Peter Beste
Back in the 1990s headlines were grabbed by the very brutal murder of metal star Euronymous, thought by some as the godfather of black metal, by one of his contemporaries. Like any deep-rooted infection, the black metal scene had festered underground, throbbing against Norways balanced society, for nigh on a decade before it erupted in a blitz of arson attacks and death. The focus of the Norwegian Black Metal scene is more than just music. In the 90s, the inner circle of self-proclaimed Satanists aim was to rid the country of Christianity, returning it to what they believed was the rightful way - ancient Viking beliefs and rituals, reinstating the Old Norse language.
They took upon terrorizing their local communities and eventually turning on each other. Over twenty churches were burnt, most famously Fantoft Church, a much loved medieval wooden chapel. Varg Vikernes (also known as Count Grisnackh) ceremoniously set fire to it and used a photo of the ashen remains as an album cover for his band Burzum, emphasizing his lack of regret and celebrating in the destruction he had caused.
Black Metal fans revered the main protagonists of the scene (from bands such as Satyricon, Gorgoroth, Darkthrone, Mayhem and Emporer) and followed them as would a revolutionary army. Murder, arson and suicide ensued. Mayhem's singer progressed from self-mutilation, wearing insect infested clothes and playing with dead animals on stage to blasting himself in the head with a shotgun. His suicide note simply read 'Excuse all the blood'. Fellow band member Euronymous found the body, refrained from calling the police until he had popped out, purchased a camera and photographed the body for a future album cover. Rumour has it that he then made a stew from Euronymous's brain and dished out fragments of his skull to an inner circle of fans.
Further episodes of violence followed, including Emporer's drummer Faust murdering a man who propositioned him and more arson attacks on church buildings. The ongoing drama escalated into a bloody climax in 1993. After a conflict of priority, Satanism vs. Norse ethnicity, and record label squabbles, Vikernes decided that Euronymous needed to be removed in order to ensure the Black Circle's success. Driving halfway across the country he arrived at Euronymous's house and began a staged confrontation about record label profits. As Euronymous turned to exit the conversation Vikernes stabbed him in the back and head twenty three times, chasing him as he attempted to escape. Later that day at the Voices of Wonder record label's office he triumphantly announced that Euronymous was no longer in charge of the Black Circle.
Not only did this extreme episode crush many of the tight relationships within the Black Circle and result in a lengthy jail sentence for Vikernes, the publicity ironically also ignited an upsurge of black metal in Norway, surrounding European countries and the US. Brooklyn based photographer Peter Beste has spent over three years infiltrating the Norwegian black metal scene, capturing the strongest characters and fans in full force. His is the most comprehensive photo documentation of this subculture. Following his month long exhibition at London's Horse Hospital earlier this year, he is back in Norway finishing this project.
BRIT: What was it that drew you to documenting this specific subculture?
I have been intrigued by black metal for many years. Though I grew up on metal, my interest wasn't sparked because I was a black metal fan, but rather, a fascinated voyeur. I was very interested by the black metal mystique, atmosphere, the colourful characters, and the cultural significance i.e. Norse Mythology/Pagan Gods.
BRIT: How did you approach the band members with your idea?
I started doing research on-line and tried to contact the bands directly. That worked with some, but with others, I had to go through labels and promoters. Some of them were sceptical of an American who they didn't know coming to their scene to 'observe', but after my first visit I had work to show, and most doubts were alleviated.
BRIT: Knowing the level of violence these people were capable of where you ever fearful for your safety when in their company?
Not really. I just spent a weekend in the ghetto of Houston, Texas photographing late 80s - early 90s gangster rappers. That was scarier than spike wearing, upside down cross wearing church burners. I found most of the Norwegians to be extremely soft spoken and kind. I spent the evening tonight with the former drummer of Emperor who served nine years for murder. He was very polite, intelligent, and gentle.
BRIT: What part to women play in the scene? They don't feature in your photographs is this purposeful?
Their part in the scene is practically non-existent. This weekend I will photograph the first female I've met in my 5 trips to Norway who plays in a black metal band. I'm not sure how to portray her. Some of the black metal guys are vocal about their misogynistic views and
others are indifferent. Also, 80% of Black metal fans are male.
