demo TAPE 1990 (limited to 500 copies)
re-release picture mini-LP 1999 by Painkiller Records

1: Intro: Dark Ritual
2: Eternal Blasphemy
3: Fallen Angel
4: From beyond the Grave
5: Not Anymore
6: Outro: A Tribute to Insanity

line-up:
Gunther Theys (vocals, bass)
Stefan (drums)
Johan (guitars)
Philip Bollengier (guitars)

7" EP 1992 by Fallen Angel
re-release split LP 1993: Uncanny / Ancient Rites by Warmaster Records (limited to 600 copies)
re-release 7" EP by Wild Rags

1: Götterdämmerung
2: Longing for the Ancient Kingdom
3: Obscurity Reigns (Fields of Flanders)
4: Evil Prevails
5: Black Plague

line-up:
Gunther Theys (vocals, bass)
Bart Vandereycken (guitars)
Walter van Cortenberg (drums)
Pascal (guitars)

compilation TAPE 1992

1: From Beyond the Grave - from Dark Ritual demo
2: Evil Prevails - from Evil Prevails EP
3: Obscurity Reigns (Fields of Flanders) - from Evil Prevails EP

split 7" EP 1992: Ancient Rites / Renaissance by After Dark Records

1: Longing for the Ancient Kingdom II

line-up:
Gunther Theys (vocals, bass)
Bart Vandereycken (guitars)
Walter van Cortenberg (drums)

split 7" EP 1993: Ancient Rites / Thou Art Lord by Molon Lave Records

1: From Beyond the Grave II

line-up:
Gunther Theys (vocals, bass)
Bart Vandereycken (guitars)
Walter van Cortenberg (drums)

LP 1994 by Midian Creations (limited to 1000 copies)
CD 1994 by After Dark Records
re-release CD 1996 by Mascot Records

1: (Intro) Infant Sacrifices to Baalberith
2: Crucifixation Justified (Roman Supremacy)
3: Satanic Rejoice
4: Obscurity Reigns (Fields of Flanders)
5: Death Messiah
6: Land of Frost & Despair
7: Assyrian Empire
8: Longing for the Ancient Kingdom
9: Morbid Glory (Gilles de Rais 1404-1440)
10: Ritual Slayings (Ghost Worship Pure)
11: Evil Prevails
12: Last Rites / Echoes of Melancholy (Outro)

13: From Beyond the Grave II - bonus on 1996 re-release

line-up:
Gunther Theys (vocals, bass)
Bart Vandereycken (guitars)
Walter van Cortenberg (drums)

split 7" EP 1995: Ancient Rites / Enthroned by After Dark Records

1: Longing for the Ancient Kingdom II

line-up:
Gunther Theys (vocals, bass)
Bart Vandereycken (guitars)
Walter van Cortenberg (drums)

CD 1996 by Mascot Records

1: Blasfemia Eternal (Intro)
2: Total Misanthropia
3: Garden of Delights (Eva)
4: Quest for Blood (Le vampire)
5: Blood of Christ (Mohammed Wept)
6: Epebos Aionia
7: (Het verdronken land van) Saeftinge
8: Shades of Eternal Battlefields (Our Empire Fell)
9: Vae victis
10: Fallen Angel

line-up:
Gunther Theys (vocals, bass)
Bart Vandereycken (guitars)
Walter van Cortenberg (drums)

CD 1998 by Mascot Records

1: Avondland
2: Mother Europe
3: Aris
4: Fatherland
5: Season's Change (Solstice)
6: 13th of December 1307
7: Dying in a Moment of Splendor (Echoes of Melancholy)
8: Rise and Fall (Anno Satana)
9: The Seducer (Fallen Angel)
10: Cain

11: Fallen Angel - bonus, Japan only
12: From beyond the Grave - bonus, Japan only

line-up:
Gunther Theys (vocals, bass)
Walter van Cortenberg (drums)
Jan "Örkki" Yrlund (guitars, acoustic guitars)
Erik Sprooten (guitars)

compilation CD 2000 by Mascot Records

1: From Beyond the Grave (from Evil Prevails)
2: Infant Sacrifices to Baalberith
3: Death Messiah
4: Longing for the Ancient Kingdom
5: Land of Frost and Despair
6: Evil Prevails
7: Last Rites - Echoes of Melancholy
8: Total Misanthropia
9: Blood of Christ (Mohammed Wept)
10: Fallen Angel (Outro)
11: (Het Verdronken Land van) Saeftinge
12: Quest for Blood (Le vampire)
13: Avondland
14: Mother Europe
15: Aris
16: Seasons Change (Solstice)
17: Fatherland
18: Cain

