It is largely inspired by bands like My Dying Bride and early Anathema, but the last album[clarification needed] is slower and more melodic.
The origins of Officium Triste trace back to the early 1990s when Martin and Johan made the decision to establish a metal band.
Officium Triste entered the Excess studio in Rotterdam on 19 and 20 February 1995 to record two new songs and an intro.
Vocalist Pim started Weeping Willow Records and released the EP Mountains Of Depressiveness pressed on red vinyl limited to 500 copies in the summer of 1996.
The next recordings Officium Triste made were three new tracks (again using Excess studio) for a split MiniCD release with Cold Mourning from Monterey, California, United States.
Officium Triste were also featured on a compilation CD released by Innocent Record Productions from the Netherlands.
In the meantime Martin, Johan and Pim decided to continue and created a new band, XI:LIX (also known as Eleven Fiftynine or 11:59).
In January 2000, Officium Triste recorded two new songs, "Pathway of Broken Glass" and "Divinity" for a promo.
In October 2001 the album The Pathway was released as well as a re-issue of the self-financed "Goodbye" MiniCD Roses on my Grave a limited 7-inch EP with a slightly different cover.
The band started working on new material for their third opus and decided to record the next album in their own studio “El Pato” run by guitarist Johan.
In 2005, the band re-released a CD version of the debut album Ne Vivam through Russia's Serpent's Lair Productions.
At the end of 2006 Officium Triste felt they were ready to record their fourth album and booked the Excess Studio in Rotterdam.