Country of origin:
Norway
Location:
Oslo
Status:
Active
Formed in:
1993
Genre:
Symphonic/Melodic Black Metal
Themes:
Satanism, Evil, Sorrow, Misanthropy, Death
Current label:
Unsigned/independent
Years active:
1989-1993 (as Requiem), 1993-2009, 2019-present
Old Man’s Child emerged in Oslo in 1993 after the dissolution of Requiem, a Metallica/Slayer‑influenced cover band that gradually shifted into death metal before fully embracing black metal. Under the leadership of Galder and Jardar—both initially balancing military service with the band’s formation—Old Man’s Child quickly developed a signature style: symphonic and melodic black metal steeped in themes of Satanism, sorrow, misanthropy, and death, delivered with sharp riffing, sweeping keyboards, and a cold, dramatic atmosphere. The name itself, long misunderstood as “son of Satan,” was taken from an obscure Viking text and chosen for its uniqueness rather than its supposed meaning.
The 1994 demo In the Shades of Life marked the band’s transformation into a fully realized black‑metal entity, leading to their debut Born of the Flickering (1996), a cornerstone of Norwegian melodic black metal. This was followed by The Pagan Prosperity (1997) and Ill‑Natured Spiritual Invasion (1998), albums that sharpened their melodic aggression and expanded their symphonic scope. During this period, Old Man’s Child became known for their fluid lineup, with Galder as the constant creative force and numerous prominent musicians passing through the ranks.
The turn of the millennium brought Revelation 666: The Curse of Damnation (2000) and In Defiance of Existence (2003), works that solidified the band’s identity: fast, melodic, and theatrically dark, with a strong emphasis on atmosphere and precision. Vermin (2005) and Slaves of the World (2009) continued this trajectory, showcasing a more aggressive and polished sound while maintaining the band’s characteristic blend of symphonic grandeur and black‑metal ferocity.
After 2009, Old Man’s Child entered a long period of silence as Galder focused on other projects, particularly Dimmu Borgir. The band resurfaced in 2019, reasserting its presence as an independent entity and rekindling interest in its extensive legacy of melodic and symphonic black metal.
Across decades of shifting lineups and evolving styles, Old Man’s Child has remained defined by Galder’s vision: dark, melodic, and steeped in occult and emotional intensity, bridging the rawness of Norwegian black metal with the grandeur of symphonic composition. Their discography stands as one of the most influential bodies of work in the melodic black metal tradition.
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Old Man's Child is the name taken from a term found in a Viking book by a former member, and the band ended up using it as they wanted a unique name to stand out. It was long believed to mean "son of Satan/the devil," but this is apparently not so.
The group first went by the name Requiem, which was originally a Metallica and Slayer cover band formed in 1989. By 1993, they had become a death metal band and released a very limited self-titled demo with original material.
Later that year they changed their style to black metal and became Old Man's Child.
After the band changed their name to Old Man's Child, they had a slow start forming the group because founding members Galder and Jardar both served in the Norwegian army at the time.
