Although Scandinavia threw up a confusion of side project acts in the late 90s put together by various Black Metal musicians made good, NOCTURNAL BREED boast more pedigree than most. A distinctly retro old style Death Metal offering performed by members of DIMMU BORGIR, LORD KAOS, SATYRICON, COVENANT and GEHENNA. NOCTURNAL BREED had in fact been operating much earlier with a pre-DIMMU BORGIR founding member Erkjetter Silenoz on guitar going under the stage name of Ed Dominator. NOCTURNAL BREED debuted in 1997 with an EP, 'Raping Europe', for Hammerheart Records, this five track 12" single including a cover rendition of W.A.S.P.'s 'I'm Alive'.The 'Agressor' album followed in October 1997, these sessions sporting a cover of DEATH's 'Evil Dead' and a wry shot at JETHRO TULL's classic 'Locomotive Breath' under the guise 'Locomotive Death'. To coincide with tour work, NOCTURNAL BREED issued a 10" vinyl picture disc entitled 'Raping Europe '97'. That same year Hammerheart put out the 'Triumph Of The Blasphemer' EP and the momentum was maintained by a second full-length offering, 'No Retreat...No Surrender' in November 1998.

NOCTURNAL BREED's third album, 'Tools Of The Trade', surfaced in 1999 on the Holycaust label. The band at this juncture was quoted as vocalist / bassist Destroyer, lead guitarist I. Maztor, rhythm guitarist Ben Hellion and former NUCTEMERON drummer Tex Terror. Frontman 'Tom Bombakill'- a.k.a.Tom KvÃ¥lsvoll, also a member of Doom merchants PARADIGMA, would join DHG under the stage name 'Thrawn' during March of 2002, replacing Jens Ryland. KvÃ¥lsvoll would also lend vocals to the HAGALAZ'S RUNEDANCE album 'Volven'. Session drums came from Tjodalv (a.k.a. Ian Kenneth Åkesson) of DIMMU BORGIR and SUSPERIA.

Prostata Records put out archive NOCTURNAL BREED album outtakes as the 'Warthog' EP in 2004. Neseblod Records then weigned in with a further three early tracks, dating from 1999, on the 'Motörmouth' 7" EP, a limited edition of 500 copies of which 100 would be manufactured in yellow vinyl. Duplicate Records too released collectable NOCTURNAL BREED product with gatefold split EPs 'Überthrash' and 'Überthrash', both shared with AURA NOIR, AUDIOPAIN and INFERNO.

NOCTURNAL BREED parted ways with guitarist Tom Kvålsvoll in June 2005, citing "internal conflicts". September saw the recruitment of the COCKROACH CLAN, CREST OF DARKNESS and HAMMERHEART credited A.E. Rattlehead as replacement. NOCTURNAL BREED, having wrapped up recording of a new album 'Code Of Conduct', severed ties with Painkiller Records in June 2006.

The group signed with Polish imprint Agonia Records for a 2007 album entitled 'Fields Of Rot'.