Erik Brødreskift, known professionally as Grim, was a Norwegian black metal drummer associated with Immortal, Gorgoroth, and Borknagar. He toured with Immortal and played on three Borknagar studio albums before his death in Bergen in 1999. His memory was later honored through Bergen’s Hole in the Sky festival and a memorial fund.
Background
Erik Brødreskift was born on December 23, 1969, in Bergen, Hordaland, Norway. He worked under the name Grim, a pseudonym that became closely associated with his performances in the Norwegian extreme-metal scene.
Bergen became an important center of Norwegian metal during the 1990s, with bands such as Immortal, Gorgoroth, Borknagar, and Enslaved contributing to the development and international visibility of the country's black metal movement. Brødreskift's career unfolded within this interconnected local scene, where musicians frequently participated in several groups and recording projects.
Career
Brødreskift began performing as a drummer in the Bergen metal scene during the late 1980s. He was associated with Hell Awaits from 1987 to 1988 and later performed with Emptor, including on the band's 1989 demo.
From 1993 to 1994, Brødreskift played drums for Immortal. He joined the band before the release of Pure Holocaust and appeared on its cover, but did not perform the recorded drum parts on that studio album. His tenure included two European tours, placing him within the early international touring activity of one of Norway's best-known black metal bands.
Brødreskift joined Gorgoroth during the mid-1990s and played on the live release The Last Tormentor and the studio album Under the Sign of Hell. He also performed as a session drummer for Örth, later associated with the name Arvas, on the unreleased recording Nocturno Inferno.
From 1995 to 1998, Brødreskift was a founding member and drummer of Borknagar. He played on the band's self-titled debut, The Olden Domain, and The Archaic Course. Borknagar brought together musicians from several Bergen-area metal bands and developed a sound combining black metal with progressive, folk, and atmospheric elements.
Brødreskift died in Bergen on October 4, 1999, by suicide after taking a drug overdose. His death was commemorated through the Erik Brødreskifts Minnefond and the Hole in the Sky festival, a Bergen metal festival held from 2000 through 2011 to honor his memory and support activities connected with the local metal community.
Connections
Brødreskift's principal professional connections were with the Bergen-based bands Immortal, Gorgoroth, Borknagar, Emptor, Hell Awaits, and Örth. His later memorial connection with Hole in the Sky linked his name to a festival and fund established to commemorate him and support the Bergen metal community.
