Steinar Sverd Johnsen is a

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe *Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway *Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including the ...

keyboardist A keyboardist or keyboard player is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instr ...

and composer, born 1972. Sverd plays keyboards and synthesizers in

Arcturus , - bgcolor="#FFFAFA" , Note (category: variability): , , H and K emission vary. Arcturus is the brightest star in the northern constellation of Boötes. With an apparent visual magnitude of −0.05, it is the third-brightest of th ...

and was also the main composer for the band. He formed the band with

Jan Axel Blomberg Jan Axel Blomberg (born 2 August 1969) is a Norwegian heavy metal drummer known professionally as Hellhammer. He is best known as the drummer of Mayhem, which he joined in 1988. In 1987 Blomberg formed the avant-garde black metal band Arcturu ...

(also known as Hellhammer) of

Mayhem Mayhem most commonly refers to: * Mayhem (crime), a type of crime Mayhem may also refer to: People * Monica Mayhem (born 1978), Australian pornographic actress * Jason "Mayhem" Miller, American mixed martial arts fighter * Mayhem Miller (dra ...

in 1987, originally under the moniker Mortem (where he played guitar). The band split up in April 2007, but reformed in 2011. In 1998, Sverd was recruited by the band,

The Kovenant The Kovenant is a Norwegian industrial metal band from Hamar. The band originally formed as a symphonic black metal act known as Covenant in 1993, but in 1999 were forced to change their name to The Kovenant due to a dispute with a Swedish elec ...

, known at the time as Covenant, along with Hellhammer. After the release of the album ''

Nexus Polaris NEXUS is a joint Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection-operated Trusted Traveler and expedited border control program designed for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. Members of the program can avoid waits at borde ...

'', Sverd and the band parted ways. Sverd has also been a guest on a few releases by prominent Norwegian

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 ...

bands,

Ulver Ulver (Norwegian for "wolves") is a Norwegian experimental electronica band founded in 1993, by vocalist Kristoffer Rygg. Their early works, such as debut album '' Bergtatt'', were categorised as folklore-influenced black metal, but the band h ...

and

Satyricon The ''Satyricon'', ''Satyricon'' ''liber'' (''The Book of Satyrlike Adventures''), or ''Satyrica'', is a Latin work of fiction believed to have been written by Gaius Petronius, though the manuscript tradition identifies the author as Titus Petro ...

Discography

With Mortem

* ''Slow Death'' (demo, 1989) * ''Slow Death'' (EP, 1990)

With Arcturus

*''Promo 90'' (Demo, 1990) *''My Angel'' (EP, 1991) *''Constellation (EP, 1994) *''

Aspera Hiems Symfonia ''Aspera Hiems Symfonia'' (Latin for ''"Harsh Winter Symphony"'') is the debut studio album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. ''Aspera'' is the only album Arcturus released to showcase a melodic black metal sound, though it stil ...

'' (full-length, 1995) *''

La Masquerade Infernale ''La Masquerade Infernale'' (Misspelled French for ''The Infernal Masquerade''. The correct spelling would be ''La Mascarade Infernale''.) is the second studio album by Arcturus. Released by Misanthropy Records in 1997, the album marks a drastic ...

'' (full-length, 1997) *''

Disguised Masters ''Disguised Masters'' is a compilation album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. The album has two new songs: "White Tie Black Noise" and "Deception Genesis". Other tracks are re-mixed versions of songs from '' La Masquerade Inferna ...

'' (compilation, 1999) *''

Aspera Hiems Symfonia/Constellation/My Angel ''Aspera Hiems Symfonia'' (Latin for ''"Harsh Winter Symphony"'') is the debut studio album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. ''Aspera'' is the only album Arcturus released to showcase a melodic black metal sound, though it stil ...

'' (compilation, 2001) *''

The Sham Mirrors ''The Sham Mirrors'' is the third studio album by Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. It was released on April 9, 2002. ''The Sham Mirrors'' is a departure from the band's previous albums, featuring a much more modern, space-influenced ...

'' (full-length, 2002) *''

Sideshow Symphonies ''Sideshow Symphonies'' is the fourth studio album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. It was released on 19 September 2005. It is the first to feature Simen "ICS Vortex" Hestnæs as the principal vocalist and Tore Moren as second ...

'' (full-length, 2005) *''

Shipwrecked in Oslo ''Shipwrecked In Oslo'' is the first DVD release by Arcturus. It was released on August 21, 2006 by Season Of Mist. The DVD includes footage of the band's 15 song performance at the Rockefeller Music Hall during the Sonic Solstice Festival in O ...

'' (live film, 2006) *'' Arcturian'' (full-length 2015)

With Covenant

*''

'' (full-length, 1998)

As a session musician

- ''

The Shadowthrone ''The Shadowthrone'' is the second studio album by the Norwegian black metal band Satyricon. It was released on September 12, 1994, by Moonfog Productions. A newly remastered version was released on May 28, 2021 with different artwork. Style The ...

'' (full-length, 1994) (credited as S.S.) *

Ved Buens Ende Ved Buens Ende is a Norway, Norwegian avant-garde metal band. Their sound is diverse with quiet instrumental jazz influenced sections and aggressive black metal blast beats and vocals. Ved Buens Ende means "By the end of the bow" referring to th ...

- '' ...Coiled in Obscurity'' (compilation, 1995)

As a guest musician

- '' Bergtatt - Et Eeventyr i 5 Capitler'' (full-length, 1995) *

Fleurety Fleurety is a Norwegian avant-garde metal band. The band was formed in 1991 by Svein Egil Hatlevik and Alexander Nordgaren. History The band released their first demo, ''Black Snow'' in 1993. After that came the 7-inch EP ''A Darker Shade of Evi ...

- ''

Department of Apocalyptic Affairs ''Department of Apocalyptic Affairs'' is the second album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Fleurety. Style The album shows Fleurety moving away from black metal to get into a more avant-garde and experimental sound, adding trip hop, el ...

'' - (full-length, 2000)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnsen, Steinar Sverd 1972 births Living people Heavy metal keyboardists Norwegian black metal musicians Norwegian rock keyboardists Rock pianists Place of birth missing (living people) Arcturus (band) members The Kovenant members 21st-century pianists