A much anticipated Black Metal amalgam boasting heritage linked with such premier acts as DIMMU BORGIR, SATYRICON and OLD MAN'S CHILD. Originally titled SEVEN SINS upon formation in Haslum during 1998, the band was first mooted by drummer Tjoldav (a.k.a. Ian Kenneth Åkesson), a veteran of OLD MAN'S CHILD and DIMMU BORGIR. Upon leaving DIMMU BORGIR in March 1999, Tjoldav sessioned for OLD MAN'S CHILD once again for their 'Revelation 666' album. In August of the same year a meeting with erstwhile SENSA ANIMA, OLD MAN'S CHILD and SATYRICON guitarist Cyrus and former MORTEM and ARCTURUS vocalist Athera (Marius Vold) prompted the formation of SEVEN SINS.

Frontman Athera (a.k.a. 'Daukjött' - Pål Mathiesen) holds a tradition with METADOX, RINGNEVOND, MORTEM and has handled drums for VANAHEIM. The band unit was brought up to strength with the addition bassist Memnock and second guitarist Elvorn of VANAHEIM and RINGNEVOND for the demo 'Illusions Of Evil'. Memnock's history included stints with METADOX, POWERHUNT, VANAHEIM and yet again OLD MAN'S CHILD. Elvorn (Christian Hagen), in his formative years, had been a member of VIDDER, the high school act also including a pre-DIMMU BORGIR Mustis (Øyvind Mustafarta).

SUSPERIA debuted live in Oslo supported by ALSVARTR and RAGNAROK. Their first product surfaced in 2000 with the demo 'Illusions Of Evil'. DIMMU BORGIR keyboard player Mustis sessions on the 'Predominance' album, issued in March 2001 through Germany's Nuclear Blast label. The album was recorded in Abyss Studios in October 2000, being engineered and recorded by Lars Szöke then mixed by HYPOCRISY's Peter Tägtgren.

Second opus May 2002's 'Vindication' was once again crafted with the Abyss Studios team. The band unveiled plans for an October 2002 package tour of mainland Europe as part of a strong billing comprising BORKNAGAR, SUIDAKRA, FINNTROLL and WINDIR. SUSPERIA toured the UK during September of 2003 as guests to MORTIIS. They re-convened this alliance with MORTIIS for UK gigs in September of the following year, billed as the 'Unlimited Grudge' tour. Meantime, vocalist Athera worked up a side project dubbed JUJ in union with DEAD TROOPER members drummer Are Sorknes and guitarist Birger Larsen.

The group switched labels to Tabu Recordings for the April 2004 album 'Unlimited'. SUSPERIA announced a 2005 EP, 'Devil May Care', was to include cover versions of W.A.S.P.'s 'Wild Child', A-HA's 'The Sun Always Shines On TV' and DEATH's 'Lack Of Comprehension'. The band created history with 'Devil May Care' as the EP's sales put it into the Norwegian national top twenty, a first for a domestic band.

European dates in December saw support from Austrian Thrashers DEMOLITION. The band then aligned themselves with the 'Venting the Anger' Scandinavian tour of December 2005 featuring DEAD TROOPER, DEMOLITION and MIKSHA.

The band teamed up with GRIMFIST and RED HARVEST for a UK tour in October 2006. European touring throughout April and May saw SUSPIRIA acting as support to W.A.S.P.

Athera successfully underwent open-heart surgery on 16th March 2009 at Rikshospitalet University Hospital in Oslo. Originally scheduled to have a triple bypass operation, surgeons discovered further problems which resulted in Athera also having a main artery to his lung re-directed to his heart. The singer was advised by doctors that full recovery would take between three and five months.

The band's fifth album, 'Attitude", was released on 19th May via Candlelight Records. Mixed at Studio Fredman in Sweden it featured guest appearances by Chuck Billy, of TESTAMENT, and Shagrath, from DIMMU BORGIR. SUSPERIA enlisted Bernt Fjellestad from fellow Norwegian band GUARDIANS OF TIME to stand in for vocalist Athera for the group's 2009 U.K. tour, alongside BREED 77, which kicked off on 18th May in Bideford. 

Garry Sharpe-Young