1349

Musically and visually, Oslo's 1349 draw from the second wave of Norwegian black metal. Buzzing guitars, relentless blastbeats, Satanic themes, and raw vocals define their approach, while corpse paint, leather, spikes, and fire breathing complete their stage presentation. Early efforts like Liberation and Beyond the Apocalypse arrived with raw, lo-fi sonics yet attracted listeners through sheer physical force and aggression. Though they have released fewer than ten albums across twenty-two years, the group stands among the handful of acts from that period that still tour and record while staying faithful to their original sonic and visual identity, a stance confirmed by 2014's Massive Cauldron of Chaos. After extended road work, reissue projects, and a hiatus, 1349 resurfaced with The Infernal Pathway in 2019. Once the pandemic subsided they resumed live activity, issuing The Wolf & The King in 2024.

The band took its name from the year the black death reached Scandinavia. Formed in 1997 from the remnants of Alvheim, the lineup originally included vocalist and drummer Olav "Ravn" Bergene, guitarist André "Tjalve" Kvebek, and bassist Tor Risdal "Seidemann" Stavenes. Second guitarist Idar "Archaon" Burheim arrived two years later, appearing on the 2000 demo Chaos Preferred and the self-titled 2001 EP that locked the quartet into a deliberate revival of the stark early-nineties Norwegian style. Their link to that era strengthened when Satyricon drummer Kjetil Vidar "Frost" Haraldstad joined for live dates, freeing Ravn to move about the stage and enhancing both the group's musical reputation and its theatrical presence. Three albums followed in quick succession—2003's Liberation, 2004's Beyond the Apocalypse, and 2005's Hellfire—leading to a U.S. tour supporting the reunited Celtic Frost, during which another drummer filled in because Frost was barred entry over a prior conviction, plus several years of European festival appearances. Tjalve departed in 2006.

After a period of inactivity, 1349 returned in 2009 with Revelations of the Black Flame. Recorded with Celtic Frost's Thomas Gabriel Fischer, the album shifted toward slower ambient and semi-industrial textures, alienating much of the audience. Touring guitarist Secthdamon was added at that time. The 2010 follow-up Demonoir, again featuring only the founding quartet, retained some atmospheric passages amid more conventional tracks and further divided listeners. Secthdamon resumed live duties in 2016 and continues in that role, as does drummer Nils Fjellström, who handles U.S. dates in Frost's absence. After four years of concerts and festivals, the band issued the Dødskamp EP in April 2019 and the Through Eyes of Stone EP that August; both stripped-back releases were welcomed by fans. In October they delivered their seventh album, The Infernal Pathway. Jarrett Pritchard engineered the sessions, which included guest lyrics from Nocturnal Breed bassist and lyricist Kenneth "Destroyer" Svartalv on all but one track. Critics and listeners alike hailed the record as a return to the band's established form.

Global pandemic restrictions halted touring until 2021, when the group resumed European festival and headline dates. They then entered two studios for the next album, tracking at Amper Tone in Oslo before completing work at New Constellation R.M.P. in Orlando, Florida, with producers Jarrett Pritchard and Ravn, who also recorded and engineered the material. Pritchard handled mixing and mastering. Seasons of Mist released the resulting album, The Wolf & The King, in October 2024.