History Music / Shining

* BoleroEffect: "Mot Aokigahara" more or less takes this form. It starts off as a fairly gentle song that would be more typical of someone like Music/JoyDivision or Music/PinkFloyd (the guitar solo is very Gilmour-esque) before building to the expected metal climax. On the other hand, it doesn't keep the same melodic elements all the way through, so it's not a completely straight example.

!!Discography:

* 2001 - II. Livets ändhållplats (A Life Without Purpose)

* HarshVocals: In spades.

** Five as well: Every fifth track after the third album is an electronic-based track or even just an instrumental.

** Averted with ''Within Deep Dark Chambers'' and ''Livets ändhållplats'', as well as ''IX: Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends'', which it itself is switched to the first track.

* CreatorThumbprint: Starting with ''III. Angst - Självdestruktivitetens emissarie'', the fifth track.

* LargeHam: Niklas for some. Putting aside the heavy controversial image he built himself, the guy is a ''riot'' both when listening to him and on stage.

* GratuitousJapanese: Of a sort. "Mot Aokigahara" refers to a mountain (青木ヶ原) which has a historical reputation for being home to yūrei (幽霊, literally "faint spirits", i.e., ghosts) and has become a notorious suicide destination in recent years. It's sometimes also known as the Sea of Trees (樹海, Jukai).

* BrownNote: The band's music is allegedly intended as this. It's supposed to induce listeners to commit suicide. Whether it actually ''succeeds'' at this (or indeed, whether the band is even telling the truth about this being the intention) is another matter.

* EpicRocking: They seem do this this several times. Their song length is usually around a six-ten minute mark. Examples can be "And Only Silence Remains..." (10:51), "Ännu ett steg närmare total utfrysning" (10:22), the title track of ''Livets ändhållplats'' (9:21), "Mörda dig själv..." (9:08), "Besvikelsens dystra monotoni" (10:04), etc. Their longest track is "Total utfrysning", which is around '''16:47 long'''.

* {{Sampling}}: Quite a lot of it, including Creator/ChristinaRicci from ''Film/ProzacNation'' and Creator/ChristianBale from ''Film/AmericanPsycho''.

** Though they themselves dislike this term, and arguably there hasn't been anything black metal about their sound for several albums now. One could say they're ProgressiveMetal with weird vocals now.

* CreatorThumbprint: Starting with ''III. Angst - Självdestruktivitetens emissarie '', the fifth track.

Not to be confused with [[Literature/TheShining the novel by Stephen King, as well as the movies]], as Kvarforth has stated are not influenced by the band name. Same with [[{{VideoGame/Shining}} the video game series]]. Or with the Norwegian ProgressiveMetal band also called Shining (which started out as jazz before passing through NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly ProgressiveRock), as they often are.

* Jarle Byberg - Drums
* Euge Valorvirta - Guitars, backing vocals.

* Christian Larsson - Bass
* Rainer Tuomikanto - Drums

Shining is a well known Music/BlackMetal project that formed around 1996 in Halmstad, Sweden. The band is known for it's vocalist and remaining original member Niklas Kvarforth, who's infamous for his lyrical themes of suicide, self harm, depression, and his overall misanthropic beliefs.

Often considered one of the best known bands of the DSBM (or Depressive suicidal black metal) despite Niklas [[CreatorBacklash being heavily against this term due to later bands using it as a means of therapy instead of harming their listeners]].

!!Disography:

* CloudCuckooLander: Niklas Kvarforth is usually seen as this, due to his stage antics and overall concept of life.
* CoverAlbum: ''8 ½ - Feberdrömmar i vaket tillstånd'', which is just a cover album of Shining songs which includes [[{{Music/Gorgoroth}} Gaahl]] and [[{{Music/Mayhem}} Maniac and Attila]].

* JerkAss: Niklas Kvaforth, who ''seeks to hurt his listeners with his music''. There's also the fact he's happy to know his music has ''influenced some fans to kill themselves''.
** The interpretation of Niklas usually is a YMMV; see Alternative Character Interpretation.
* KillAllHumans: The music's purpose. Not that it really does that.
* LargeHam: Niklas for some. Putting aside the heavy constroversial image he built himself, the guy is a ''riot'' both when listening to him and on stage.
* MadArtist: Niklas actively cultivates this image.
* NewSoundAlbum: Starting with the release of ''III. Angst - Självdestruktivitetens emissarie'', Shining became less early-black metal influenced and started developing the style they have today.
* {{Troll}}: At one point: Around 2006, Niklas had "disappeared", making fans think he really did kill himself. The band stated Niklas had indeed disappeared and they were continue the band with a new vocalist named "Ghoul", under the wishes of Niklas. However it was revealed during a concert in February of 2007 that Ghoul was ''indeed'' Kvarforth. The events of the concert after that was revealed were....[[{{Understatement}} controversial]].

