Formed in 1992 and taking their name from Lord Of The Rings (as have many other bands), Gorgoroth is a pretty typical Norwegian black metal band in many respects. They've got the standard corpsepaint visual, they have suitably black-metal-like pseudonyms, their present and past members have several ties to other black metal bands, and most importantly, their music is firmly rooted in old-school black metal, in the tradition of Darkthrone, Marduk, and the like. As a result, much of their work, particularly the early albums like Antichrist, is on the generic side -- certainly they've nailed the style to a T, but there isn't a lot that distinguishes them from other similarly-styled bands. On their more recent album, such as 2000's Incipit Satan, they are more adventurous, as they are starting to spread their wings just a bit without sacrificing any of their early evilness or intensity. The band has had its share of notoriety in recent times, with vocalist Gaahl facing jail time on an assault charge and a recent show in Poland potentially running afoul of local law for "offending religious beliefs".

In the fall of 2007, a split has occurred within the Gorgoroth camp, with Gaahl and King on one side and Infernus on the other. Both want to continue as Gorgoroth, and so the matter was tied up in the courts for some time. A decision was reached in March 2009, awarding Infernus the rights to the name. He has recruited a new lineup, while King and Gaahl have formed a new band called God Seed.