From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Quorthon
Background information
Birth name	Ace Börje Forsberg
Born	February 17, 1966
Origin	Sweden
Died	June 7, 2004
Instrument(s)	Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drum machine
Associated acts	Bathory

Ace Thomas "Quorthon" Forsberg (February 17, 1966 – June 7, 2004) was the founder and main song writer of the pioneering Swedish black metal band Bathory. He is credited with the co-creation of Black Metal (also attributed to Venom, who coined the phrase Black Metal) and creating the genres Death Metal and Viking Metal, the latter having a more evolved and operatic style. He composed the music and wrote the lyrics on all of Bathory's albums.

Quorthon formed Bathory in 1984 when he was 18 years old. Always underfunded, his albums had a rough quality which many black metal bands would later emulate, and which would come to characterize this genre of music. He recorded in a garage, on a 4 track recorder, with mechanics working around him, and neighbours mowing their lawns, also known as Heavenshore Studios.

Quorthon also personally paid for the production of Bathory's music video for "One Rode to Asa Bay" in 1990. The video was shown on MTV's Headbanger's Ball, though he had not yet seen it at the time he was interviewed for the program.

Beginning in the 1990s, he took full control of Bathory, choosing to forego performing live in order to spend time recording music with hired musicians. He also played a bass guitar on almost all of his albums, and mostly used a drum machine or a session drummer.

In 1993 Quorthon set Bathory aside and recorded and released two albums under the name "Quorthon". First was called Album released in 1994, and Purity of Essence in 1997. The albums were more rock oriented than Bathory's black/viking metal style. While working on these albums he found new inspiration to continue composing music for Bathory.

Bathory's next albums were in a retro-thrash metal style, unlike previous releases. But in 1996 Quorthon released Blood on Ice, a concept album which he began recording in 1989 but didn't finish. Blood on Ice returns to Bathory's viking metal style. His next albums followed in that vein as did the Nordland saga. It was planned as a four-album set, but only two were finished.

He was found dead in his apartment on June 7, 2004, apparently from heart failure. [1] He was 38 years old and was known to suffer from heart problems.

His father, Börje "Boss" Forsberg, is the owner of Black Mark Productions, an independent record label that Quorthon founded.

With Bathory

• Bathory (1984)
• The Return (1985)
• Under the Sign of the Black Mark (1986)
• Blood Fire Death (1988)
• Hammerheart (1990)
• Twilight of the Gods (1991)
• Requiem (1994)
• Octagon (1995)
• Blood On Ice (1996)
• Destroyer of Worlds (2001)
• Nordland I (2002)
• Nordland II (2003)

As Quorthon

• Album (1994)
• Purity of Essence (1997)

• Ibanez Destroyer I
• Gibson electric guitars
• Gibson electric bass guitars
• Dean Markley Strings
• Jim Dunlop picks
• Marshall amps

• Bathory's official Web site
• The Label Black-Mark
• Quorthon at Encyclopaedia Metallum

Bathory
Line up
Quorthon
Former members: Freddan | Jonas Åkerlund | Vvornth | Kothaar | The Animal
Discography
Studio albums: Bathory | The Return | Under the Sign of the Black Mark | Blood Fire Death | Hammerheart | Twilight of the Gods | Requiem | Octagon | Blood On Ice | Destroyer of Worlds | Nordland I | Nordland II
Compilations: Jubileum Volume I | Jubileum Volume II | Jubileum Volume III | Katalog | In Memory of Quorthon
Bootlegs: The True Black Essence
Music videos: One Rode to Asa Bay
This box: view • talk • edit