Grotesque was really the follow-up band to Kristian Wåhlin's (Necrolord) thrash metal act Conquest. The latter was formed in early 1986. The band became serious when singer 'Goatspell' joined in March of 1988. At this point the band is Goatspell, Necrolord and bassist Nuctemeron. Two other members are part of the fold, but soon leave. The group forges on in Necrolord's parents' basement and recorded early songs like Moondance Prophecy, Shadows Of Lost Life and Ripped From The Cross.
Drummer Offensor joined the band in the winter of 1989 and rehearsals continued. In May of 1989 the Gothenburg death metallers recorded The Black Gate Is Closed rehearsal tape. The coming months are spent preparing for actual studio work, as well as composing newer material like Angels Blood and Submit To Death. In November the band recorded five songs which collectively would be called In The Embrace Of Evil. In December of 1989 Grotesque performed locally in front of 200 manic fans. Bathory's The Return is part of the set.
Nuctemeron left the band at this time, but the writing continued and the band entered Studio Sunlight in August of 1990 with drummer Eriksson to immortalize the Incantation EP. The MLP is complemented by two songs (although three times that number were actually taped) recorded at Ken' Pagan Studio that November. This MLP appeared through the local record store-turned-record label Dolores Records - later Black Sun. Sadly the band split up very soon thereafter due to internal differences.
With the members' reputations growing, due to future activities, the three core members entered Berno Studio in 1996 to re-record two older songs. Once mixed at Studio Sunlight, these two tracks were added to the older material and released as a digipak called In The Embrace Of Evil by Black Sun Records. Another CD version was released by Century Media in 2001.