon under his name. ... Rock is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars, a bass guitar, and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as keyboards (organ, piano synthesizers) and horns (saxophone, trumpet, trombone) are common in some styles, however, horns have been omitted from newer subgenres...

Bathory's next albums were in a retro-thrash metal style, unlike previous releases. But in 1996 Quorthon released Blood on Ice a concept album which he recorded in 1989 but didn't release because he thought that it was unfinished. Blood on Ice returns to Bathory's viking metal style. His next albums followed in that vein as did the Nordland saga. It was planed as a four-album set, but only two were finished. Blood on Ice is a concept album by the Swedish band Bathory. ...

He was found dead in his apartment on June 7, 2004, apparently from heart failure. He was 39 years old and was known to suffer from heart problems. June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

His father, Börje "Boss" Forsberg, is the owner of Black Mark Productions, an independent record label that Quorthon founded. Black Mark Productions is a independent record label based in Sweden that specializes in extreme metal releases and was founded by Quorthon, who was best known as the leader of Bathory until his untimely death in 2004. ... An independent record label is variously described as a record label operating without the funding (or outside the organizations) of the major record labels, and/or a label that subscribes to indie philosophies such as DIY and anti-corporate art. ...

Discography

With Bathory Bathory was a Swedish heavy metal band, and is regarded as one of the forefathers of the black metal and viking metal genres. ...

• Bathory (1984)
• The Return (1985)
• Under the Sign of the Black Mark (1986)
• Blood Fire Death (1988)
• Hammerheart (1990)
• Twilight of the Gods (1991)
• Requiem (1994)
• Octagon (1995)
• Blood On Ice (1996)
• Destroyer of Worlds (2001)
• Nordland I (2002)
• Nordland II (2003)

As Quorthon Bathory was the first album by Bathory 1. ... The Return is the second album by Bathory. ... Released 1987, out of the four Black-Metal acts Bathory did this was the third. ... Blood Fire Death was the fourth album from Bathory, it is often viewed as the beginning of the Viking Metal genre and considered by many fans to be Bathorys finest work. ... Hammerheart was the fifth album from Bathory Track listing 1. ... Twilight of the Gods is the sixth album by Bathory. ... Requiem is the seventh album by Bathory. ... Octagon is an album by Bathory. ... Blood on Ice is a concept album by the Swedish band Bathory. ... Destroyer of Worlds is the tenth full-length album release by Bathory. ... Nordland 1 is an album by Bathory. ... Nordland 2 is an album by Bathory. ...

• Album (1994)
• Purity of Essence (1997)

Album is the name of 1994 music album by Quorthon. ... Purity of Essence is the second and last album released by Quorthon under his name. ...

Equipment

• Gibson electric guitars
• Gibson electric bass guitars
• Dean Markley Strings
• Jim Dunlop picks
• Marshall amps

Gibson Guitar Corporation is one of the worlds best-known manufacturers of acoustic and electric guitars. ... Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc. ... The Marshall Logo Marshall Amplification is a British company which designs and manufactures electric guitar amplifiers. ...

External links

• Bathory's official Web site
• The Label Black-Mark
• Quorthon at Encyclopaedia Metallum