Immortal’s roots can be traced back to when Olve Eikemo and Tore Bratseth formed a Death Metal band called Old Funeral in 1988 in Bergen Norway. Old Funeral only released two demos and one EP before splitting up in 1992, however this band would later gain attention precisely because Olve Eikemo and Harald Nævdal, the two founding members of Immortal had once formed a part of the band. Additionally, Varg Vikernes of Burzum fame and Jørn Inge Tunsberg from Hades Almighty also played with Old Funeral, granting the short lived band even more recognition, although they joined the band in 1990 at the same time that Olve Eikemo and Harald Nævdal were leaving. Olve Eikemo, Harald Nævdal, Jan Atle Åserød and Jørn Inge Tunsberg also formed another Death Metal band in Bergen in 1988 called Amputation, although they too only managed to release two demos before disbanding in 1990. After leaving Old Funeral and upon the disbandment of Amputation, Olve Eikemo and Harald Nævdal founded Immortal in Bergen in 1990.
