Kristian Espedal，Gaahl was born in Sunnfjord, a district in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. He spent his youth living in a sparsely populated valley called Espedal, in the municipality of Fjaler. Gaahl became involved with black metal in 1993, when he co-formed the band Trelldom with guitarist "Tyrant" and bassist "Taakeheim".