At the beginning of 2006, Stríðslávarður, whose pseudonym at that time was in fact Pagan, decided to create a band which would express his feelings and his anti-modernity dark ideas as well as his Odinist heathen beliefs. He also wanted to revive old black metal spirit. He was thinking seriously of founding a band without compromise which would mix old school pagan black metal and old school raw black metal because he respects as much pagan black metal like Graveland, old Burzum (which can be under consideration as that), Infernum, Aske (pre-Odal), Odal, Bilskirnir,... as raw black metal like old Darkthrone, old Gorgoroth, Sargeist, Vargsang, Wolfsschrei, Satanic Warmaster,...

In May 2006, he met Beowulf but it was only in October 2006 that the two musicians formed a band under the name of Elvidnir which is Hel's residence in Germanic-Scandinavian beliefs. Hel is the goddess of the dead who don't go to Valhalla, Oden's palace, nor to Sessrumnir, Freyja's palace, because they didn't fight bravely respectively in an offensive way or in a defensive way, nor by Ran, wife of the giant Aegir, who attracts the seamen to the seabed.

Then, it was decided that Pagan would write all the lyrics, would sing for all the compositions and would always perform the lead guitar. As for Beowulf, he would always perform the rhythm guitar. Pagan started from then on to compose and wrote entirely "Krieg für die Ehre", very influenced by Graveland and whose lyrics in German tell about war against the New World Order which destroys our culture, heathenism, honour and true worth like respect for nature opposite to modern human and to society in decline. Then, he also wrote shortly after completely "Mankind punished by the return of the ancient gods" with pagan black metal and raw black metal influences. The lyrics, this time in English, tell about heathenism too but, with an again more misanthropic perspective and despising Christians who preferred forgetting their old beliefs in favour of the only fake god and who are then cursed and punished by the return of the ancient gods. Some innocents are also punished because humans must pay for this omission. This song is without concession. Pagan also alludes to Oskorei or the Wild Hunt which unfolds from the winter solstice and during a dozen of nights where a ghost army led by Oden comes to take over human lives.

Beowulf, as for him, also started to compose for the band. Beowulf composed two songs partially : "Traitorous Faith" and "Kalter Winter" because it was Pagan who took care of the lyrics, the lead guitar and the bass. "Traitorous Faith" tells then about treachery and traitorous faith which alludes to christianity and people who betrayed Pagan during the year 2006. Musically, the composition is a mix of raw black metal and pagan black metal. "Kalter Winter" tells about cold winter but also about dying nature and sadness as well as nostalgia of heathenism. Musically, the composition, this time, is very melancholic.

A first recorded version of all the compositions and of Burzum cover "Ea, Lord of the Depths" saw the light of day in February 2007. Then, Pagan changed very fastly his pseudonym into Stríðslávarður which means "Lord of war" in Icelandic, thinking that his former pseudonym was not meticulous enough and above all not representative enough of his mind. At last, the compositions were re-recorded for a second version whose production improved in April 2007. To that might be added an outro "Final Battle" created and performed by Stríðslávarður which is composed only of a single acoustic guitar in a folk kind and an intro "Forest spirit" composed of acoustic and electric music, performed by Beowulf and Stríðslávarður, in a forest and winter coldness ambiance. The title of the demo was "Damned Souls of Hel" which suits Elvidnir well.

The two musicians decided then to look for a label. But there was a problem with the label they had found and the release was postponed until later. Towards the end of the year 2007, Stríðslávarður used the name "revival black metal" to describe the type of music of the band. Indeed, the purpose of the band is to revive old black metal spirit. In March 2008, for some personal problems, Beowulf was forced to quit the band. The band changed its name to become Hedensk Bjørn which means "heathen warrior" or "heathen bear" in Norwegian, more representative of Stríðslávarður who continued the band solo. Indeed, Stríðslávarður decided to bring the concept of the band more around to war and pride of his roots and of his heathen Germanic-Scandinavian ancestors. But also, his personal feelings are close to these of bear which symbolizes strength, combat and loneliness. Stríðslávarður feels closer to a bear, well more respectful and respectable animal than a human. Furthermore, the bear is a sacred animal for Germanic and Norse peoples and represents, of course, the warrior. That's why "bjørn" means both "bear" and "warrior". In April 2008, Stríðslávarður, having only two pieces entirely composed by him as well as Burzum cover and an intro and an outro, decided to create two other compositions which would replace "Traitorous Faith" and "Kalter Winter". "Esprit authentique" saw the light of day at this beginning of month April 2008 then "Hermann le Chérusque" about ten days later. "Esprit authentique" advocates, as his name indicates, genuineness of spirit which is worth which ties up with honour, pride, honesty and faithfulness. He attacks then all fakes, dishonest people and traitors and sings the praises of an elite who respects worth mentioned before. Musically, the direction is raw black metal. "Hermann le Chérusque" tells Arminius' history, Germanic hero against the Romans, who distinguished himself in particular at the battle of Teutoburg Forest in 9AD. This time, Stríðslávarður had decided, to tell this great saga, to compose in a more brutal kind of black metal.

