Sólstafir was formed in 1995 by guitarist/singer Aðalbjörn Tryggvason, bassist Halldór Einarsson, and drummer Guðmundur Óli Pálmason.[1] The band's name is the Icelandic word for sun beams (
crepuscular rays).[2] They soon recorded the demos Í Norðri and Til Valhallar.[3] Halldór then left the band, and Aðalbjörn and Guðmundur recorded a promo tape as a duo in 1997.[3]
During this period, Svavar Austmann joined as the new bassist and the band began recording their debut full-length album, Í Blóði og Anda. The album was not released until 2002 due to various recording delays and label disputes.[1] Shortly after that album was completed, second guitarist Sæþór Maríus Sæþórsson joined the band and made his debut on the 2002 demo Black Death.[1]
After shopping around a three-track demo of new songs, Sólstafir signed with
Spinefarm Records in 2005.[4] Their second album Masterpiece of Bitterness was released by Spinefarm later that year. The album received positive reviews, with Metal Storm stating "the perfect mix of non-Metal elements with metal ones makes it a necessary album for any Metalhead looking for something that breaks the mold of pre-established genres."[5]
Their third album Köld was recorded in Sweden and released in 2009.[6] Reviewers compared the band's sound to
Enslaved and
Neurosis, among others, while noting their unique post-black metal sound.[7] The album was also noted for its addition of atmospheric passages.[1] Sólstafir began to tour Europe regularly in 2010 and made their first of many open-air appearances at the
Roskilde Festival that year.[8]
Sólstafir's fourth full-length album, Svartir Sandar, was released by
Season of Mist in 2011. The song "Fjara"[9] remained in the 2013 list of Iceland's top 100 songs of 20 years.[10] This album signaled Sólstafir's retreat from black metal and move toward experimental atmospherics of the type practiced by fellow Icelanders
Sigur Rós.[11]
Their fifth album Ótta was released by Season of Mist in 2014, and was noted for its additional experimental elements like strings and piano.[12] Three official music videos were released and the band performed Iceland's national television channel,
RÚV's Stúdio Á.[13]
In January 2015, the band announced that longtime drummer Guðmundur Óli Pálmason had left the band for "personal reasons". Guðmundur was replaced by Hallgrímur Jón Hallgrímsson.[1]
After his departure from the band Guðmundur formed post metal band Katla.
Sólstafir released their sixth full-length album, Berdreyminn, in May 2017 on Season of Mist.[14] Upon its release Berdreyminn entered international charts, mostly top 50, across Europe.[15]