Andrea Meyer, a black metal musician from Germany, was one of five people who were reportedly killed in a bow and arrow attack in Kongsberg, Norway on October 13, 2021.
Meyer, who died at the age of 52, was known for her ambient pagan music released under the names Nebelhexë, Hagalaz’ Runedance and Andrea Nebel, as well as for her guest appearances on Cradle Of Filth's 1994 album The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh and Satyricon’s Nemesis Divina, released in 1996. She was also an actress, writer, model and mother to daughter Alva, who she shared with her former husband and Emperor guitarist Tomas 'Samoth' Haugen.
Meyer also wrote film scripts, both horror and satire, as well as Gothic and surreal poetry, and started writing in 1995. Additionally, she identified as Pagan, and had been known to "publicly criticise what she viewed as patriarchal religions that inhibit people’s inner nature". Some of her writing endeavours include the book The Ancients Fire Of Midgard, which explores Germanic spirituality and mythology, as well as pieces of social-critical commentary which were frequently printed in alternative magazines and in Norwegian tabloids.
According to Associated Press, the perpetrator behind the attacks was a 37-year-old Danish citizen known as Espen Anderson Braathen, who was arrested after firing arrows inside a supermarket, aiming at shoppers before taking to the streets to shoot at those passing by and at people inside their apartments. On top of the five fatalities, three individuals were injured.
In a post on social media, Cradle of Filth's frontman Dani Filth comments: “R.I.P. Andrea Meyer. Andrea guested on our debut album The Principle Of Evil Made Flesh and also modelled and danced for us onstage as well as presiding over ritual back in our formative years. She will be sadly missed and our deep felt love and sympathies go out to her kith and kin."
