The Archaic Course is the third studio album by Norwegian
heavy 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.