For some years, Thomas Bergli (Khold, Tulus, ex-Old Man’s Child, ex-Sensa Anima) had ideas for a solo album as Sarke. He finally wrote the songs needed in 2008 and in November that year he went into the studio H10 Productions with producer/engineer Lars-Erik Westby. For help with keyboards, he once again turned to his old teammate Anders Hunstad who had previously played with Bergli on albums with Sensa Anima and Tulus. For the vocals, Bergli asked non other than Nocturno Culto from legendary Darkthrone. Culto initially turned down the offer without hearing the songs, but finally had to give in since Bergli just wouldn’t give up getting his favourite singer for his material. It all turned out good when Culto finally heard the songs in the studio, and the vocals were done in only 5 hours. Sarke himself recorded all the drums, bass and guitars. Asgeir Mickelson was hired as designer for the logo and the album cover. ”Vorunah” was released by Indie Recordings on 6. April 2009 on both CD and vinyl.
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Indie Recordings wanted Sarke to play on their “label night” at the Inferno festival in Oslo on 8. April 2009. Bergli, Culto and Hunstad completed their live line-up with Asgeir Mickelson (Spiral Architect, ex-Borknagar) on drums, and Cyrus (Susperia, Dimmu Borgir) on guitar. Other shows in 2009 then followed; Trondheim 24. April with Keep Of Kalessin, Wacken Open Air on 31. July and Hole In The Sky 29. August. The Wacken gig also included a guest appearance of the mighty Tom G. Warrior for a cover rendition of the classic Celtic Frost song “Dethroned Emperor”. It was soon apparent that the live line-up worked so well that Bergli wanted the solo project to be a real band.
In 2010 Sarke started writing and rehearsing new songs, debuting the songs “Condemned” and “Captured” live. For the Roadburn festival in April, Sarke brought in Steinar Gundersen (Satyricon, Spiral Architect) on guitar since Cyrus was scheduled to tour Australia as bassist for Dimmu Borgir. That tour didn’t happen so Cyrus sat home while Sarke played a successful gig at Roadburn! Nocturno Culto returned the favour there and sang “Dethroned Emperor” with Tom G. Warrior’s new band Triptykon.
Gundersen was asked to join the band and Sarke played its first gig with two guitarists on the Ragnarök festival in Germany. Other festival shows that year was Party.San in Germany and Brutal Assault in Czech Republic.
On October 18th 2010, Sarke once again entered H-10 productions with Lars-Erik Westby to record its sophomore album. This time with songs from Thomas Bergli, Nocturno Culto, Cyrus and Asgeir Mickelson. “Oldarhian” was released on CD and vinyl in Europe on April 15th 2011.