One of the greatest/most infamous and fascinating stories from the Black Metal Scandinavian metal scene from the ’90s was that of Count Grishnackh from the group Burzum.
Perhaps like a counterpart to the hardcore gangsta rappers of the day, the Norwegian version of death metal was so hellbent on its severity and sincerity (like keepin’ it real), that it begat the new, more hardcore genre of known as doom or black metal (take your pick, there were many incarnations) that believed in practicing what they preached. In this case, they played and preached Satantic music, so members of these various bands started to wear cloaks and ultra-goth creepy make-up (also inadvertently hilarious), kill cats, sport upside down crosses in their households, hold seances, burn-down churches and would generally behave in other types of ridiculously juvenile and subversive, often illegal behavior (though perhaps naming yourself Count Grishnackh with a straight-face may have been his greatest crime).
None kept it more real than Count Grishnackh (née Varg Vikernes ), who took the whole death metal thing so ludicrously seriously, he actually stabbed and murdered Øystein Aarseth (aka ‘Euronymous’) of a rival group called Mayhem, for reasons that are somewhat unclear (either Satanic leadership rivalries, a girl and or a pre-emptive strike-first attack on what allegedly was a murder plan on the good ol’ Count himself).
All of this intriguing nonsense, was expertly recounted in Michael Moynihan and Didrik Soderlind’s book, “Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satantic Metal Underground,” which is now becoming a feature film (of course, the material is too fucking rich). This news is coincidentally perfectly timed, because as of March 10, 2009, Vikernes was released on parole having served 16 years of a 21-year prison sentence (there’s before and after pictures above, guess which ones are which).
Even more amusing is the news that Jackson Rathbone, a teen heartthrob from “Twilight,” has agreed to play the role of Grishnackh (who wouldn’t though, that’s the role of a lifetime). Japanese director Sion Sono (the controversial director behind “Suicide Club“) is directing the film that starts shooting in Norway in mid-September according to metal site Blabbermouth. Apparently it’s going to be a youth story that’s also a “psychological horror” as well.
Even more awesome, in a 2004 statement posted on the Burzum.org web site, Vikernes slammed the “Lord Of Chaos” book as “a pool of mud.” LOL. This will be all kinds of entertainment. We can’t wait to see it. Even if it’s hilariously bad, it will likely be hilariously good. Thanks to Russ at Chud for the head’s up. This is the best news of the day.
