Mork was created by Thomas Eriksen in the town of Halden in Norway during 2004. Both then and now the band functions as a one-man-band, much like many others within the Black Metal-genre. Mork was primarily a side-project for Eriksen from the inception until the debut album was made in 2013. The demo “Rota Til Ondskap” was compiled of recordings done between 2005-2007 and was released DIY-style as a limited 100-copies CD-R, in 2007.
During the summer 2013 Eriksen visited the old rehearsal haunts of the Norwegian band Darkthrone, which is and has always been a big part of his inspirations. The visit triggered such a big part of Eriksen’s inspirational flow that he went straight back home and made what would become the debut album “Isebakke”.
“Isebakke” like the first demo was made into 100 CD-R copies just for fun and was never intended to be a big deal. However, the album was received very well and more people started showing attention to Mork. Record labels started to show an interest, which resulted in the now ongoing cooperation with the Canadian label HSP-Productions. The debut “Isebakke” was released physically during 2014 and was praised by both critics and Black Metal-fans. Tracks from the album has gotten airplay several times after its release, including an airing at Silenoz’s (Dimmu Borgir) show 333 – Half Evil.
2014 was also the year when Eriksen gathered enough members to make Mork into a full live act. The band debuted live in January 2015 in Olsztyn, Poland.
2015 saw the release of the EP “Fortid Og Fremtid” which is a compilation of re-recorded songs of the first demo as well as a new track and a live track.
December 2015 Mork released the digital single “I Sluket Av Myra” along with a music video and was named “BAND of the WEEK” by Fenriz (Darkthrone). The video was premiered at Metal Hammer Norway.
2016 would show to be the year Mork become more active than ever. The second album “Den Vandrende Skygge” was released in February to much praise from critics and fans alike. The album includes a special-guest appearance by Nocturno Culto (Darkthrone) who does vocals on the track “Hudbreiderens Revir”. This song appeared on Radio Fenriz, run by Fenriz (Darkthrone).
The release party was also the first of several live-shows along the new band Order, including members from Mayhem, Satyricon and Gluecifer.
Easter time, Mork played a successful show in front of a packed venue at the Inferno Metal Festival, in Oslo. The show spawned positive reviews, among others an 8/10 in Metal Hammer UK.
The band then went on to play at the Tons Of Rock festival in the band’s hometown of Halden, in June.
The very first tour occurred in July, when Mork travelled across the Atlantic for a two-week tour of Canada.
While the third album is in progress, the shows continue, including one show in Tirol, Austria, in November.
2016 has brought Mork shows in Norway, Denmark, Canada, Austria and closing the year with more shows, including one in Gran Canaria, Spain.
A big year for Mork which also earned the band an own chapter in Dayal Patterson’s latest Cult Never Dies-book.
2017 started early March with shows at the Garage in Bergen with Order and the Rockefeller Music Hall in Oslo with Nidingr. This also was the first shows with Ragnarok-drummer Malignant behind the kit. Later in March the band was brought to Turkey to perform in Izmir by Dystopia Promoters, who had Mayhem there in 1990. This made Mork the second black metal-band ever to play this city and the response was huge amongst the Izmir metal-fans. April/May the band continue to gig in Norway and amongst other places visited Kristiansand for the first time, which lies in the middle of the Norwegian bible-belt. This would be the first show together with Norwegian doom metal band Abyssic.
Mork’s second book-appearance happened around the same time, in the second issue of Becoming The Forrest. During June the band started rehearsing with ex-Dimmu Borgir drummer Tjodalv, who had shown interest of stepping in whenever Malignant was on the road with Ragnarok. Early summer Mork signed to Peaceville Records for album number three. Now Mork became label-buddies with Darkthrone among others on a bigger label. In July the band was joined by Nocturno Culto on stage during a show in Trysil, performing ‘Hudbreiderens Revir’.
In August Peaceville released the digital single and music-video ‘I Hornenes Bilde’ which spread like wildfire on the internet. The video was compiled of footage from the bands show at Rockefeller Music Hall, in March, shot by Punkrockphoto.
In the beginning of September, the band played the Hellbotn Metalfest in Kolbotn, Norway. Later the same month it was announced that Mork would play their first UK-show in London the following October. The show was booked by Cult Never Dies and Becoming The forest. Peaceville released the second track ‘Mørkets Alter’ in form of a lyric-video in the boosting of the exclusive London-show. October 13th saw the release of third album ‘Eremittens Dal’ in all formats. The album includes special guest-vocals by Silenoz (Dimmu Borgir) and guest-bass-guitar by Seidemann (1349). The album artwork is done exclusively by Jannicke Wiese-Hansen, famous for making the cover art for early Burzum and Satyricon albums.
