Sarpsborg's RAGNAROK is amongst a rare breed of Black Metal bands that maintained that they were true practicing Satanists. The group was borne out of a previous trio named THOTH citing a line-up of Jerv, Jontho Pantera from KHARON and drummer Evil Possessed. With the exclusion of their drummer the remaining duo founded RAGNAROK enlisting KHARON members drummer Thyme as lead singer and Rym Vicious (a.k.a. Øyvind Trindborg) as guitarist. RAGNAROK's introduction onto the scene came with the February 1994 'Pagan Land' demo, recorded in a small studio called Haga Audio located in Sarpsborg. Notably the cover art for this demo was executed by the MAYHEM, PERDITION HEARSE and SHADOW DANCERS credited Cultoculus.

Their next showing would be the inclusion of the track 'Et Vinterland I Nord' on a 1995 compilation album 'Ørevox'. A second demo session secured a recording contract with the Head Not Found label. In May of 1995 RAGNAROK ensconced themselves in the Sarpsborg X-Ray Studios recording studio with engineer Pål Espen Johannesen to cut the debut album 'Nattferd' ('A Journey Thru' The Night'). This effort, delivered in November of that year, comprised re-recordings of earlier demo tracks alongside four brand new compositions. The group's debut live performance at the MC-club Lacoste in Sarpsborg then followed.

RAGNAROK re-signed with Head Not Found but would subsequently be offered a contract with the major German independent Century Media. Committed to Head Not Found, the sophomore 1997 'Arising Realm' album, again engineered by Pål Espen Johannesen, featured DIMMU BORGIR's Shagrath on keyboards and band momentum was such that over 4'000 copies were soon shifted. A short European tour, packaged with ATANATOS and SIEBENBURGEN, opened up 1998. The band also put in a showing at the 'Hellraizer' festival in Leipzig, Germany.

The band added OVERLORDS and SHADOW DANCERS man Sanders on second guitar to cut the 'Diabolical Age' album. Unfortunately these recordings suffered from a poor mix and would undergo numerous attempts at a remix before a new studio engineer was brought in to rescue the project. Thyme departed as RAGNAROK persevered with Caligula of DARK FUNERAL deputizing. The position would then fall to Astaroth (a.k.a. Tor Erik Simensen) of NO DAWN, ETERNAL DEMENTIA and SKAMBITT. Sanders lost his place to Lord Arcamous for the 'In Nomine Satanas' outing, after which this newest recruit too left the fold. The band toured across Europe in alliance with Swedish act SATANIC SLAUGHTER in December 2000.

RAGNAROK members guitarist Rym (Øyvind Trindborg) and drummer Jontho Pantera (John Thomas Bratland) along with second guitarist Sanders also form part of ex-MAYHEM vocalist Stian Johansen's Gothic Rock project SHADOW DANCERS. Besides RAGNAROK both Rym and Jontho would also operational with CROWHEAD and KHARON, the latter issuing a 2001 demo 'The Fullmoon Curse'. RAGNAROK added lead vocalist Astaroth but following a gig at the German 'Under The Black Sun' festival Sanders was unceremoniously given the boot. Lord Arcamous was enlisted on guitar for a burst of dates allied with SATANIC SLAUGHTER. Upon completion of these gigs, which Rym was forced to sit out, Astaroth was sacked.

The band, utilising Lord Arcamous for lead vocal duties, reconvened during April of 2002 for the band's fourth album 'In Nomine Satanas' issued on the Regain label. Touring to promote the record witnessed a chaotic tour partnered with DARK FUNERAL, ANOREXIA NERVOSA, TIDFALL and OCCULT, after which Lord Arcamous exited.

With RAGNAROK on hold Jontho sessioned for TSJUDER, appearing on their ''Demonic Possession' album and performing with the band at the 'Under The Black Sun' in Germany. Impressed enough with TAAKE frontman U. Høst's performance at the same event the singer would be invited to Sarpsborg that September in order to cut a CELTIC FROST cover version with the band. This recording cemented his enrollment into RAGNAROK as their new vocalist. The band unit would change once more later in the year with the incorporation of session guitarist Drauglium of TSJUDER. This incarnation of the band took to the road in Europe during December as part of the mammoth 'X-Mas' festival dates in union with SIX FEET UNDER, EXODUS, MACABRE, MARDUK, IMMOLATION, IMPALED NAZARENE, HATE ETERNAL and ANTAEUS.

March of 2003 had RAGNAROK in the Abyss Studios with engineer Tommy Tägtgren to lay down the 'Blackdoor Miracle' album. Live work was low key that year but the band did put in an appearance at the Norwegian 'Inferno' festival. 'Blackdoor Miracle' arrived in February of 2004. Scandinavian shows that November dubbed the 'Clash Of Demigods' saw the band forming up a package billing with KRISIUN, BEHEMOTH and INCANTATION.

Early 2006 brought news that Høst had participated in SECHT, a Black Metal collective boasting an impressive cast involving CARPATHIAN FOREST personnel Vrangsinn, Nattefrost and Nordavind, drummer Dirge Rep of GORGOROTH and NEETZACH, Nocturno Culto of DARKTHRONE, Nag of TSJUDER, Gaahl from GORGOROTH and TRELLDOM, Apollyon of AURA NOIR amongst others.

RAGNAROK regrouped around the pivotal figure of Jontho during 2008, inducting three new members in Svein-Ivar Sarassen ('Decepticon'), of VIDSYN, QUADRIVIUM, SECTUMSEMPRA, BEYOND INSANITY, PESTIFEROUS, SUBVERSOR and CARPTICON, on bass, Eivind Hjelle ('Brigge'), from DREAD and CARPTICON, on guitar, plus singer Nikolay Fridtjof Dahr ('HansFyrste'), of SVARTTJERN. The new look band re-debuted with the 2009 album 'Collectors Of The King', recorded at Endarker Studios in Norrköping, for Regain Records.

Garry Sharpe-Young