Naglfar

Biography

Naglfar is a Swedish melodic black metal band formed in 1992. Jens Rydén and Kristoffer Olivius first established the group as Uninterred.

History

Naglfar formed in 1992 as Uninterred, founded by Jens Rydén on vocals and guitar and bassist Kristoffer Olivius. The first full line-up included drummer Ulf Andersson from Nocturnal Rites and Morgan Hansson and Fredrik Degerström on guitars. With this line-up, Rydén concentrated on vocals. In March 1994, Degerström left Naglfar due to personal and musical differences. Soon after, Andersson left to focus on Nocturnal Rites. During this period, the band wrote and recorded the Stellae Trajectio demo at Garageland Studio. The demo was released in November 1994. Before the release, the band changed their name to Naglfar, after a ship in Norse mythology.
In early 1995, the band signed to Wrong Again Records. That summer, they released their debut album, Vittra×Vittra1995 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1As the Twilight Gave Birth to the Night6:292Enslave the Astral Fortress5:093Through the Midnight Spheres5:304The Eclipse of Infernal Storms4:215Emerging From Her Weepings6:436Failing Wings4:137Vittra2:568Sunless Dawn4:569Exalted Above Thrones6:16, featuring drummer Mattias Holmgren. After recording, Holmgren left the band. Apart from contributing to an Iron Maiden tribute CD, the band was inactive for the next few years. Their second album, Diabolical×Diabolical28 July 1998 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Horncrowned Majesty4:592Embracing the Apocalypse5:29312'th Rising4:054Into the Cold Voids of Eternity6:255The Brimstone Gate4:436Blades3:527When Autumn Storms Come4:328A Departure in Solitude2:009Diabolical - The Devil's Child8:53, was released in 1998, with Mattias Grahn on drums. CMJ New Music Report described it as a "ferocious version of Swedish black/death metal...monumentally mind-blowing". The band signed with Century Media in 2002. Following more line-up changes and a European tour with Deicide, Naglfar recorded the EP Ex Inferis×Ex Inferis2001 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Of Gorgons Spawned Through Witchcraft5:112Dawn of Eternity4:283Emerging From Her Weepings6:324When Autumn Storms Come6:125The Brimstone Gate5:08, which drew comparisons to Dimmu Borgir, and the album Sheol×Sheol18 March 2003 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1I Am Vengeance5:162Black God Aftermath6:283Wrath of the Fallen4:524Abysmal Descent6:565Devoured by Naglfar4:336Of Gorgons Spawned Through Witchcraft4:467Unleash Hell3:318Force of Pandemonium5:269The Infernal Ceremony1:52. The New York Times described the band as "one of the most compelling metal bands" and also "one of the most ridiculous," with their music described as "terrific". Rydén left the band after the album's release. Bassist Olivius took over lead vocals. Rydén recorded the 2006 album The Omega Rising under the name Profundi.
In 2005, the Pariah was released; AllMusic commented on its "shockingly profane lyrics". The album was followed by a tour with Dark Funeral across Europe, along with several festival dates. In December 2005, touring bassist Peter Morgan Lie became the band's permanent bass player. For their 2007 album Harvest×Harvest26 February 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Into the Black4:332Breathe Through Me3:173The Mirrors of My Soul4:584Odium generis humani5:085The Darkest Road4:126Way of the Rope5:577Plutonium Reveries5:008Feeding Moloch5:129Harvest7:10Disc 21Spoken Worlds of Venom (Live)4:172The Perpetual Horrors (Live)3:363Carnal Scorn & Spiritual Malice (Live)4:264A Swarm of Plagues (Live)5:325Interview with Kristoffer Olivius19:066The Perpetual Horrors (Promo Video)3:49, Roger Johansson directed a video for the track "The Darkest Road". The band toured the US in 2007.

In August 2009, the band announced that they were about to begin recording a new album, without mentioning a release date. In December 2011, Naglfar launched their official Facebook page. On 22 December 2011, they announced the album Téras×Téras23 March 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Téras2:162Pale Horse3:383III: Death Dimension Phantasma4:154The Monolith6:335An Extension of His Arm and Will4:466Bring Out Your Dead4:497Come, Perdition5:438Invoc(h)ate4:249The Dying Flame of Existence8:1210Tired Bones5:12, released in March 2012. Dirk Verbeuren appears on the album as a session musician. In 2013, Naglfar performed at Wacken Open Air.
The band began writing their seventh album in February 2014. In 2020, the band confirmed that their album would be titled Cerecloth×Cerecloth8 May 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Cerecloth4:052Horns4:393Like Poison for the Soul6:314Vortex of Negativity5:035Cry of the Serafim4:266The Dagger in Creation5:077A Sanguine Tide Unleashed3:558Necronaut3:309Last Breath of Yggdrasil6:30. The album was released on 8 May through Century Media.

Current

Kristoffer "Wrath" Olivius – bass (1992–2005), lead vocals (2005–present)
Andreas Nilsson – guitars (1993–present)
Marcus "Vargher" Norman – guitars, bass, keyboard (2000–present)

Former

Ulf Andersson – drums, percussion (1992–1994)
Fredrik Degerström – guitars (1993–1994)
Mattias Holmgren – drums, percussion (1995)
Morgan Hansson – guitar (1993–2000)
Jens Rydén – lead vocals, keyboard (1992–2005), guitars (1992–1993)
Mattias Grahn – drums, percussion (1997–2011)
Morgan Lie – drums, percussion (1995–1997), bass (2005–2011)

Session/touring

Dirk Verbeuren – session drums (2011–present)
Alex 'Impaler' Friberg - live bass (2012-present)
Efraim Juntunen - live drums (2012-present)

Studio albums

Vittra (1995) – remastered edition (2002), Regain
Diabolical (1998), Regain
Sheol (2003), Century Media
Pariah (2005), Century Media/EMI
Harvest (2007), Century Media – limited edition with DVD (2011), Century Media/EMI
Téras (2012), Century Media
Cerecloth (2020), Century Media

Compilations

Pariah + Harvest (2008), Century Media – box set

EPs

When Autumn Storms Come (1998)
Ex Inferis (2002), Century Media
An Extension of His Arm and Will (2012), Century Media

Demos

Stellae Trajectio (1994)
We Are Naglfar – Fuck You! (1995)
Maiden Slaughter (1996)