NIKLAS KVARFORTH, the founder and frontman of Sweden’s SHINING, has never hidden the fact that he has suffered from severe mental problems all his life, something that has impacted his private and public life, both positively and negatively. His is a struggle with mental illness that affects many individuals on a day to day basis, and it is this that attracted the interest of Art House documentary producer Claudio Marino and his film production company Artax Film.
This interest has resulted in a short documentary about mental illness as seen through the eyes of Niklas Kvarforth. Titled “Cold Void”, the documentary is a personal portrait of the man behind headlines that have included suicide and self-destruction, addiction, bipolar disorder, passion and schizophrenia. Headlines that have sometimes been true, and sometimes the result of the media’s desire for sensationalism over truth. And sometimes even the result of detractors who have, often intentionally, misunderstood SHINING’s ethos and that of its volatile creator.
Marino is quick to point out that “Cold Void” is a film for anyone interested in life stories, and was not made with the intention of pandering to SHINING’s fans. It is, rather, very much a personal journey, bringing a much-needed clarity and lack of sensationalism to the subject of Niklas Kvarforth.
Working in the fields of music video and graphic design, Marino is known for his documentary “Blood and Spirit”, a trilogy about three different artists who live for their art, and who include a Tattoo Artist, an MMA fighter, and a Satanist, in the form of E from WATAIN, a well known figure in the worLd of Black Metal. It is therefore understandable why he should have chosen Kvarforth as his next subject:
“I’ve known about Niklas and his music for a long time”, commented Marino. ” His story interested me and I wanted to know more about him as a person. I did some research and we got in contact. I showed him my documentary trilogy ‘Blood and Spirit’ and he was interested in working with me. We got along from the start and he proved to be very cooperative. He was brutally honest, and never left any of my questions unanswered”.
“Cold Void” is set for release in the autumn of 2017 in Swedish with English sub-titles, and with music by TREHA SEKTORI. It will be available world-wide in DVD format directly from Artax Film and SHINING themselves, as well as via VOD.
A video teaser for “Cold Void” can be seen here:
More information about Artax Film can be found at http://www.artaxfilm.com. Anyone interested in endorsement or sponsorship opportunities related to “Cold Void”, or would like to work on translations into other languages, please contact info@artaxfilm.com
SHINING will head to North America for a headlining 18-date tour starting on the 5th May, supported by REVENGE and WOLVHAMMER. Routing as follows:
May 05: Sparta Inn, Baltimore, MD
May 06: Championship Bar, Trenton, NJ
May 07: L’Anti Bar & Spectacles, Quebec City, QC
May 08: Theatre Fairmount, Montreal, QC
May 09: The Garrison, Toronto, ON
May 10: Harpos Detroit, MI
May 11: Reggies, Chicago, IL
May 12: The Riot Room, Kansas City, MI
May 14: The Shredder, Boise, ID
May 15: The Red Room Ultra Bar, Vancouver (without Revenge)
May 16: Studio Seven, Seattle, WA
May 17: Tonic Lounge, Portland, OR
May 18: Oakland Metro Opera House, Oakland, CA
May 19: Adrenaline Sports Bar and Grill, Las Vegas, NV
May 20: Complex, Los Angeles, CA
May 21: Joe’s Grotto, Phoenix, AZ
May 23: Grizzly Hall, Austin, TX
May 24: The Rail Club, Fort Worth, TX
More information about SHINING website at www.shiningasylum.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/shiningofficial
SHINING releases and merchandise, including exclusive limited edition items not available elsewhere, can be found at http://www.shininglegions.com
The official video for the track “Vilja & Drömfrom” SHINING’s album “IX – Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends” can be seen at
Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 