Einherjer
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Haugesund , Norway |
| Products | Viking metal music |
Einherjer is a Viking metal ensemble originating from Haugesund, Norway, established in 1993. Their discography fuses folk elements with classic symphonic black metal, incorporating lyrics inspired by Norse mythology. Each release is crafted around a unique conceptual theme. The group ceased activities in early 2004 following the December 2003 release of Blot, but subsequently regrouped.
In December 2004, the final lineup of Einherjer, featuring founding members Frode Glesnes and Gerhard Storesund, launched the thrash metal project Battered alongside bassist Ole Moldesæther.
By September 2008, Einherjer declared their comeback for a series of European performances in 2009, including appearances at the Ragnarök, Kaltenbach, and Wacken festivals. They entered into a contract with Indie Recordings in December 2010 and unveiled Norrøn in September 2011, marking their first studio album after an eight-year interval. Since then, they have produced three additional albums, with the most recent, North Star, released on February 26, 2021.
Name
The band's title is drawn from Norse lore; Einherjar denotes warriors who have fallen in battle and are chosen by Odin to reside in Valhalla.
Battered
Following their 2004 reformation as "Battered," this thrash outfit included Glesnes, Storesund, and Herløe. In 2005, vocalist Siggy Olaisen joined their ranks. Battered produced one demo titled ...Beyond Recognition and a self-titled album—issued on February 27, 2006, in Norway and April 4 in the United States—before disbanding.
Current lineup
- Frode Glesnes (formerly Grimar) – vocals, guitar, bass (1993–2004, 2008–present)
- Gerhard Storesund (formerly Ulvar) – drums, keyboards (1993–2004, 2008–present)
- Ole Sønstabø – lead guitar (2016–present)
- Tom Enge – guitar, backing vocals (2020–present)
Former members
- Aksel Herløe – guitar (1999–2004, 2008–2020)
- Rune Bjelland (formerly Nidhogg) – vocals (1993–1997)
- Audun Wold (formerly Thonar) – bass, keyboards, guitar (1993–1997)
- Stein Sund – bass (1995–1997)
- Ragnar Vikse – vocals (1997–2002)
- Erik Elden – bass (1998)
Session and touring musicians
- Tchort – bass (1998–1999)
- Stein Sund – bass (1999)
- Jon Lind – bass (2000–2001)
- V'Gandr – bass (2001)
- Kjell Håvardsholm – bass (2002)
- Sigve Husebø – bass (2003)
- Eirik Svendsbø – backing vocals, bass (2008–2014)
Battered band members
- Sigurd "Siggy" Olaisen – lead vocals (Headblock)
- Frode Glesnes – guitar, vocals (Einherjer)
- Aksel Herløe – guitar (ex-Einherjer)
- Gerhard Storesund – drums (Einherjer)
- Ole Moldesæther – bass (Headblock)
Studio albums
- Dragons of the North (1996)
- Odin Owns Ye All (1998)
- Norwegian Native Art (2000)
- Blot (2003)
- Norrøn (2011)
- Av Oss For Oss (2014)
- Dragons of the North XX (2016)
- Norrøne Spor (2018)
- North Star (2021)
EPs
- Leve Vikingånden (1995)
- Aurora Borealis (1996)
- Far Far North (1997)
Compilation records
- Aurora Borealis / Leve vikingånden (2013)
Demo recordings
- Aurora Borealis (1994)
- ...Beyond Recognition (Battered) 2004