Ancient Wisdom

Marcus E. Norman, the vocalist and guitarist from Bewitched, launched Sweden’s Ancient Wisdom as an individual side venture. The group had first used the simpler name Ancient, yet switched after discovering that a Norwegian band already held the title. Departing from prevailing Scandinavian death and black metal conventions, Ancient Wisdom favored melodic, measured, and spectral songwriting. The project came together in 1992 with guitarist Andreas Nilsson, bassist Frederik Jacobson, keyboardist Jens Ryden, and drummer Ulf. Two early demos, “In the Eye of the Serpent” and “Through Rivers of the Eternal Blackness,” appeared soon afterward. Deeply drawn to Viking history and mythology, the band finally released its atmospheric debut, For Snow Covered the Northland, in 1996, although the recording had been completed two years prior. At that stage Norman remained the sole original member and chose to assume complete creative direction thereafter. This approach shaped 1997’s The Calling and continued through 2000’s …And the Physical Shape of Light Bled. A successor, tentatively titled Universal Annihilation, is now being prepared for release in late 2002.