BRIT: You are in Norway now is that for the Black Metal project or something else?
I am here working on the project and doing a few specific assignments. I should need maybe one more trip to finish my project.
BRIT: How do you decide a project is finished?
Good question. Im not really sure. I have most of the people that I need for a complete story on black metal, and I have tons of work. Now I need to start looking for an US/European publisher and see what they think!
BRIT: What does the Norwegian public think of the scene?
Black metal is equated with church burning by many because in the early 90s when the churches burned, the media exaggerated these crimes so the public thought that all heavy metal fans were responsible, when in reality, it was 5 or 6 people. The younger generation thinks it is kind of humorous I think. Many of them went to school with Black metal fans or musicians, and thought they were nerds.
BRIT: Did you spend much time with your subjects out of their corpse paint?
Yes, they were usually in street clothes. Of the bands that wear corpse paint, they only wear it on stage or for some photo shoots. I have spent a good deal of time with these guys in their day-to-day lives at their homes, the bar, on the street etc.
BRIT: How much of the scene do you think is theatre these days and how much is genuine belief?
I think it is genuine belief that is just animated or brought to life with theatre. Of course there are followers in the scene, but most of them are very serious about their beliefs.
BRIT: Your photographs are taken in various venues, were most of them pre-arranged or are there many candid moments?
They were pretty much all candid. Some of the locations were of course planned, but each shot was spontaneous. I wasn't thinking, "I need more upside down crosses" or "We need more mountains and fjords for this band."
BRIT: Have you specifically been asked to come and shoot bands?
Yes. That is the reason I am here this time. I am here shooting pictures for Enslaved and Vreid's albums. Vreid is the new band made up of the surviving members of Windir.
BRIT: Are these for the bands own promotional material? Album covers etc?
Yes. These are for the bands' album art, but may be used for my personal project as well.
BRIT: Whats next on your agenda?
I'll be photographing more of the old Houston rappers as I mentioned earlier, and I will be spending this October in London working on a project that hasn't been completely defined yet. See you there.
www.peterbeste.com
Back in the 1990s headlines were grabbed by the very brutal murder of metal star Euronymous, thought by some as the godfather of black metal, by one of his contemporaries. Like any deep-rooted infection, the black metal scene had festered underground, throbbing against Norways balanced society, for nigh on a decade before it erupted in a blitz of arson attacks and death. The focus of the Norwegian Black Metal scene is more than just music. In the 90s, the inner circle of self-proclaimed Satanists aim was to rid the country of Christianity, returning it to what they believed was the rightful way - ancient Viking beliefs and rituals, reinstating the Old Norse language.
They took upon terrorizing their local communities and eventually turning on each other. Over twenty churches were burnt, most famously Fantoft Church, a much loved medieval wooden chapel. Varg Vikernes (also known as Count Grisnackh) ceremoniously set fire to it and used a photo of the ashen remains as an album cover for his band Burzum, emphasizing his lack of regret and celebrating in the destruction he had caused.
Black Metal fans revered the main protagonists of the scene (from bands such as Satyricon, Gorgoroth, Darkthrone, Mayhem and Emporer) and followed them as would a revolutionary army. Murder, arson and suicide ensued. Mayhem's singer progressed from self-mutilation, wearing insect infested clothes and playing with dead animals on stage to blasting himself in the head with a shotgun. His suicide note simply read 'Excuse all the blood'. Fellow band member Euronymous found the body, refrained from calling the police until he had popped out, purchased a camera and photographed the body for a future album cover. Rumour has it that he then made a stew from Euronymous's brain and dished out fragments of his skull to an inner circle of fans.
Further episodes of violence followed, including Emporer's drummer Faust murdering a man who propositioned him and more arson attacks on church buildings. The ongoing drama escalated into a bloody climax in 1993. After a conflict of priority, Satanism vs. Norse ethnicity, and record label squabbles, Vikernes decided that Euronymous needed to be removed in order to ensure the Black Circle's success. Driving halfway across the country he arrived at Euronymous's house and began a staged confrontation about record label profits. As Euronymous turned to exit the conversation Vikernes stabbed him in the back and head twenty three times, chasing him as he attempted to escape. Later that day at the Voices of Wonder record label's office he triumphantly announced that Euronymous was no longer in charge of the Black Circle.
