Extol has toured the United States and Europe several times with such bands as Mastodon, God Forbid and Opeth.
The last line-up before the hiatus included vocalist Peter Espevoll, guitarists Tor Magne Glidje and Ole Halvard Sveen, drummer David Husvik, and bass player John Robert Mjåland.
Notable original guitarists were Ole Børud (of Schaliach fame) and Christer Espevoll, who contributed significantly to the band's songwriting.
Extol was formed in Bekkestua, Norway by cousins drummer David Husvik and guitarist Christer Espevoll, who were both 16 at the time.
"[4] Extol wanted to expand their musical style beyond regular heavy metal music—according to AllMusic writer Mike DaRonco, the band intended to show "more of a progressive side; rather than a typical run of the mill group of burnouts who focused more on their image.
At the end of 1996, Nikolaisen departed so he could devote more time to Royal, and was replaced by Ole Børud of Schaliach and Arnold B Family.
The release saw their music become "harder and darker" than their previous work, opting to move towards a death metal sound.
Børud then left the band,[8][9] so Glidje switched over to guitar, and John Robert Mjåland joined as bassist.
This EP featured a cover of "Shadow of Death" by the American thrash metal group Believer, whom the band considers to be a great influence.
[7] Their album, Synergy, released in 2003, showed an even greater appreciation of the band Believer and their style of thrash metal.
[15] On 17 July, they introduced the names of the additional two touring members: Marcus Bertilsson (Inevitable End, Miseration) on guitar and Ole Vistnes (Shining, Tristania, Fleshkiller) on bass.
[19] During the hiatus, Espevoll quit the band due to other commitments, leaving Husvik and Børud as sole members.
[20] Husvik went on to play in a project called Azusa with Christer Espevoll, one of the original members, while Børud went on to perform in Fleshkiller.
[20] On January 18, 2023, Extol announced a reunion for Furnace Fest of 2023, hosted in Alabama, alongside additional reunited acts A Plea for Purging, Training for Utopia, Haste the Day and Becoming the Archetype.
[22] Shortly after, it was announced Extol would also do a European reunion show for Brainstorm Festival on November 4, 2023, in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands, alongside acts like Xandria, Serenity, Temperance and In Vain.
With the announcements, they released the band's live lineup consisting of Husvik, Børud, Christer Espevoll, Tor Magne Glidje, and vocalist Elisha Mullins (A Hill to Die Upon, War of Ages, Fleshkiller).
[25] Christer Espevoll stated in an interview that the primary influences for his guitar playing were bandmates Emil Nikolaisen and Ole Børud.
[26] In an interview after the release of 2005's The Blueprint Dives, the band cited influences from A-ha, Anathema, Believer, Nick Cave, The Crucified, The Cure, Cynic, Death, Faith No More, Kings X, Metallica, Joni Mitchell, Refused, Sixteen Horsepower, Tool, and Tourniquet, among others.
[27] After the reformation of the band in 2012, Børud stated in one interview that his influences range "from Death to Yes to Steely Dan to Jason Falkner and so forth.