‘Eremittens Dal’ received positive reviews from both fans and critics.
Around the same time of release the band and Halden Mikrobryggeri (Beer brewery) collaborated on a Mork beer named “Gravøl”, which was a brown ale, bottled and on tap.
In November the band played the first of several shows together with Seidemann’s Svart Lotus at Revolver in Oslo. The bands toured together through February 2018. Early 2018 Mork signs with bookers; Massive Music (Europe) and Rockaway (Scandinavia). Throughout the summer and late summer, the band plays festival-shows, including Midgardsblot in Norway and the concert debut in Romania at Dark Bombastic Evening Held in Transylvania. Mork debut album “Isebakke” and second album “Den Vandrende Skygge” was re-released by Peaceville Records in July and August. In September the band played the Spetakkel Festival in Larvik with Insidious Disease and at Brygga Kultursal in Halden with Satyricon.
2018 was wrapped up with a sold out show in Oslo in December.
2019 saw the release of the single “På Tvers Av Tidene” alongside a lyric-video. A bit later the second single and music-video “I Flammens Favn” and lastly a third one “Siste Reis” accompanied by an artwork-video. In early March the band headlined the Chimera Dark Night Festival in Prague, Czech. During easter Mork returned to the Inferno Festival which also saw the release of the fourth album “Det Svarte Juv”.
A new “Mork Gravøl” beer was brewed by Grünerløkka Brygghus in Oslo in shape of an Irish Stout with smoke and chili-taste. The beer is available in both bottle and tap. During the promotional process of the new album Mork appears in the world-famous financial newspaper, Financial Times, alongside Darkthrone in an article about Black Metal.
After a short run of Norwegian dates, including the new Imperium Festival at the fortress of Halden, the band headed yet again over the Atlantic. This time to play their first ever US shows, being the Psycho Las Vegas festival and a couple of club-shows in San Diego and Los Angeles.
A handful of festivals steered the way towards the end of the year; the return to Hellbotn Metalfest, the new Mossfest, Damnation Festival in Leeds and Dark Winter Fest in Italy. As well as a couple club-shows in France and at the Underworld in London. Late year 2019, Mork teamed up with Asgeir Mickelson (Testament, Sarke, Borknagar and Ishahn) who stepped in for Malignant on a few occasions. The calendar of 2020 seemed to fill up early in the year as full tours, single-shows and festivals was booked. After a meeting at the Peaceville offices in London, Thomas set his sails to finish the new and fifth Mork album in time for a release within 2020. Due to the worldwide coronavirus epidemic, booked shows where cancelled and postponed. These included a show in Bergen alongside label mates Mortem in May, the Dark Easter Metal Meeting in Munich in April and what would be Mork’s first full tour of Europe alongside British Winterfylleth in May. The covid situation continued to put the brakes on the rest of 2020, as several festivals and tours was set on hold. The Wacken Open Air and the band’s first South American run, to name a couple.
However, the band found ways to reach their audience by playing a couple of live-streamed concerts in Norway, as well as several shows with audiences in the country, with restrictions. The first Mork live stream was shot by Gray Gull Productions at Vannvogna Kunst og Kultursal in Halden and was viewed by more than 30 000 people across the globe.
When Norway shut down due to the pandemic, Thomas launched the “The Thomas Eriksen Podcast”, which has grown quite a bit since the first episode. The podcast focuses on Mork as well as having conversations with well-known musicians and personalities within the Black Metal scene. May 22nd Peaceville Records released the “Rota Til Ondskap” demo on vinyl.
During a summer break, as Thomas travelled Norway, he came across the hometown of the Norwegian artist Theodor Kittelsen. While there he got wind of a special location, which turned out to be the basis for a couple of his famous depictions of “Pesta” in the “Svartedauden” book. As the worldwide pandemic raged on, Eriksen found this a fitting plot for a new Mork track. So, the song “Pesta” was created and shopped to Peaceville, who went on to release a 12” vinyl EP, containing the title track “Pesta” as well as the acoustic Burzum cover and two live tracks. The EP is in whole based on photographs that Thomas and Punkrockphoto shot at the Kittelsen location. With photos capturing the “Pesta i trappa” and “Musstad” pieces by Kittelsen. On Black Friday, November 27th, “Pesta” wad released digitally and on a limited 500 vinyl copies.
Even though the pandemic situation, the did get to perform live shows, mainly in Norway throughout the year.