Stríðslávarður recorded very fastly these two compositions. Then, he re-recorded the rhythm guitars of the old compositions and of the intro and of Burzum cover which was performed by Beowulf. Having written the lyrics of his two last songs in French, Stríðslávarður renamed the title of the demo into "Mémoire guerrière ancestrale", which is suitable for the concept of the band very well, and renamed the intro and the outro in French, that are respectively "L'esprit de la forêt" and "Victoire finale", knowing that, concerning the outro, the word "Battle" originally was replaced with the French word "Victoire" which means "Victory". Then, he decided to recompose the outro because he preferred creating a more heathen acoustic ambiance than folk and which would contain a "war" electric passage, corresponding better with the title. It is in May 2008 that for the "war" electric part, he created lyrics telling about war and victory being suitable not only for the name of the outro but also, of the demo and of the band. The demo was then almost ready.

Stríðslávarður released the demo in autoproduction on the 15th of June 2008 limited to 15 copies as CD-R but improved again the sound in July 2008 for these of the 15 copies he had not dealt yet. During summer 2008, Stríðslávarður recruited officially members for concert sessions. Seigneur d'Estruction agreed to play the rhythm guitar, joined by Ignis (ex-Arkoth) on the bass and Behrthram (Vergos Dî Noctis) on the drums. At the beginning, Stríðslávarður decided to play the lead guitar and to sing. But finally, he opted for the research of a lead guitarist and he decided to take care only of the vocals.

Then, he masterized the demo in September 2008 with a view to being produced by a label. In October 2008, Stríðslávarður signed then on the Portuguese label Mistress Dance Records. In November 2008, Stríðslávarður found a new musician, Muspellheim, who will finally play the rhythm guitar and Seigneur d'Estruction will play the lead guitar instead for concert sessions.

On the 26th of July 2009, after a long while, the demo "Mémoire guerrière ancestrale" was re-released this time as tape limited to 300 copies on the label Mistress Dance Records.

Stríðslávarður has been recording the first full-length of Hedensk Bjørn since the end of August 2009.

In September 2009, Stríðslávarður added the pseudonym "Artos" to his existing pseudonym which is Gaulish for "bear". Indeed, the bear is the emblem of the warrior class for Celtic peoples and so for the Gauls. That's why "Artos" goes with "Stríðslávarður" which means, of course, "Lord of war". In fact, Stríðslávarður has always had a Hyperborean approach. But this time, it is more explicit. Artos thinks he must also not forget his significant Gaulish roots because he is from France. That's why he has always considered himself to be a Hyperborean. Artos believes in Germanic Odinist beliefs but also in all Hyperborean beliefs in general. So, he is not exclusively an Odinist.

In October 2009, Artos decided to abandon the idea of performing concerts because of the lack of motivation of the engaged musicians.

On the 3rd of March 2010, Artos signed officially on the Quebecer label Tyrant's Hammer in purpose his first full-length to be released.

The label Tyrant's Hammer declined its proposition sometime later and Artos had to look for a new label. However, the label Tyrant's Hammer decided to take responsability for the artwork of the new album.

Artos recorded the titles of his new album between Summer 2009 and Autumn 2010. He wrote the most of his compositions at the beginning of 2009, except the Interlude which was composed in November 2010 and so at the end of recordings. He created a new "Esprit Authentique" version whose the old version appeared on demo 2008. He wrote almost at the same time "Sagesse Hyperboréenne" which tells about Hyperborean Age, the Golden Age, a very old age, pure and healthy contrarly to decadent present world with a quite melancholy music showing a nostalgia of This Golden Age. Then, he wrote the eponymous title, "Soulevé contre ce Monde Décadent" which describes Artos' deep rebellion against all that is harmful in this present world. Artos expresses so his fight against modern consumption's society, marketable and materialist society and globalization and against manifest decline. Then a few time later, Artos composed "La Destruction de Midgard" which tells in a prophetic way a world cleared out of all humans except a kind of elite which would respect nature, cosmos. So, the most of humans would be punished for having defied heathen gods, for non-respect of the laws of nature and their crimes against Mother Nature. However, if even elite behaved like the others, whole humanity would disappear. This song is very misanthropic and you feel Artos' certain disgust for mankind.

Then, Artos composed the only song with german lyrics which is called "Mein schwarzer Haß, um den Sieg zu errigen" which describes the story of a germanic warrior at a very old time, however a time when Roman Empire was already in decline notably because christianized. So, the enemy of germanic warrior is Roman Empire in decline. Then, he composed the outro of his album which is called "Atavisme Renaissant" in a military approach. He wrote then "Mort à Tous les Dépravés", very explicit title criticizing all the kinds of depraved who live on this Earth. Finally, a long while later, he composed his last music appearing on the album, the Interlude which had to be at the beginning as a title with acoustic guitar in a folk way. The idea was then to replace acoustic guitar by a first flute and to add another one which would play its own part and so to create two different voices. For the purpose of finishing the album, Artos had the idea to record "La Colère de l'Ours" which shows Artos' anger who considers himself as a bear. Indeed, you can hear growls of bear. Artos decided also to cover Seigneur Voland "Aigle Conquérant (Titus Victorieux)" title, big classic of French black metal.

After having recorded all, Artos mixed and masterized the album "Soulevé contre ce Monde Décadent", that is to say his first album during Spring 2011. Then, he signed finally on the American label Black Metal Cult Records on the 29th of May 2011 for the release of his first album. The first album was released on the 5th of August 2011 as CD-pro limited to 100 copies.

Source : http://hedenskbjorn.free.fr/