Old Man's Child

Biography

Old Man's Child is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, founded by Galder (formerly Grusom, born Thomas Rune Andersen), the group's sole permanent member.

History

Old Man's Child was officially founded in 1993, but its roots go back to 1989, when Galder, Jardar, and Tjodalv formed death/thrash band Requiem. They covered songs by Slayer and Metallica, and released a demo album in 1990. "Requiem" dissolved in 1992.
In 1996, after their first full-length album, Born of the Flickering×Born of the Flickering25 November 1996 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Demons of the Thorncastle4:482Swallowed by a Buried One4:513Born of the Flickering5:064King of the Dark Ages5:285Wounds From the Night of Magic3:286On Through the Desert Storm4:217Christian Death4:568Funeral, Swords and Souls4:579The Last Chapter4:4210...Leads to Utopia / The Old Man's Dream8:45, they signed with Century Media. Following the releases of The Pagan Prosperity and Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion through Century Media, the band embarked on a rare tour. Old Man's Child tours infrequently due to line-up changes.
In 2000, Galder joined Dimmu Borgir but continued to work with Old Man's Child. Over the years, the band became a one-man project, using session musicians for their albums.
Between 2000 and 2005, Galder released the albums Revelation 666 – The Curse of Damnation (2000), In Defiance of Existence×In Defiance of Existence14 January 2003 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Felonies of the Christian Art5:492Agony of Fallen Grace4:283Black Seeds on Virgin Soil4:574In Defiance of Existence4:575Sacrifice of Vengeance4:326The Soul Receiver4:317In Quest of Enigmatic Dreams0:528The Underworld Domains4:489Life Deprived4:49 (2003), and Vermin (2005). In July 2008, Old Man's Child announced that they would record their seventh album, Slaves of the World×Slaves of the World18 May 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Slaves of the World4:412Saviours of Doom4:033The Crimson Meadows4:344Unholy Foreign Crusade3:405Path of Destruction5:216The Spawn of Lost Creation4:077On the Devil’s Throne4:498Ferden mot fiendens land5:349Servants of Satan’s Monastery5:1910Born of the Flickering4:46. It was released in 2009.
In an early 2011 interview, Galder stated that he was focused on the current Dimmu Borgir tour. He mentioned that after the tour, he would begin writing music for Old Man's Child, possibly releasing an album in 2012. This did not occur, and the band entered a period of inactivity, during which Galder appeared focused on Dimmu Borgir.
In December 2019, the group was reactivated. Galder posted a video on the band's Facebook page of him working on new Old Man's Child material—the first in over a decade. Galder left Dimmu Borgir in August 2024, announcing that he would finish the new album and tour with Old Man's Child. In March 2025, Galder announced Tjodalv's return to the band to tour in the summer.

Studio albums

Born of the Flickering (1996)
The Pagan Prosperity (1997)
Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion (1998)
Revelation 666 – The Curse of Damnation (2000)
In Defiance of Existence (2003)
Vermin (2005)
Slaves of the World (2009)

Splits

Sons of Satan Gather for Attack (with Dimmu Borgir — also known as "Devil's Path / In the Shades of Life") (1999)

Band members

Current members
Galder (Tom Rune Andersen) – vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards (1993–present)
Kenneth "Tjodalv" Åkesson – drums (1993–1996, 1999–2001, 2025–present)
Elvorn – bass (2025–present)
Cyrus – guitars (2025–present)
Hoest – vocals (2025–present)
Former members
Brynjard Tristan – bass (1994–1995)
Frode "Gonde" Forsmo – bass (1995–1997)
Jon Øyvind "Jardar" Andersen – guitars, backing vocals (1993–1997, 1999–2003)
Tony Kirkemo – drums (1996–1997)
Jan Roger "Grimar" Halvorsen – drums (1999–2000)
Former session musicians
Bjørn "Aldrahn" Dencker Gjerde - vocals (1995–1996)
Stian Aarstad – keyboards (1996–1999)
Gene Hoglan – drums (1998)
Håkon "Memnoch" Didriksen – bass (2000)
Nick Barker – drums (2003)
Reno Kiilerich – drums (2005)
Peter Wildoer – drums (2008)