Mogicato was the main composer of the album, but both members of Ephel Duath added their ideas to the arrangements, with influences from old Norwegian black metal mixed with electronic music.

[2] This recording sold over 1,000 copies and topped MP3.com's heavy metal charts with over 20,000 free downloads,[1][2] which drew attention of the newly founded Italian label Code666[3] who signed the band in late 1999.

[2][3][4] In early 2002, Earache/Elitist decided to re-release Phormula, adding two remixed songs and a sampling of Ephel Duath's original demo, 1998's Opera, as bonus tracks, and changed the title to Rephormula.

[10] The band's ideas and arrangements have been influenced by the raw sound of the older era Emperor and Limbonic Art,[3] but incorporated dark, gothic, and avant-garde musical elements in the songs' structures.

[7][10] In a 2002 interview with webzine Chronicles of Chaos, Davide Tiso stated that Ephel Duath compositions are made in a "very spontaneous" way, and noting the band's complex arrangements, he added: "It just flows from within us.