Watain were formed in 1998. According to Erik Danielsson, when the band formed, "there weren't really any bands anymore that seemed to take things that seriously, and there weren't that many bands that actually consisted of, you know, people that did so much more than just play the music that they liked and the same kind of music that their idols play". They released their demo Go Fuck Your Jewish "God" in 1998 and their live tape Black Metal Sacrifice in 1999, which they do not intend to re-release. In October 1999, the band released their EP The Essence of Black Purity through Grim Rune Productions, which they consider to be their first official release, and played on a show together with Malign and Dark Funeral, organised by Watain and Grim Rune Productions.
Watain's debut album Rabid Death's Curse was released through End All Life Productions and Drakkar Productions in 2000, followed by a split EP with Diabolicum released through Spikekult Records. A split LP with Malign was planned in the early 2000s and supposed to be issued by Grim Rune Productions before the recording of Watain's second album Casus Luciferi, but never got released. Watain toured Europe with Unpure in early 2002. In 2003, they again entered the studio to record their second full-length album, Casus Luciferi, which features lyrics by Necromorbus of Funeral Mist (who also produced all their studio releases since The Essence of Black Purity and played live bass for them), MkM of Antaeus and Scorn of Katharsis. The Stellar Descension Infernal Tour through Europe followed, alongside Secrets of the Moon and Averse Sefira. They also toured throughout 18 countries with Dissection on their two months-long 'Rebirth of Dissection' tour in 2004. Dissection member Set Teitan supported Watain in Russia in 2005 due to live bassist Whorth's absence, and later became an official live member of the band.
In 2006, members of the band did the Hitler salute and wore T-shirts of the NSBM band Absurd after their gig on German Party.San Open Air, leading to accusations of being a Nazi band. Asked about this incident in an interview to the German online metal magazine Metal.de, Erik Danielsson (vocals and bass) gave an evasive answer, but when asked about his views on NSBM, he explained the band sees it as a joke: "NSBM is a joke, a despaired approach of people who're incapable to comprehend the perversion and the insanity of Black Metal. They're trying to appear extreme and limit their selves in their conception to that kind of society, which describes something that we wouldn't care less about. Fuck the world! Black Metal doesn't have anything to do with the world like you know it."
Their third full-length album Sworn to the Dark was released in Europe on 21 February 2007, then they toured Europe along with Celtic Frost, Kreator and Legion of the Damned. In 2008, they played their first headlining tour in North America with Withered and Book of Black Earth. Eclipse Eternal and Kronosfear joined them for some shows as well.
In 2010, Watain released a single for the song "Reaping Death" in two formats, picture disc vinyl with a cover of the song "Chains of Death" by Death SS, and digisleeve CD with a cover of the song "The Return of Darkness and Evil" by Bathory. It was followed by the album Lawless Darkness, released on 7 June 2010, which received very positive reviews from music critics and earned the band their first Swedish Grammi for 'Best Hard Rock' album. In 2012, Watain performed at Wacken Open Air and Bloodstock. The band participated in the U.S. Decibel tour with Behemoth and In Solitude, and supported Behemoth again on their 'The Satanist' tour of Australia with Bölzer. On May 7, 2012 the band released a DVD and live album 'Opus Diaboli - 13 Years of Black Metal Magic' directed by Johan Bääth and Watain.
Their fifth full-length album, The Wild Hunt, was released on 19 and 20 August 2013 in Europe and United States, respectively, and featured a change in style for the band as they incorporated elements of heavy metal, progressive metal, and doom metal. The album release was followed by a world tour that began in Uppsala on 24 August. In January, 2015, Watain, Mayhem, and Revenge played together as part of the "Black Metal Warfare" tour in the United States. Mayhem and Watain toured again in the US in November, 2015 with Rotting Christ as "Part II" of the previous tour.
In January 2016 vocalist Erik Danielsson was the subject of the third and final instalment in a documentary titled 'Music, Blood and Spirit: The Life and Work of Erik Danielsson'. The film is "the third in a trilogy about people who are 100% devoted to what society labels as unorthodox beliefs or lifestyles." In July 2016 the band announced that they would again tour with Mayhem in December. The tour is titled 'The Past Is Alive' and will consist of seven European dates. The bands performed their albums Casus Luciferi and De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas in full. Watain confirmed these would be the final times Casus Luciferi will ever be performed in full. On October 27, 2016 the band confirmed in a newsletter that their sixth full-length album was underway. On November 12, 2016 Watain's vocalist Erik Danielsson performed with Mortuary Drape at their 30th anniversary celebration show. In December 2016 a 7" split EP between Watain and Mayhem titled 'Sathanas / Luciferi Tour EP' was available exclusively at this tour's shows, and featured a live song from each band recorded from the tour.
On 2 August 2017, Watain confirmed the release date of their long awaited sixth Full-length studio album, which is to be released on 5 January, 2018, the title of the album was later revealed as Trident Wolf Eclipse. This release will be accompanied by a short album release tour in several selected venues in Europe. The first single titled 'Nuclear Alchemy' from the new album, was released on October 31. Trident Wolf Eclipse was officially released on January 5, 2018 through Century Media Records to generally favourable reviews from critics who noted that the album signalled a return to the band's earlier, more aggressive black metal style compared to their previous album The Wild Hunt. The band will tour North America in early 2018 in support of the album.
2. Satan's Hunger 06:46
3. Withershins 01:02
4. Storm of the Antichrist 04:15
5. The Light That Burns the Sun 07:04
6. Sworn to the Dark 05:03
7. Underneath the Cenotaph 04:12
8. The Serpent's Chalice 06:42
9. Darkness and Death 04:13
10. Dead but Dreaming 02:05
11. Stellarvore 08:17
• P. (Pelle Forsberg): Guitars
• E. (Erik Danielsson): Bass, Vocals.
Watain also participated in the producing and the photography.
"Legions of the Black Light" is dedicated to Jon Nödtveidt of Dissection.
