Windir was a band from Norway that formed in 1994. It was the brainchild of vocalist/musician Terje "Valfar" Bakken, and they blended a unique style of folk and black metal. While I've actually never given either of the first two Windir albums ("Sóknardalr" and "Arntor") a listen, I got into this band after my brother introduced me to them. "1184" was a bit of a transition into a more folkloric style of music and incorporated more electronic elements. It really is an absolutely fantastic album, and fans of black metal and folk metal alike will get something out of Windir.
The music is clear and absolutely a pleasure to listen to, and the vocals occasionally switch between the more traditional black metal style vocals and clear vocals. Ultimately, Windir is one of those rare black metal gems that you occasionally find that is actually capable of making black metal that doesn't hurt to listen to for an extended period (and that's coming from a huge black metal fan).
Windir unfortunately disbanded in 2004 after the death of Valfar. If this isn't a truly black metal way to die, I don't know what is: Valfar froze to death in the middle of a snow storm after he decided to walk to his family's cabin in the middle of January. In Norway.
You can find Windir's "1184" album for download here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=JSW7KU0H
-K
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