NERGAL began life as a death Metal band dubbed P.S.F. in 1989. The original trio comprised of frontman Mike Burger, bassist Beat Oswald and drummer Nick. Oswald exited and P.S.F. pulled in Peter Sarbuck for a demo 'Grotesque Ecstasy'. A name switch to NERGAL also witnessed a change to a Black Metal stance and the recruitment of former DAMNATORY and BERKAHAL bassist Gisela Imhof. The band's debut came with a split 7” single sharing vinyl with previous P.S.F. material.

NERGAL signed to the Colombian label Warmaster for a split album with Poles BUNDESWEHRA in 1993.