According to Violette, the inspiration of the piece was a series of instances of arson committed by rival metal enthusiasts in Norway, which culminated in the 1993 knife murder of Øystein Aarseth, guitarist of the black metal band Mayhem by Varg Vikernes of the band Burzum.
In 1994, Varg Vikernes of the one-man band Burzum was found guilty of burning Åsane Church and Storetveit Church in Bergen, the burning of Skjold Church in Vindafjord, and the burning of Holmenkollen Chapel in Oslo.
The original drawing of the cover art for the Burzum album Det Som Engang Var was inspired by the art for The Temple of Elemental Evil.
The Norwegian band Burzum released a Skaldic metal album titled Umskiptar in 2012, where an old Norse translation of Völuspa provided the lyrics for the entire album.
Burzum |
In late 2004, Fenriz released a compilation album through Peaceville, Fenriz Presents... The Best of Old-School Black Metal, which included selected tracks from such influential artists as Celtic Frost, Hellhammer, Burzum, and Bathory.