On August 19th, Ulver announced the passing of their longtime keyboard player Tore Ylwizaker. Norwegian musician, composer and record producer, Tore Ylwizaker passed away over the weekend, aged 54. The Norwegian band announced the sad news on social media, and also stated that they will be taking a break to grieve their loss.
“It is with black holes in our hearts we have to inform you that our brother for over nearly thirty years, Tore Ylvisaker (Ylwizaker), is dead,” the band wrote. “He passed on in the night of 16 August, his 54th birthday. It is all too much to take in at the moment. We will return as soon as we have collected ourselves. Rest in peace, dearest friend. We love you, forever.”
Together with Kristoffer Rygg and Jørn H. Sværen, Tore formed the core of the band since 1998. With Ulver, he recorded a dozen studio albums and several EPs, in a wide range of genres. His musical signature can be characterized as melancholic and deep, with an atmospheric touch, highly inspired by classical music.
Tore first appeared with Ulver on 1998’s Themes From William Blake’s The Marriage of Heaven And Hell album, and continued with them up to 2020’s Flowers Of Evil. He also engineered, produced and mixed records for prominent bands, such as Mayhem, Star Of Ash and Arcturus, among others. More to the point, Ylwizaker also made music for both films and theatre.
Ylvisaker was nominated, together with Ulver, for the Spellemann prize in the open class in 2003, for Teachings in Silence, and in 2004 for Lyckantntropen themes. The band also won NATT&DAG ‘s Oslo Prize 2011 as “Live Act of the Year”.
Rest in peace, Tore Ylwizaker!