VANAHEIM was a fantasy fuelled Viking Metal act that would later give rise to SUSPERIA. The group was founded during 1995, counting a line up of lead vocalist Jon Rasmussen, guitarists Elvorn (a.k.a. Christian Hagen) and Rune Tyvold, bass player Memnock (Håkon Didriksen), keyboard man Nevrod (Fredrik Haraldsen) and drummer Athera (Pål Mathisen). In his formative years Hagen had been a member of VIDDER, the high school act also including a pre-DIMMU BORGIR Mustis (Øyvind Mustafarta).

VANAHEIM dissolved in 1999. Pål Mathiesen (a.k.a. 'Daukjött' also holds a tradition with METADOX and MORTEM. Mathisen, Hagen and Haraldsen also have an association with Black Metal act RINGNEVOND, all featuring on the 'Nattverd' album.