Who Were Bathory? Quorthon and the Roots of Black Metal

Few bands changed extreme metal as much as Bathory. Here is a short look at where the band came from, the records that made its name, and the man behind it all.

How did Bathory start?

Bathory formed in Vällingby, a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden, in March 1983. The name comes from the Hungarian countess Elizabeth Báthory. Its leader was Quorthon, born Thomas Börje Forsberg in 1966, and he was the only member who stayed from start to finish. At times he played every instrument himself.

Why do fans call it a black metal pioneer?

The first four albums, Bathory (1984), The Return...... (1985), Under the Sign of the Black Mark (1987) and Blood Fire Death (1988), have been called the blueprint for Scandinavian black metal. Raw, fast and dark, they inspired a whole generation of bands. In 2013 Decibel named Under the Sign of the Black Mark the greatest black metal album of all time.

Where does Viking metal come in?

Blood Fire Death already held some of the first Viking metal. Hammerheart (1990) and Twilight of the Gods (1991) went all the way, with slower, epic songs about the old Nordic world. They are still seen as cornerstones of the style.

What came after?

Bathory kept going with Requiem (1994), Octagon (1995), Blood on Ice (1996), Destroyer of Worlds (2001) and the two Nordland albums (2002 and 2003): twelve studio albums in all.

Remembering Quorthon

Quorthon died of a heart condition in Stockholm in June 2004, and Bathory ended with him. His records are still the starting point for many fans of extreme metal.

Why the merch?

Wearing the goat or an album cover is a simple way to keep the music close. Find your piece in the Bathory collection.