Windir (''Warrior'' in English language|English) was a folk metal|folkloric black metal band from Sogndal, Norway. The band combined black metal with Norwegian folk music and mythology. The band was formed in 1994, but did not release an album until 1997. Windir was a project of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Terje "Valfar" Bakken.
Windir produced four albums in their almost ten years of existence, each more complex and successful than the last. The band broke up when Valfar died of hypothermia amidst the hills of Sogndal on January 14, 2004.
Many of Windir's lyrics are written in the local dialect Sognamål.
Valfar's death
On January 14th, 2004, Terje "Valfar" Bakken went to his family's cabin at Fagereggi, Norway by foot. Seeing he had never arrived his family contacted local authorities, who organized a search party. On January 17th, Valfar's body was found at Reppastølen in the Sogndal valley. Apparently surprised by the extreme weather and deep snow, he had attempted to turn back toward home, but died from hypothermia on the way. He was buried on the 27th of January at Stedje Church in Norway. In March of 2004 Windir officially disbanded.
A compilation album containing Windir outtakes and B-Sides, ''Valfar, ein Windir'', was released in 2004 as a tribute to Valfar. On September 3rd 2004, in Oslo, Windir's remaining membe... read all