Not only did this extreme episode crush many of the tight relationships within the Black Circle and result in a lengthy jail sentence for Vikernes, the publicity ironically also ignited an upsurge of black metal in Norway, surrounding European countries and the US. Brooklyn based photographer Peter Beste has spent over three years infiltrating the Norwegian black metal scene, capturing the strongest characters and fans in full force. His is the most comprehensive photo documentation of this subculture. Following his month long exhibition at London's Horse Hospital earlier this year, he is back in Norway finishing this project.
BRIT: What was it that drew you to documenting this specific subculture?
I have been intrigued by black metal for many years. Though I grew up on metal, my interest wasn't sparked because I was a black metal fan, but rather, a fascinated voyeur. I was very interested by the black metal mystique, atmosphere, the colourful characters, and the cultural significance i.e. Norse Mythology/Pagan Gods.
BRIT: How did you approach the band members with your idea?
I started doing research on-line and tried to contact the bands directly. That worked with some, but with others, I had to go through labels and promoters. Some of them were sceptical of an American who they didn't know coming to their scene to 'observe', but after my first visit I had work to show, and most doubts were alleviated.
BRIT: Knowing the level of violence these people were capable of where you ever fearful for your safety when in their company?
Not really. I just spent a weekend in the ghetto of Houston, Texas photographing late 80s - early 90s gangster rappers. That was scarier than spike wearing, upside down cross wearing church burners. I found most of the Norwegians to be extremely soft spoken and kind. I spent the evening tonight with the former drummer of Emperor who served nine years for murder. He was very polite, intelligent, and gentle.
BRIT: What part to women play in the scene? They don't feature in your photographs is this purposeful?
Their part in the scene is practically non-existent. This weekend I will photograph the first female I've met in my 5 trips to Norway who plays in a black metal band. I'm not sure how to portray her. Some of the black metal guys are vocal about their misogynistic views and
others are indifferent. Also, 80% of Black metal fans are male.
BRIT: You are in Norway now is that for the Black Metal project or something else?
I am here working on the project and doing a few specific assignments. I should need maybe one more trip to finish my project.
BRIT: How do you decide a project is finished?
Good question. Im not really sure. I have most of the people that I need for a complete story on black metal, and I have tons of work. Now I need to start looking for an US/European publisher and see what they think!
BRIT: What does the Norwegian public think of the scene?
Black metal is equated with church burning by many because in the early 90s when the churches burned, the media exaggerated these crimes so the public thought that all heavy metal fans were responsible, when in reality, it was 5 or 6 people. The younger generation thinks it is kind of humorous I think. Many of them went to school with Black metal fans or musicians, and thought they were nerds.
BRIT: Did you spend much time with your subjects out of their corpse paint?
Yes, they were usually in street clothes. Of the bands that wear corpse paint, they only wear it on stage or for some photo shoots. I have spent a good deal of time with these guys in their day-to-day lives at their homes, the bar, on the street etc.
BRIT: How much of the scene do you think is theatre these days and how much is genuine belief?
I think it is genuine belief that is just animated or brought to life with theatre. Of course there are followers in the scene, but most of them are very serious about their beliefs.
BRIT: Your photographs are taken in various venues, were most of them pre-arranged or are there many candid moments?
They were pretty much all candid. Some of the locations were of course planned, but each shot was spontaneous. I wasn't thinking, "I need more upside down crosses" or "We need more mountains and fjords for this band."
BRIT: Have you specifically been asked to come and shoot bands?
Yes. That is the reason I am here this time. I am here shooting pictures for Enslaved and Vreid's albums. Vreid is the new band made up of the surviving members of Windir.
BRIT: Are these for the bands own promotional material? Album covers etc?
Yes. These are for the bands' album art, but may be used for my personal project as well.
BRIT: Whats next on your agenda?
I'll be photographing more of the old Houston rappers as I mentioned earlier, and I will be spending this October in London working on a project that hasn't been completely defined yet. See you there.
www.peterbeste.com
VIEW 11 of 11 COMMENTS
I've been told of a book documenting the black metal scene I've meant to read for quite a while. thanks for the reminder.