The Archaic Course

The Archaic Course is the third studio album by Norwegian progressive metal band Borknagar. It is the first album to feature Simen "ICS Vortex" Hestnæs on vocals following the departure of Kristoffer "Garm" Rygg (who, according to Øystein Brun, "didn't want to scream anymore"), and the first with guitarist Jens F. Ryland. The album also features contributions from Enslaved guitarist Ivar Bjørnson, although he was not credited as part of the band in the album's liner notes. This is also the last album to feature drummer and founding member Erik "Grim" Brødreskift, who died of a deliberate drug overdose shortly after its release.

The Archaic Course
Studio album by Borknagar
Released	20 October 1998
Recorded	17 August – 5 September 1998
Studio	Woodhouse Studios (Hagen, Germany)
Genre	Progressive metal, folk metal, black metal
Length	37:46
Label	Century Media
Producer	Borknagar, Matthias Klinkmann
Borknagar chronology
The Olden Domain (1997) The Archaic Course (1998) Quintessence (2000)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Oceans Rise"	Øystein G. Brun	Brun	5:27
2.	"Universal"	Brun	Brun	5:35
3.	"The Witching Hour"	ICS Vortex	Ivar Bjørnson, Brun	4:26
4.	"The Black Token"	Brun	Brun	5:19
5.	"Nocturnal Vision"	Vortex	Brun	4:35
6.	"Ad Noctum"	Vortex, Brun	Vortex	4:22
7.	"Winter Millenium"	Brun	Brun	5:44
8.	"Fields of Long Gone Presence/Outro" (instrumental)		Bjørnson	2:18
Total length:				37:46

Personnel

Borknagar

• Simen Hestnæs (credited as "ICS Vortex") – vocals, synthesizer and sound effects (on "Ad Noctum")
• Øystein G. Brun – guitars
• Jens F. Ryland – guitars
• Kai K. Lie – bass
• Erik Brødreskift (credited as "Grim") – drums

Additional personnel

• Ivar Bjørnson – synthesizer and sound effects (all tracks, except "Ad Noctum")
• Christophe Szpajdel – logo