Orkan's four-man lineup was formed in 2008 by Taake's live guitarist Gjermund Fredheim and ex-Byfrost drummer Rune Nesse, joined by former Grimnorth bassist Sindre Hillesdal and frontman Einar Fjelldal (ex-Gravemachine) to complete the line-up.

Orkan's debut full-length album Crimson Canvas, which the band themselves describe as a "self-financed, thrashy album" appeared in 2012, and is far removed from the much darker direction taken on 2015's Livlaus.