Compilation appearances:
- "A Kingdom Which Malice Embrace" & "Black Magic (Slayer cover)" on The Rape of the Holy Trinity (Hot Records, 1996)
- "Demons of the Thorncastle" on Knuckletracks II (Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, 1997)
- "What Malice Embrace" on Blackend: The Black Metal Compilation Volume 3 (Blackend/Metal Blade Records, 1997)
- "Millennium King" on Darkness We Feel (Century Media Records, 1997)
- "The Millennium King" on Knuckletracks V (Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, 1997)
- "Millennium King" on Feuersturm (Century Media Records, 1997)
- "Soul Possessed" on Firestarter (Century Black, 1997)
- "... Og Jeg Iakttok Dødsrikets Inntog" on Nordic Viking Hymns (Black Metal Ballads '97) (Moon Records, 1997)
- "On Through the Decert Storm" on Welkome To The Afterworld (Black Metal Compilation '97) Tape (Moon Records, 1997)
- "The Millenium King"on Darkness We Feel CD (Century Media Records, 1997; included with US Rotting Christ's A Dead Poem (Century Media Records, 1997)
- "Demonical Posession" on Dynamit Vol. 12 (Rock Hard, 1998)
- "Fall of Man" on Hard N' Heavy Vol. 4 (Hard N' Heavy, 1998)
- "Demoniacal Possession" on Am I Metal? Yes I Am!!! ‎(Century Media Records, 1998)
- "Return of the Night Creatures" on Century Media, Nuclear Blast, Avantgarde Präsentieren: Ablaze Compilation Heft 19 (Ablaze Magazine, 1998)
- "Fall of Man" on Identity Five: I Defy (Century Media Records, 1999)
- "The Dream Ghost" on Metal Mind Productions cz. 2 (Thrash 'Em All, 1999)
- "Demonical Possesion" on Deftone 4/98 (Deftone Magazine, 1998)
- "The Dream Ghost" on House Of Kicks Distribution - Independent Music For Independent People (House of Kicks Records, 1998)
- "The Servant" on Hard Rock Extreme N° 4 (Hard Rock, 1998)
- "The Servant" on Feuersturm Volume II: The Ultimate Storm (Century Media Records, 1998)
- "The Dream Ghost" on Darkness We Feel - Volume II (Bonus CD with Rotting Christ – Sleep Of The Angels) (Century Media Records, 1999)
- "The Dream Ghost" on Darkness We Feel - Volume II (Century Media Records, 1999)
- "The Dream Ghost" on Your Darkest Dreams - Vol. 1 Tape (Metal Mind Productions, 1999)
- "Unholy Vivid Innocence" on Off Road Tracks Vol. 30 (Metal Hammer, 2000)
- "The Old Man's Child" on Sign Of The Hammer (Hammerheart America, 2000)
- "Phantoms of Mortem Tales" on Hard N' Heavy ExtrĂŞme Vol. 2 (Hard N' Heavy, 2000)
- "Obscure Divine Manifestation" on Identity 6: Behold Another World (Century Media Records, 2000)
- "Phantom of Mortem Tales" on ...In The Eyes Of Death II (Century Media Records, 2000)
- "God of Impiety" on Sampler #14 (Century Media Records/SOD Records, 2000)
- "Unholy Vivid Innocence" on Serial Thriller Vol. VI (Century Media Records, 2000)
- "The Black Endless Void" on Disharmony Sampler (Century Media Records, 2000)
- "Obscure Divine Manifestation" on Knuckle Tracks XXI (Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, 2000)
- "Unholy Vivid Innocence" on Blessed By The Night - The Dark Metal Compilation 2 (Angelstar 2001).
- "Phantoms of Mortem Tales" on Darkness Is Thy Kingdom - A Journey Into Dark-Metal Sounds - Volume 3 (Nuclear Blast Records, 2001) (Angelwings, 2001)
- "Obscure Divine Manifestation" on Metal Masters (MP3.com, 2001)
- "Soul Possessed" on Century Media X 10 Year Anniversary (Century Media Records, 2001)
