Bio

Varg Vikernes was born on February 11, 1973, near Bergen, Norway. He grew up in a family with a strong educational background. His father was an electronics engineer who eventually left the family when Varg was about 12 years old. His mother, Lene Bore, worked for a large oil company, and his older brother became a civil engineer.

When Varg was about six years old, his family moved to Baghdad, Iraq, for a year. His father worked on a computer program for Saddam Hussein. During this time, Varg attended an Iraqi elementary school. At this school, he noticed issues around race and authority, which influenced his views later in life. He had a contentious relationship with a teacher, often due to his experiences with corporal punishment that he felt were applied unevenly.

After returning to Norway, Varg had a limited relationship with his father, while he maintained a closer bond with his mother. The couple eventually divorced when Varg was a child. Reports suggest that Varg was involved in the skinhead scene in Bergen before he joined the black metal music community.

Varg started learning guitar when he was 14 years old. By the time he was 17, he connected with musicians in the Bergen death metal band Old Funeral. He played guitar for the band during the years 1990 to 1991, which helped him gain experience in music.

In 1991, he created his own music project called Burzum. This project quickly gained recognition in the early Norwegian black metal scene. In 1992, he became a member of the band Mayhem and adopted the stage name Count Grishnackh. He developed an interest in Germanic neopaganism and wrote several underground texts during his early career in music.

By the time he was in his late teens, Varg had shaped his beliefs, many of which were influenced by his experiences growing up, his family, and his involvement in the music scene.

Murder Story

On August 10, 1993, Varg Vikernes and his bandmate Øystein Aarseth, known as Euronymous, were involved in a deadly confrontation. Vikernes traveled from Bergen to Aarseth's apartment in Oslo with another associate, Snorre Ruch. Upon arriving, a conflict erupted between the two men. During this confrontation, Vikernes fatally stabbed Aarseth.

After the incident, Aarseth was found outside the apartment with multiple stab wounds. Reports later detailed that he had twenty-three cut wounds on his body, which included injuries to his head, neck, and back. The motivations behind Vikernes' actions were unclear. Some speculated it was due to a power struggle within the black metal scene, while others suggested it involved personal disputes related to a girl or a record contract.

Vikernes claimed he acted in self-defense, stating that Aarseth planned to kill him. He alleged that he had intended to present a signed contract to Aarseth and intended to leave afterward, but was attacked first. Following the murder, Vikernes disposed of his clothes in a lake before returning home.

After Vikernes' arrest, the police conducted a search of his home and discovered a substantial cache of explosives and ammunition. This raised further questions about his intentions and possible involvement in other criminal activities.

Vikernes was put on trial alongside Snorre Ruch. The trial began on May 2, 1994. Ultimately, he was found guilty of murdering Aarseth and sentenced to the maximum of 21 years in prison. He was also found guilty of arson related to the burning of several churches, although he maintained that he was not involved in some of those acts.

Vikernes served almost 16 years of his sentence and was released on parole on May 22, 2009.