There is no need to introduce the name
IN THE WOODS… to any adherent of avant-garde and black metal. Their coordinates within the scene are also well known: The Norwegians were among the bands that have participated in the burgeoning evolution of black metal in the early 90s and have had a large part in the shaping of the sound of a strong subgenre.
IN THE WOODS… were founded in the southern Norwegian city of Kristiansand in 1991, which is considered as the bible belt of their country. At the time, the band emerged as an offshoot of the original line-up of GREEN CARNATION, which some of the members were also a part of. They quickly gained a strong reputation within the underground as an innovative entity that was pushing the boundaries of their genre. Their 1993 demo “Isle of Men” became widely circulated in the tape trading community. Many of its ideas and riffs flowed into the first full-length “Heart of the Ages” (1995), which made a lasting impact on black metal and is rightfully regarded as one of the genre’s early classics.
“Heart of the Ages” distinguished itself with a sound that was more open to influences outside the strict black metal canon, and its meandering songs had a strong cinematic quality that is often described as ‘atmospheric’. The band used themes from Norse myth and was one of the first to which the term ‘pagan metal’ was applied, which is not to be conflated with ‘folk metal’ and means such acts as ENSLAVED, THYRFING, PRIMORDIAL, and MOONSORROW that use ancient myth and at times also traditional elements in their BATHORY inspired music.
Refusing to rest on their laurels, IN THE WOODS… progressed further into different musical dimensions with “Omnio” (1997) and “Strange in Stereo” (1999) that were both rich in experimentation. In the year 2000, the Norwegians announced their split, marking the end of their first era..
After the tragic death of founding guitarist Oddvar A.M. aka Oddvar Moi on May 13, 2013, drummer Anders Kobro revived the band and got the Botteri twins from the original core line-up back on board. They were joined by new vocalist James Fogarty and guitarist Kåre André Sletteberg. This led to the second life cycle of the band that began with the official reunion in 2014. The acclaimed album “Pure” followed in 2016, but the same year the Botteri brothers decided to leave again. Despite a phase of line-up changes, IN THE WOODS… managed to release another strong album with “Cease the Day” in 2018. During the production of the next full-length “Diversum”, vocalist James Fogarty parted ways with the band in December 2021, which also marks the end of a somewhat tumultuous second cycle.
In the meantime, guitarist Bernt Horne Sørensen and local bass player Nils Olav Drivdal had joined the band. In 2022, vocalist Bernt Fjellestad completed IN THE WOODS… and “Diversum” was finalised to be released the same year. With a finally stable and strong line-up, the Norwegians have worked hard on all fronts. The celebrated performance at Prophecy Fest 2024 gave witness to a band having reached a new peak, ready to take on the world.
Currently, IN THE WOODS… are preparing for the launch of their forthcoming new album, which promises to reflect the strength and artistic maturity of the band’s third incarnation. This highly anticipated record will be released on the label in 2025, and will also be supported by an extended European tour the same year. Watch this space for further news coming soon.
