Niklas Olsson (born 7 December 1983), better known as Niklas Kvarforth, is a Swedish singer and songwriter. He is the founder, composer, and vocalist of the
black metal
Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...
band
Shining.
Background
As a multi-instrumentalist musician, Kvarforth started Shining when he was only 12 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, ''
Within Deep Dark Chambers
''Within Deep Dark Chambers'' is the first album by the Swedish band Shining. It was originally released by Selbstmord Services, in 2000. At first, it was a black LP limited to 500 copies.
Track listing
Personnel
* Niklas Kvarforth - vocals ...
'', 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. Kvarforth has also been accused of assaulting and threatening audience members in 2017.
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 publicly, but consistently expresses his hatred of other people, himself, various countries, and life itself.
Discography
Kvarforth performing in 2011
With Shining
* ''
Within Deep Dark Chambers
''Within Deep Dark Chambers'' is the first album by the Swedish band Shining. It was originally released by Selbstmord Services, in 2000. At first, it was a black LP limited to 500 copies.
Track listing
Personnel
* Niklas Kvarforth - vocals ...
'' (2000)
* ''
Livets ändhållplats
''Livets ändhållplats'' is the second album by Shining. It was released originally on Selbstmord Services, in 2001 on white splatter vinyl limited to 555 copies.
Several re-issues exist:
*Reissue in 2003 by Avantgarde Music
*Reissue in 2004 b ...
'' (2001)
* ''III:
Angst, självdestruktivitetens emissarie'' (2002)
* ''IV:
The Eerie Cold
''The Eerie Cold'' is the fourth album by Shining. It was released on Avantgarde Music in 2005. A black LP version was released, limited to 500 copies. This album was originally intended to be the band's last.
The end of "Claws of Perdition" i ...
'' (2005)
* ''V:
Halmstad'' (2007)
* ''VI:
Klagopsalmer ''(2009)
* ''VII:
Född förlorare
''Född förlorare'' (''Born Loser'') is the seventh album by Shining, released by Spinefarm Records on 25 May 2011. "Tillsammans är vi allt" includes Håkan Hemlin of Nordman on clean vocals, while Erik Danielsson of Watain appears on "Tiden là ...
'' (2011)
* ''
Redefining Darkness
Redefining Darkness is the eighth studio album by the Swedish black metal band Shining. It was released through Spinefarm Records on 29 October 2012.
The album is dedicated to the memory of Trond Bråthen (a.k.a. "Trondr Nefas").
Track listi ...
'' (2012)
* ''IX: Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends'' (2015)
* '' X: Varg Utan Flock'' (2018)
With Skitliv
* ''Amfetamin (MCD)'' (2008)
* ''Skandinavisk Misantropi'' (2009)
With Diabolicum
* ''Hail Terror'' (2005)
With Den Saakaldte
* ''
Øl, mørke og depresjon
''Øl, mørke og depresjon'' ''(Beer, Darkness and Depression)'' is the first album by Norwegian black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily d ...
'' (2008)
* ''All Hail Pessimism'' (2009)
With Funeral Dirge
* ''The Silence Ebony'' (1999)
With Bethlehem
* ''A Sacrificial Offering to the Kingdom of Heaven in a Cracked Dog's Ear'' (2009)
* ''Stönkfitzchen'' (2010)
With Manes
* ''Solve et Coagula'' (2009)
With The Sarcophagus
* ''Towards the Eternal Chaos'' (2009)
With Anaal Nathrakh
* ''Desideratum'' (2014)
With The Vision Bleak
* ''
Set Sail to Mystery
''Set Sail to Mystery'' is the fourth studio album by German gothic metal band The Vision Bleak, released on 2 April 2010 through Prophecy Productions. A digipak edition containing seven bonus tracks was also released. It counted with a guest app ...
'' (2010)
With Behemoth
* ''A Forest'' (2020)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kvarforth, Niklas
Living people
Swedish heavy metal singers
1983 births
Swedish expatriates in Norway
Swedish expatriates in Finland
Singers from Halmstad
Songwriters from Halmstad
21st-century Swedish singers