From Hades To Valhalla. Bathory – The Epic Story. Jose Luis Canó Barrón. English Edition 2024, under licence of Under Fire Ediciones. An important read, certainly for anyone who claims to like Heavy Metal.
When this dropped on the mat, I was a little quizzical. I had vaguely recalled expressing interest in the book, but nothing had happened for many weeks after. But it was with some excitement that I started turning the pages and soon became engrossed in the story of one of the most enigmatic, interesting, and perhaps legendary Metal icons of all time.
Now, I like plenty of Black Metal, although it is not my go-to genre. Bathory, rightly or wrongly, sit in that camp, regardless of what Quorthorn felt or expressed. I am not an avid fan of the entire Bathory catalogue, although Blood Fire Death is a classic and one I do play from time to time.
It has been years since I ventured into much of the discography, and the history and journey of the Swede, although widely known, is always worth a recap.
This book was initially published in 2016 in a Spanish-language edition. It has taken eight years to get to the English version, but it is written in such a way that the additional time has in no way dampened the legacy.
From Hades To Valhalla traces the entire history of Bathory, formed by ‘Ace’ Thomas Borje Forsberg, born in Stockholm in 1966, and who died 38 years later. Yes, there are some typos and inaccuracies in grammar and prose, but the general style is written in a warm and appreciative manner that shows respect without pushing the author into full fanboy territory.
There is not a vast number of revelations within the pages. It is a book that the author draws together from a wide range of sources. As he says, “I simply wrote what I found interesting or important, what was needed or corroborated the information, far beyond a personal taste or not for the group, that is what facts are revealed and others questioned”.
So, much of what Barrón has included in From Hades To Valhalla is no doubt already known. Regardless, the way the whole story of Bathory is drawn together and explored is, without doubt, important in chronicling a band who never played live, who sold out of early pressings of albums, and who remains revered within the Halls of Heavy Metal.
Put simply, this is a story that is worth reading, regardless of whether you like the music that Quorthorn delivered. His drive, determination, and work with his father, ‘The Boss’, Stig Bjorn Forsberg is covered in detail with a human edge.
Barrón charts the development of Quorthorn and Bathory from the prototype days in the early ’80s, exploring each album, its construction, the players (of which there are very few), production and critical feedback. At times he is fiercely critical of the media’s response to Bathory, The Return, Under The Black Mark and Blood Fire Death, especially the lazy comparisons to Newcastle’s Venom, something that irked Quorthorn immensely.
The journey from debut album Bathory to Nordland II in 2003 includes numerous photos, promo shots and the like, some of which are famous, others less so. There are a few with ‘The Boss’, someone who Barrón is keen to highlight as perhaps the second most important member of the band.
The inclusion of Sacrifice and Return of Darkness & Evil, included by The Boss in the first Scandinavian Metal Attack compilation are given appropriate space, being pivotal to the band’s mushrooming success in those early years. Plenty of reference to the use of Heavenshore studios, the limitations and the ultimate move to more suitable studios for the later albums.
What is impressive about this book is that the author, evidently a hardcore Bathory fan, does not over-eulogise at any point, keeping things factual and clear, tempering the desire to hail Quorthorn as a god, but happy to ensure that this unique musician is held in the esteem which is needed.
From Hades To Valhalla may not be the complete story, but it does provide both the committed and the curious with a no-bones story of the rise of artists from the obscurity of the suburbs of Stockholm.
Whether you are a fan of the Black Mark or not, this is an important read, certainly for anyone who claims to like Heavy Metal. A foundation for Extreme Metal, From Hades To Valhalla, is essential stuff.
From Hades To Valhalla. Bathory – The Epic Story is out now and available from Pagan Records.
