Niklas Kvarforth

Niklas Olsson
Kvarforth in Austria, 2007
Background information
Birth name	Niklas Olsson
Also known as	Kvarforth, Wraith, Ghoul
Born	(1983-12-07) 7 December 1983 Halmstad, Sweden
Occupation(s)	Musician, author, producer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bass, keyboard
Years active	1996–present
Associated acts	Shining, Skitliv, Anaal Nathrakh, Diabolicum, Den Saakaldte, Funeral Dirge, Bethlehem, The Vision Bleak, Benighted, Taake

Niklas Olsson, known as Niklas Kvarforth, (born 7 December 1983) is a Swedish musician. He is best known as the founder, composer and vocalist of the black metal band Shining.^[1]

Background

As a multi-instrumentalist musician, Kvarforth started Shining when he was only twelve years old, in 1996. The band released their first EP, Submit to Selfdestruction two years later, on which he played guitars and bass. It was not until the band released their first album, I: Within Deep Dark Chambers that Kvarforth became the band's vocalist.

Controversies

Kvarforth is known in the scene for his extreme and sometimes violent behaviour during live performances, including fighting members of other bands, and handing out razor blades to audience members in 2007.^[2][3]

Kvarforth has also performed auto-mutilations onstage and seems to encourage the practice. He often states in interviews that he hates "everything that grows". It is unclear if his statements made to journalists are in earnest or simply to mock them. Many fans believe he generally holds journalists and reporters in contempt, and purposely mocks them. Kvarforth himself has neither affirmed nor denied this. However he consistently expresses his hatred of other people, himself, various countries and life itself, and even refers to the music he has made with Shining as "suicidal black metal".^[4]

Discography

References