Akkerhaugen's XERASIA, initially founded as DARK DEVICE, was a forerunner of THOU SHALT SUFFER. The trio comprised vocalist / bassist Finn Arne Nielsen, guitarist Tomas Thormodsæther Haugen with Ronny Johnson on drums. A 1990 live rehearsal demo was issued under the XERASIA banner prior to a name change EMBRYONIC, having replaced Nielsen with Vegard Sverre Tveitan (a.k.a. Ihsahn) and releasing the demo 'The Land Of Lost Souls', recorded in November 1990 at Notodden Lydstudio. Subsequently the act morphed again into THOU SHALT SUFFER during 1991.

Tomas Haugen would later come to the fore as Samoth, citing high profile credits with ARCTURUS, BURZUM, EMPEROR, ILDJARN, ZYKLON, ZYKLON B, SATYRICON, SCUM and GORGOROTH.