Colonel William A. Phillips

Sven Erik Kristiansen (born 4 February 1969) is a Norwegian musician, best known as the former vocalist in the black metal band Mayhem under the stage name Maniac.[1]

Career

Kristiansen joined Mayhem in 1986 after the departure of the band's original vocalist Messiah, and left in 1987. He was then replaced by Kittil, who was later replaced by Dead, who committed suicide in April 1991. When Hellhammer decided to revive Mayhem in 1994 after the deaths of both Euronymous and Dead, and the imprisonment of Count Grishnakh, he invited Kristiansen to return as the band's vocalist.

Kristiansen was known for giving extremely intense live performances, often cutting himself onstage and frequently landing in intensive care units.[2] However, in a later interview Kristiansen stated when the band realized that the cutting had become a phenomenon people came to watch, he quit doing it.[2]

Kristiansen left Mayhem in 2004 through mutual consent due to his drinking problem and lack of time off.[3][4][5] In 2016, Kristiansen briefly rejoined Mayhem onstage during a performance at the Inferno Festival in Oslo.[6]

Personal life

Kristiansen has three children: a daughter with his wife, Eri Isaka (Vivian Slaughter of Gallhammer), a son with his ex-girlfriend, Hilma Nikolaisen, and a daughter from a previous relationship.[5][7] He has stated that since he became a father, he has become more conscious of what he exposes himself to and is less destructive.[5]

For several years, Kristiansen was a self-admitted alcoholic. According to him, the turning point for becoming sober was finding himself hanging by one arm out of a fourth floor window with no recollection of how he got there.[5]

Discography

With Mayhem

Studio albums

Studio EPs

Live albums

  • Mediolanum Capta Est (1999)

Compilation albums

With Skitliv

Studio albums

  • Skandinavisk misantropi (2009)

Studio EPs

  • Amfetamin (MCD) (2008)

References

  1. ^ Moore, Bruce. "Interview with Skitliv frontman Sven Erik "Maniac" Kristiansen". puregrainaudio.com. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b Blabbermouth (18 March 2016). "MAYHEM To Be Rejoined By Singer MANIAC For SWEDEN ROCK FESTIVAL Performance". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  3. ^ Campion, Chris (20 February 2005). "In the face of death". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  4. ^ Blabbermouth (16 January 2006). "MAYHEM Bassist Says Former Singer MANIAC 'F*cked It All Up In The End'". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Steen, Knut (24 January 2005). "Maniac: Min siste tid med Mayhem". ballade.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Video: MAYHEM Rejoined By Former Singers, Drummer At INFERNO Festival". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  7. ^ Dubick, Stephanie (7 November 2018). "Japanese Black Metal Icon Vivian Slaughter Is Resurrected as Viviankrist". Vice. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sven_Erik_Kristiansen