History & Biography Fredrikstad, Norway’s Kampfar was the solo project of former Mock man Dolk until 1997 when Thomas would join the act. Kampfar had issued a self-titled demo in 1994 and subsequently issued a debut in 1997. The album was recorded at X-Ray Studio the prior autumn. The demo was also issued as an EP by Season Of Mist.
The band’s second album was issued through Hammerheart in 1999 and re-issued through the band’s new label, Napalm Records, in 2006. The band reported legal hassles with the Hammerheart label in the intervening years. The group cancelled its appearance at Wacken in 2009 due to a “family matter.” Kampfar picked Mare as the title for its next album, which was due on March 25th, 2011 through Napalm Records. In late 2013, Indie Recordings signed Kampfar. The Band's next album, Djevelmakt ('Devil Power') would be released on January 27th, 2014. Taake, Kampfar and Necrowretch were to tour Europe using the Northern Alliance 2020 tour monicker. The tour was to kick off in Krakow on the 19th of March. Due to the travel and performance restrictions in Europe, the co-headliner tour supported by Necrowretch was re-scheduled to January 2021. The band was booked for the Rockstadt Fest in 2020, but the event too was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Norway-based Kampfar had a video for the song Flammen Fra Nord in 2022. It was taken from the new full-length Til Klovers Takt, which was released through Indie Recordings in November. The band played Cosmic Void Festival in England and Wacken in 2022. Taake, Kampfar and others toured Europe and the band was booked for Mexico. 1349 & Kampfar - 2024 EU Co-Headline Tour was booked for the autumn.
Reviews KAMPFAR - KVASS - NAPALM 
While the Norwegian metal band Kampfar was probably not signed on by Napalm Records for its tightness or instrumental mastery, it was acquired for its use of atmospheres and purity of purpose. After seven years of absence from the scene Kampfar is back with a new line-up and a new label with an album featuring six drawn out songs ranging in length from six to ten minutes for a total running time of 46 minutes.
Kampfar is typically described as black metal, but its mid-tempo music is hardly influenced by Venom, Dark Funeral or Immortal. The group is more along the lines of a mixture of Bathory, Graveland and Darkthrone with a touch of Thy Serpent. While the Norwegian titles and the coldly beautiful cover photograph seek to convey the mysterious and isolated Norwegian landscape, the singer shrieks and grunts with abandon rendering the disc more brutal than a typical natural vista. There is almost nothing commercial or marketable about this album, which is great, but simultaneously the album fails to reach for a record of any kind. Quite notably the closing track makes use of subverted rock and roll riffs one could hear on an early Def Leppard or a Thin Lizzy album. The screams and distortions hardly mask the particular riffs. The album is bereft of commercialism or trendy influences, therefore beware of the record company labelling the band as “folk.” - Anna Tergel
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