In The Woods...

Emerging from Scandinavia's crowded black metal underground as one of its most inscrutable acts, Norway's In the Woods... distinguished themselves by repeatedly stretching the subgenre's conventions through daringly eclectic and exploratory compositions. Functioning as an amorphous collective whose lineup often swelled to eight members, the band nevertheless revolved around a stable creative core consisting of X. Botteri on guitar, Oddvar A:M on guitar, C:M. Botteri on bass, and Anders Kobro on drums. This configuration took shape in 1992 after the Botteris and Kobro disbanded their prior outfit, Green Carnation, once leader Terje Vik Schei (aka Tchort) exited to join Emperor. Eschewing the straightforward death-metal approach of that earlier project, the newly christened In the Woods... immediately broadened their sonic palette. Their 1995 debut, Heart of the Ages, remained anchored in classic Norwegian black metal yet incorporated traditional rock structures, more dynamic tempos, and a blend of harsh shrieks with clean vocals. The following year's A Return to the Isle of Men simply compiled their 1993 demo recordings, whereas 1997's superbly adventurous Omnio and its equally bold 1999 successor, Strange in Stereo, propelled the group to the forefront of the scene's avant-garde contingent by weaving in female vocals, atmospheric textures, psychedelic elements, and progressive-rock flourishes. Throughout this period, the quartet's infrequent live appearances, fluid personnel, and minimal liner notes only heightened their enigmatic reputation, echoing the mystique that Bathory had previously cultivated to strong fan devotion. Also in 1999 the Botteri brothers rejoined their onetime collaborator Tchort to reactivate Green Carnation for the album Journey to the End of the Night. Whether by design or coincidence, the ensuing release of Three Times Seven on a Pilgrimage, which gathered three earlier 7-inch singles, signaled the conclusion of In the Woods...'s run, prompting a farewell performance in Kristiansand on December 29, 2000. Captured with the group's customary revolving lineup, the concert later surfaced as the 2003 album Liveatthecaledonienhall.