Munch formed in Oslo, Norway, in 1985,by Alf Solbakken and Lars Årdal, with the name taken from the Norwegian painter Edvard Munch. They wanted to create a kind of music that made the same impressions as Munch's paintings...
Of the five members only two knew how to play instruments.
They started practicing in a sound proof room in Tordenskjoldsgt.23. As time went on this rehearsal studio was transformed into a studio and eventually the location of their own label T23.