Dead Skeletons formed in 2008 when frontman Auðarson held a show at the Reykjavik Art Museum.
Their debut album, Dead Magick, was released on 11 November 2011, followed by three 2012 releases: the "Om Mani Peme Hung" single in January (by Too Pure), the (Orð) EP on 23 September (by Sound of Cobra) and a two-track single titled Buddha-Christ on 12 December (by Fuzz Club Records).
Dead Skeletons were invited to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties Iceland festival in June 2013 at Ásbrú, Naval Air Station Keflavik,[3] Auðarson's longtime HIV-positive status and resulting fear of death are a major influence on the band's ethos.
[4] The Guardian commented, "Dead Skeletons' philosophy is based around a psychedelic battle cry and series of mantras to inspire people to accept life and death in equal measure".
[7] Andrew Flanagan of NPR praised "Dead Mantra" in 2012, saying, "The sounds and the sentiment line up perpendicularly to each other, carving a space of cognitive dissonance that's at once confusing, comforting and hair-raising".