Birth name Sven Erik Kristiansen Also known as Maniac Name Sven Kristiansen | ||
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Born 4 February 1969 (age 55) ( 1969-02-04 ) Movies Mayhem: European Legions: Live at Marseille 2000 Albums | ||
Interview with maniac of skitliv berlin
Sven Erik Kristiansen (born 4 February 1969) is a Norwegian musician. He is best known as the former vocalist in the Black metal band Mayhem under the stage name Maniac.
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With Mayhem
Kristiansen joined Mayhem in 1986 after the departure of the band's original vocalist Messiah and left in 1988, when he was replaced by Kittil. When Hellhammer decided to revive Mayhem in 1995 after the deaths of both Euronymous and Dead and the imprisonment of Count Grishnakh, he invited Maniac to return as the band's vocalist.
He was known for giving extremely intense live performances and would often cut himself onstage, frequently landing him in intensive care units. However, in a later interview Kristiansen stated "...when we realized that the cutting had become a phenomenon people came to watch, I quit doing it." He has also stated that the coverage Mayhem has received is disproportionate.
Kristiansen was in the band until 2004 when he was forced to leave, his erratic behavior cited as the main reason for the departure. In the only press release about the split, he also cited lack of time as being a vital factor. In 2016 Kristensen briefly rejoined Mayhem onstage during the Inferno Festival in Oslo, Norway.
Other projects
Just months before Kristiansen joined Mayhem he released the first issue off his fanzine Damage Inc. in 1986. The second issue came out in 1987 after he had joined Mayhem. Both issues include interviews with Mayhem among other content. He is currently a member of extreme metal band Skitliv with Niklas Kvarforth, and Kristiansen has also participated as a session member for Kvarforth's band Shining, did vocals for hardcore punk band Bomberos, and shares an ongoing experimental music project called Sehnsucht alongside his wife Vivian Slaughter.
Personal life
Kristiansen has three children: a daughter with his wife, Eri Isaka (aka Vivian Slaughter), a son with his ex-girlfriend, Hilma, and a daughter from a previous relationship. He has said that since he became a father, he has become more conscious of what he exposes himself to and is less destructive.
For several years, Kristiansen struggled with alcoholism, a period during which he admits to excessive drinking. He recounts a critical moment in his life when he found himself dangling by one arm from a fourth-floor window, unable to recall how he ended up in that perilous situation. This incident served as a turning point for him. Kristiansen is married to Vivian Slaughter, who is the bassist and vocalist for the Japanese band Gallhammer.