Possibly the most enigmatic entity to emerge from the prolific Scandinavian black metal scene, In the Woods... made a career out of challenging this subgenre's limits with their experimental and diversified songwriting. They formed in 1992, when X. Botteri (guitar), C.M. Botteri (bass), and Anders Kobro (drums) laid to rest their previous group Green Carnation. With the addition of Oddvar A.M (guitar), the newly formed In the Woods... quickly set about expanding their horizons. 1995's Heart of the Ages experimented with rock forms, offered varied pacing, and utilized shrieked and clean-sung vocals. 1997's adventurous Omnio and its daring 1999 follow-up, Strange in Stereo, introduced female vocals, ambient touches, psychedelic sounds, and progressive rock overtones, vaulting In the Woods... to the very forefront of the scene's so-called avant-garde set.