CD 2001 by Hammerheart Records

1: The Return
2: Exile (Les litanies de Satan)
3: Victory or Valhalla (Last Man Standing)
4: …And the Horns Called for War
5: North Sea
6: Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods)
7: (Ode to Ancient) Europa
8: Rememberance
9: Lindisfarne (Anno 793)
10: On Golden Fields (De leeuwen dansen)
11: Dim carcosa

line-up:
Gunther Theys (vocals, bass)
Walter van Cortenberg (drums)
Jan "Örkki" Yrlund (guitars)
Erik Sprooten (guitars)
Domingo Smets (keyboards)

demo video CD-R 2001

"Descending into Darkness" (live Wertheim, Germany, 23-1-1994):
1: Assyrian Empire
2: Satanic Rejoice
3: Obscurity Reigns (Fields of Flanders)
4: Longing for the Ancient Kingdom
5: Crucifixion Justified
6: Death Messiah
7: Land of Frost and Despair
8: From Beyond the Grave
9: Morbid Glory (Gilles de Rais 1404-1440)

"At The Gates of Hell" (live Zaal Vinea, Veerle, Belgium, 1-5-1998):
10: Total Misanthropia
11: Quest for Blood
12: Blood of Christ (Mohammed Wept)
13: (Het verdronken land van) Saeftinge

(Dynamo Open Air):
14: Interview with Gunther and Walter, alternated with excerpts of the gig

live CD / double-LP / DVD 2003 by Hammerheart Records

1: The Return
2: Exile (Les litanies de Satan)
3: Victory or Valhalla (Last Man Standing)
4: Total Misantropia
5: Aris
6: And the Horns Called for War
7: North Sea
8: Blood of Christ
9: Longing for the Ancient Kingdom
10: Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods)
11: Ode to Ancient Europa
12: (Het verdronken land van) Saeftinge
13: On Golden Fields (De leeuwen dansen)
14: Mother Europe
15: Evil Prevails
16: Fatherland

the DVD also contains:
between 7 and 8: Infant Sacrifices to Baalberith
between 13 and 14: Overture to the Sun
after 16: Dim Carcosa

line-up:
Gunther Theys (vocals, bass)
Walter van Cortenberg (drums)
Jan "Örkki" Yrlund (guitars)
Erik Sprooten (guitars)
Davy Wouters (keyboards)

CD 2006 by Seasons Of Mist

1: Crusade
2: Templar
3: Mithras
4: Thermopylae
5: Rubicon
6: Invictus
7: Ypres
8: Galilean
9: Cheruscan
10: Brabantia

line-up:
Gunther Theys (vocals)
Walter van Cortenberg (drums)
Erik Sprooten (guitars)
Davy Wouters (keyboards)
Raf Jansen (guitars)
Bart Vandereycken (guitars)
Domingo Smets (bass)

Review: The Mediterranean intro of Rubicon (or Rvbicon, font-wise) introduces the track Templar, which dwells between old-school orchestral keyboard that came from the mid-1990s (Bal-Sagoth springs to mind more than once), riffs that could have come from Melechesh (sans its Mediterranean rhythms) and a feeling that has its parallells with contemporary folk metal and lots of hints at classical heavy metal (Iron Maiden-type stuff). After that it becomes less Middle-East, but pretty much all of the other aspects remain. Puritan black metal people might argue that this album is too keyboard-driven; still, Ancient Rites knows how to write convincing tracks in this style, and the guitar work is always solid and never a mere support for the keyboards. I am sure lots of oldies like myself will always secretly long back to the style of Evil Prevails, The Diabolic Serenades, and Blasfemia Eternal... I have no idea how exactly Rubicon landed in the metal scene, but it could've given Ancient Rites quite a success, if that was ever a goal (which I'm sure it wasn't). Don't get me wrong, but this would've done well with fans of the big commercial ones in black metal! The fans might not have connected with the historical depth and seriousness of Ancient Rites, and miss its lack of over-the-top theatrics that Dani Filth and Shagrath do display. Rubicon is enjoyable, well-produced, and yes, filled with keyboards, but also has great melodies, attractive riffs and historic lyrical nuggets on offer. Sure, it could've done without romantic interludes, like the one halfway in Ypres, which they actually pull off very well. This really is a nice album to play every once in a while.

Source: NLBMe exclusive, June 2018.