** Debated with the track "FFF" from ''VII. Född förlorare'', which is a tribute song to Niklas's mother who passed away at the beginning of 2010, which is more of Niklas is saying his mother ''should have never created him''.
* VocalEvolution: As stated, Niklas's vocals before were based on normal black metal standards, but evolved to a more understandable and standard style. See Early Installment Weirdness and Evil Sounds Deep.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Kvarforth's vocals on ''Within Dark Chambers'' and ''Livets ändhållplats'' were higher and more early black metal inspired screams. Around the third onwards, his vocals began to establish the style that it has today.
** The band's first demo ''Submit to Selfdestruction'' can be considered this as well. For one thing, Niklas ''doesn't do vocals on this one'', instead he did guitars and bass, all while another member named "Robert" took over singing duties. It wasn't until the release of ''Within Deep Dark Chambers'' that Niklas had singing duties.
* EpicRocking: They seem do this this several times. Their song length is usually around a six-ten minute mark. Examples can be "And Only Silence Remains..." (10:51), "Ännu ett steg närmare total utfrysning" (10:22), the title track of ''Livets ändhållplats'' (9:21), "Mörda dig själv..." (9:08), "Besvikelsens dystra monotoni" (10:04), ect ect. Their longest track is "Total Utfrysing", which is around ''sixteen minutes and fourty-seven seconds long''.

* {{Expy}}: Some fans will usually see Niklas like Music/GGAllin, the only difference is that Niklas isn't ''as controversial'' as GG and he doesn't have the obsessions that GG had.
** Discussed in an interview later on when he is asked if he relates to Allin. Kvarforth simply responds with [[SelfDeprecation "GG Allin is a genius, I'm not."]]

** The interpretation of Niklas usually is a YMMV, see Alternative Character Interpretation.

* {{Troll}}: At one point: Around 2006, Niklas had "disappeared", making fans think he really did kill himself. The band stated Niklas had indeed disappeared and they were continue the band with a new vocalst named "Ghoul", under the wishes of Niklas. However it was revealed during a concert in February of 2007 that Ghoul was ''indeed'' Kvaforth. The events of the concert after that was revealed were....[[{{Understatement}} controversial]].

** Taken UpToEleven with the release of ''XI: Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends''.

* VocalEvolution: As stated, Niklas's vocals before where based on normal black metal standards, but evolved to a more understandable and standard style. See Early Installment Weirdness and Evil Sounds Deep.

Not to be confused with [[TheShining the novel by Stephen King, as well as the movies]], as Kvarforth has stated are not influenced by the band name. Same with [[{{VideoGame/Shining}} the video game series]]. Or with the Norwegian ProgressiveMetal band also called Shining (which started out as jazz before passing through NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly ProgressiveRock), as they often are.

** Averted with ''Within Deep Dark Chambers'' and ''Livets ändhållplats''.

Often considered one of the best known bands of the DSBM (or Depressive suicidal black metal) despite Niklas [[CreatorBacklash being heavily against this term due to later bands using it as a means of thearpy instead of harming their listeners]].

* ProgressiveMetal: Progressive ''Black'' Metal, for some.

Not to be confused with [[TheShining the novel by Stephen King, as well as the movies]], as Kvarforth has stated are not influenced by the band name. Same with [[{{VideoGame/Shining}} the video game series]].

* '''HatesEveryoneEqually''': Niklas invokes this. YMMV and such, Niklas has stated in an interview that he loves life, but hates everything around him because he is a misanthrope, hence why he writes the music Shining bases itself on.

* BloodBath: ''Oh boy'', concerts will turn ''into this'', as Niklas will happily harm himself on stage.

* ArcNumber: Six. Following the third album, Every album has six tracks, the fifth one in particular always is an electronic based track or even an instrumental. Whether this is referencing the NumberOfTheBeast is up in the air.

* CreatorBacklash: Niklas ''hates'' the term "Suicidal Black Metal" label on his band, due to feeling disgusted that some bands would take the term and establish it and use the music as a sense of therapy instead of ''hurting their listeners''.

* {{Troll}}: At one point: Around 2006, Niklas had "disappeared", making fans think he really did kill himself. The band stated Niklas had indeed disappeared and they were continue the band with a new vocalst named "Ghoul", under the wishes of Niklas. However it was revealed during a concert in February of 2007 that Ghoul was ''indeed'' Kvaforth. The events of the concert were....[[{{Understatement}} controversial]].