Niklas Kvarforth

As a multi-instrumentalist musician, Kvarforth started Shining when he was only 12 years old, in 1996. The band released their first EP, Submit to Selfdestruction, two years later, on which he played guitars and bass. It was not until the band released their first album, Within Deep Dark Chambers, that Kvarforth became the band's vocalist.

Kvarforth is known in the scene for his extreme and sometimes violent behaviour during live performances, including fighting members of other bands, and handing out razor blades to audience members in 2007.[2][3] Kvarforth has also been accused of assaulting and threatening audience members in 2017.[4]

Kvarforth has also performed auto-mutilations onstage and seems to encourage the practice. He often states in interviews that he hates "everything that grows". It is unclear if his statements made to journalists are in earnest or simply to mock them. Many fans believe he generally holds journalists and reporters in contempt, and purposely mocks them.[5] Kvarforth himself has neither affirmed nor denied this publicly, but consistently expresses his hatred of other people, himself, various countries, and life itself.[6]