- "Black Seeds on Virgin Soil" on Legacy 06/02 (Legacy Magazine, 2002)
- "Black Seeds on Virgin Soil" & "Obscure Divine Manifestation" on Metal For The Masses Volume II mp3 CD-Rom (Century Media Records, 2003)
- "Black Seeds on Virgin Soil" on Terrorized v21 (Terrorizer Magazine, 2003)
- "Black Seeds on Virgin Soil" on This Ain't Your Older Brother's Metal! (Century Media Records, 2003)
- "Sacrifice of Vengeance" on Knuckletracks XLIX (Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, 2003)
- "Black Seeds on Virgin Soil" on Soundcheck #56 (Close-Up Magazine, 2003)
- "Black Seeds on Virgin Soil" & "Obscure Divine Manifestation" on Metal For The Masses - Canadian Assault CD-Rom (Century Media Records, 2004)
- "Black Seeds on Virgin Soil" on In The Eyes Of Death IV (Century Media Records, 2004)
- "War of Fidelity" on Fear Candy 21 (Terrorizer Magazine, 2005)
- "Enslaved and Condemned" on Off Road Tracks Vol. 97 (Metal Hammer, 2005)
- "Enslaved and Condemned" on Le Sampler RockHard N°48 (Rock Hard, 2005)
- "Enslaved and Condemned" on Metal For The Masses Vol. 4 (Century Media Records, 2005)
- "Enslaved and Condemned" on Insanity Sampler #9 (Explicitly Intense Magazine, 2005)
- "The Flames of Deceit" on Metal For The Masses (EMI, 2006)
- "The Millenium King" on W:O:A Full Metal Juke Box (Vol. 3) (Golden Core Records, 2007)
- "Slaves of the World" on Zero Tolerance [ZTAUDIO026] (Zero Tolerance Magazine, 2009)
- "Slaves of the World" on Le Sampler RockHard #88 (Rock Hard, 2009)
- "Ferden Mot Fiendens Land" on Carnival Of Sounds (label 4}, 2009)
- "Slaves of the World" on Rock Tribune CD Sampler Mei 2009 Nr. 85 (Rock Tribune Magazine, 2009)
- "Slaves of the World" on Heavy Metal Magazine Compilatie Mai 2009 Vol. 34 (Heavy Metal Magazine, 2009)
- "Slaves of the World" on Metal For The Masses (Century Media Records, 2009)
- "Fall of Man" on 20 Years Of Century Media: 1996-2000 (Century Media Records, 2010)
- "Fall of Man" & "Fall of Man" on 20 Years Of Century Media: 1991-2010 (Century Media Records, 2010)
- "The Millenium King" on Wacken Open Air - Full Metal Collection (Golden Core Records, 2013)
- "Born of the Flickering" on Mystic Production Vol. 1 (Mystic Production)
- "My Kingdom Will Come" on Testimony Of A Metal Century-The History Of Century Media (Metal Hammer & Heavy Metal)
| Current | |
| Galder | Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards (1993-2009, 2019-present), Bass (1998-1999, 1999-2009, 2019-present) |
| See also: ex-Requiem, ex-Dimmu Borgir, ex-Dødheimsgard | |
| Past | |
| Tjodalv | Drums (1993-1996, 1999-2000), Vocals (1993-1995) |
| See also: Abyssic, Gromth, Susperia, Thyruz, ex-Black Comedy, ex-Requiem, ex-Seven Sins, ex-Dimmu Borgir | |
| Jardar | Guitars (1993-1997, 1999-2003) |
| See also: ex-Requiem, ex-Insidious Disease | |
| Brynjard Tristan | Bass (1994-1995) |
| See also: ex-Angstkrieg, Bloodlust, ex-Dimmu Borgir | |
| Gonde | Bass (1995-1997) |
| See also:Â Vestige of Virtue, ex-Funeral, ex-Minas, ex-Tulus | |
| Tony Kirkemo | Drums (1996-1997) |
| See also: Chrome Division, Minas, ex-Antestor (live) | |
| Memnoch | Bass (1999-2000) |
| See also: Abyssic, Antiqva, ex-Lost in Time, ex-Metadox, ex-Vanaheim, ex-Seven Sins, Art of Departure, ex-Susperia, ex-Black Comedy | |
| Grimar | Drums (1999-2000) |
| See also: 54, Forgery, ex-Mandylion, ex-Coverman, ex-Doberman | |
