A Black Metal band with Thrash influences and strong ties to fellow cult act ANCIENT WISDOM of which both vocalist Jens Rydén, as drummer, and guitarist Andreas Nilsson also appear. The UmeÃ¥ based NAGLFAR's opening 1992 line-up, then billed as UNINTERRED, comprised Jens Rydén on vocals and guitars, Kristoffer Olivius on bass and NOCTURNAL RITES drummer Ulf Andersson. The following year Fredrik Degerström, owner of 'Arqtique' fanzine, enrolled as guitarist as Rydén made the decision to concentrate solely on singing. Degerström exited in March 1994, going on to AUBERON, BEWITCHED and, under the pseudonym of 'Spider', GUILLOTINE. His replacement was Andreas Nilsson as the band name changed to NAGLFAR. Following an abortive attempt to record a demo Andersson too opted out, his path subsequently journeying through ANCIENT WISDOM and BEWITCHED.

The band made their entrance with the demo cassette 'Stellae Trajectio', this being cut at Garageland Studios in November 1994 utilising a drum machine. Pulling in new drummer Mattias Holmgren, NAGLFAR scored a deal with Wrong Again Records. In July 1995 the band entered Studio Abyss in Ludvika, Sweden to craft their 'Vittra' debut.

A further demo billed as 'Maiden Slaughter' bore covers of IRON MAIDEN's 'The Evil That Men Do' and KREATOR's 'Pleasure To Kill'. NAGLFAR's former drummer Matthias Holmgren formed EMBRACING, releasing the 'I Bear The Burden Of Time' album in 1996. In August 1997 NAGLFAR cut two tracks at Ballerina Audio with engineer Nils Johansson for a 7" single 'When Autumn Storms Come' released through War Music. Holmgren would also session lead vocals on SKYFIRE's inaugural December 1997 demo 'Within Reach'. The AZURE 'Moonlight Legend' of 1998 also includes Holmgren on drums. Meantime, NAGLFAR soldiered on with temporary replacements on drums including Morgan Lie from AUBERON and Johan Moritz from Porn-Metal outfit DISORGE.

NAGLFAR's high profile second album, April 1998's 'Diabolical', sees Matthias Grahn taking on the drummers role the new sticksman also having featured on the picture disc 7" 'When Autumn Storms Come'. Hansson exited in October of 2000. The parting of ways with Hansson could be viewed as acrimonious bearing in mind that the band pointedly offer him no thanks on the album cover and declare their former member to be "mad"!

Jens Rydén issued his symphonic, Blackened Death Metal solo project DEAD SILENT SLUMBER's 'Entombed In The Midnight Hour' album in 1999 through Hammerheart Records. In 2000 Hansson founded a Gothic flavoured side project HAYAFOTH in collusion with ANCIENT WISDOM, HAVAYOTH and BEWITCHED's Vargher (a.k.a. Marcus Norman).

NAGLFAR's 'Ex Inferis' 2001 EP, recorded at Ballerina Studios, included a take on TERRORIZER's 'Death Shall Rise'. Marcus Norman, of would join NAGLFAR in October 2001. The 'Vittra' album would see a re-issue during 2002, adding three extra tracks including cover versions of IRON MAIDEN's 'The Evil That Men Do' and KREATOR's 'Pleasure To Kill' from the 1996 'Maiden Slaughter' recordings. The band set 'Sheol' (Hebrew for 'Hell') as the title of a 2003 album.

NAGLFAR signed a worldwide record deal with Century Media Records in January 2005, entering Ballerina Studios to craft a new record billed as 'Pariah'. Kristoffer W. Olivius also made time to guest on the NOCTURNAL RITES album 'Grand Illusion'. European shows throughout April saw the band partnered with FINNTROLL and AMORAL. Opening 2006, live work in Europe during February and March saw NAGLFAR sharing stages with DARK FUNERAL, ASMODEUS, AMORAL and ENDSTILLE. Meantime, ex-NAGLFAR drummer Mattias Holmgren joined SUPREME MAJESTY in the keyboard role.

NAGLFAR ensconced themselves in Toontrack studio in UmeÃ¥ during October 2006 to cut a new album billed as 'Harvest'. Former singer Jens Rydén issued his solo PROFUNDI debut, 'The Omega Rising', that same month. In January 2007 NAGLFAR was added to CELTIC FROST and SATYRICON's Japanese "Extreme The Dojo" tour dates. October and November North American shows were packaged with DAATH and DARK FUNERAL.

NAGLFAR scheduled US dates for May and June 2010.

Garry Sharpe-Young