In mid-January the first single “Arv” of the upcoming album was released digitally alongside a music video. The second single “Svartmalt” featuring a returning guest appearance by Nocturno Culto (Darkthrone) was released digitally and as a lyric video in mid-February.
On March 5th the fifth studio album “Katedralen” was released by Peaceville Records and was met with an overwhelming positive response from both fans and critics. On the release night the band hosted a live-streamed concert that attracted 100k viewers and counting.
In celebration of the new album Mork teamed up with the Oslo based brewery, Beer Flag, for a new edition of the “Mork Gravøl” beer. The “Gravøl” took shape in a refreshing Scandinavian Ale, this time around. Later a third single and music video was released for the track “Født Til Å Herske”. The video was shot and directed by Trond Atle Bokerød in Halden and featured special guest Dolk. On June 30th Mork had a belated release show at the famed Sentrum Scene venue in Oslo, also featuring Dolk as special guest. Old school black metal pioneers Mortem opened the show this night.
In December the “Svart Nordisk Union Tour” of Scandinavia set off with Mork headlining and the Danish Afsky as direct support. The tour happened inside a short window where there were no Covid restrictions, so the run had several well attended and sold-out shows. During easter 2022, Mork played a packed room at their first ever German show, at Dark Easter Metal Meeting in Munich. In August they finally got to visit and play the Wacken Open Air festival on the Headbangers Stage, in-front of their biggest crowd to date. The show was live streamed and is available online.
After a return to the Midgardsblot festival and a long awaited second show in Poland at the Niech Cisza Milczy festival, MORK finally got to embark on the first South American tour. In early September the band played Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia and Mexico with direct support from the bands Skeletal Remains and Soulburn.
Mid-September Peaceville Records released the EP “Den Svevende Festning” which is compiled of a couple of unreleased tracks from the Katedralen sessions as well as some live tracks. The EP is released as a limited 1000 vinyl copies which 150 was hand numbered. The band played two more festivals in Norway, the Northern Deception and the Spetakkelfestival in late September and the Mörkaste Småland festival in Sweden early October.
On Friday 13th of January 2023, Peaceville Records announced the sixth studio album “Dypet” which is set for release March 24th. The album will be available on black vinyl, limited silver vinyl, digipak CD and on streaming.
On Friday the 13th of February the first single of the album “Bortgang” was released accompanied by a lyric video. The single made the top list of latest singles in KERRANG!. “Tilbake Til Opprinnelsen” was the second single and was included on the many streaming playlists as well as accompanied by a lyric video. When “Dypet” finally was released, it gained top scores and rates from the biggest magazines and websites all around. 10/10 by Metal Injection, 9/10 by Blabbermouth, 4,5/5 by Metalsucks and 8/10 by Metal Hammer UK to name a few. During Easter MORK headlined the John Dee stage at Inferno Metal Festival, making it the band’s third appearance at the festival. The “Pesta” EP was included in the “Dårlig Stemning” exhibition at the Norwegian National Library around the same time of easter. Throughout the year the band appeared at several festivals, amongst others In Flammen Open Air in Germany and Brutal Assault in the Czech Republic. In October/November Mork toured Asia for the first time, visiting the following countries: Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Nepal and India. The was followed by a full run of southern Brazil, which ended the concert year of 2023 in Sao Paulo in early November.
In early 2024 Peaceville Records announced the new side-project and debut album by Thomas Eriksen called «Udåd», set for release March 15th.
Rob Sax decided to leave the band and was replaced by Øyvind Kaslegaard.
Mork would start off the year with a return the Dark Easter Metal Meeting in Germany as well as a return to Romania which marks the first show in Bucharest at Underground To The Masses festival where the band headlined.
In May Mork appeared for the first time at the Karmøygeddon festival in Norway and made a return to the US with an exclusive show at Maryland Deathfest in Baltimore.
Over the span of the summer the band made their debut at Mystic Festival in Poland, Kaltenbach Open Air in Austria and at Hellfest Open Air in France, the last one marking the band’s biggest crowd to date.
September 10th saw the release of album number seven, entitled “Syv”. The album was released by Peaceville Records and was supported by the singles; “Utbrent”, “Heksebål” and “Holmgang”. On release day Mork hosted their first headliner show at Oslo’s John Dee. The album gained favourable reviews from all over.
In October the band returned yet again to the USA for a show at California Deathfest in Oakland. On November 28th Peaceville Records released “Rota Til Ondskap” on CD for the first time, which included several bonus tracks.
The final show of the year is at Parkteateret in Oslo as support for 1349, in December.