| Nicholas Barker | Drums (2002-2003) |
| See also: ex-Monolith, ex-Systematic Insanity, ex-Voices (live), ex-Liquid Graveyard, ex-Twilight of the Gods, ex-Catalepsy, ex-Ancient, ex-Atrocity, ex-Brujeria, ex-Cradle of Filth, ex-Dimmu Borgir, ex-Leaves' Eyes, ex-Lock Up, ex-Obskkvlt, ex-Sadistic Intent, ex-Shining, ex-Testament, ex-Anaal Nathrakh (live), ex-Benediction (live), ex-Borknagar (live), ex-Cancer (live), ex-Criminal (live), ex-Exodus (live), ex-Nightrage (live), ex-Noctis Imperium (live), ex-Possessed (live), ex-Venom Inc. (live), ex-Stormwatch, ex-Anathema (live), ex-Cerebral Fix (live), ex-Nuclear Assault (live), ex-Borstal, ex-Driven by Suffering, ex-Monstrance, ex-United Forces, ex-Gorgoroth (live) | |
| Current (Live) | |
| Elvorn | Bass (2025-present) |
| See also: Abyssic, Susperia, Insidious Disease (live), ex-Ringnevond, ex-Vanaheim, ex-Seven Sins | |
| Tjodalv | Drums (2025-present) |
| See also: Abyssic, Gromth, Susperia, Thyruz, ex-Black Comedy, ex-Requiem, ex-Seven Sins, ex-Dimmu Borgir | |
| Cyrus | Guitars (2025-present) |
| See also: Insidious Disease, Susperia, ex-Endless, ex-Seven Sins, ex-Dimmu Borgir (live), ex-Satyricon (live), ex-Sarke, ex-ICS Vortex, ex-Crownfall, ex-Sensa Anima | |
| Past (Live) | |
| Blodstrup | Bass (1997) |
| See also: Khold, Tulus, ex-Endless, ex-Sensa Anima | |
| Sarke | Drums (1997) |
| See also: Khold, Tulus, ex-Endless, ex-Operio, ex-Sarke, ex-Valhall, ex-Sensa Anima | |
| Gene Hoglan | Drums (1998-1999) |
| See also: Brendon Small's Galaktikon, Dark Angel, Dethklok, ex-Daemon, ex-Meldrum, ex-Metaspherical, ex-Strapping Young Lad, ex-Tenet, ex-Mechanism, ex-Pitch Black Forecast, Death DTA (live), ex-Devin Townsend, ex-Fear Factory, ex-Forbidden, ex-Just Cause, ex-Memorain, ex-Testament, ex-Viking, ex-Anthrax (live), ex-Opeth (live), ex-Unearth (live), ex-999 Society, ex-Death, ex-Wargod, ex-Zimmers Hole, ex-Carnage, ex-Punchdrunk / The Almighty Punchdrunk, ex-The Ani Kyd Band, ex-Glostik Willy (live) | |
| Punisher | Guitars, Bass (1998) |
| See also: ex-Optoletum, ex-Nuctemeron, ex-Dødheimsgard (live) | |
| Trym Torson | Drums (2000) |
| See also: Emperor, ex-Imperium, ex-Paganize, ex-Zyklon, ex-Ceremony, God of Atheists, Þrymr, ex-Enslaved, ex-Satyricon (live), ex-Notodden All Stars | |
| Vidvandre | Keyboards (2000) |
| See also: ex-Grand Alchemist, ex-Vidsyn, ex-Vintersorg (live), ex-Alsvartr, ex-Apostasy | |
| Hoest | Vocals (2025) |
| See also: Deathcult, Taake, Gorgoroth (live), ex-Ofryskje, ex-Ravengod, ex-Thule, ex-Carpathian Forest (live), ex-Destruction (live), ex-Helheim (live), ex-Nattefrost (live), ex-Urgehal (live), ex-Ragnarok, ex-Slavia, ex-Frost (Nor), ex-Mastema (Nor), ex-Vendigeit | |
Discography
| In the Shades of Life | Demo | 1994 | |
| Born of the Flickering | Full-length | 1996 | |
| The Pagan Prosperity | Full-length | 1997 | |
| Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion | Full-length | 1998 | |
| Sons of Satan Gather for Attack | Split | 1999 | |
| Shattering the Barriers | Split | 2000 | |
| Revelation 666: The Curse of Damnation | Full-length | 2000 | |
| In Defiance of Existence | Full-length | 2003 | |
| The Historical Plague | Boxed set | 2003 | |
| Vermin | Full-length | 2005 | |
| Vermin / In Defiance of Existence | Boxed set | 2008 | Â |
| Slaves of the World | Full-length | 2009 |