Borknagar – Origin

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Century Media
Produced by Borknagar

The reason Origin is an astonishing album is not that it is a perfect example of the genre Borknagar play in, but that it shatters the genre the band play in and takes a huge leap into a whole other style of music.

Borknagar, by tradition are a black/death metal band. With many lineup changes around main-man and guitarist Oystein G. Brun, including vocalists from death metal luminaries Dimmu Borgir (Simen Hestnaes), Ulver (Garm) and Vintersong (er, Vintersong), the band has constantly reinvented their approach to black metal, but have always remained true to the genre.

This time, retaining Vintersong on vocals and bringing back guest bassist Tyr (Emperor/Satyricon), who last played on 2001′s Empiricism, Brun has recruited Ihsahn drummer Asgeir Mickelson (who is also the cover artist) and Solefald/Age of Silence keyboard player Lars A. Nedland to create an all-acoustic, classically-inspired folk album that in one swift move (about 34 minutes) obliterates expectations in the same way Mortiis did with his post-Emperor solo career, for example.

Brun’s idea with Origin was to be as organic as possible, with earthy songs like Grains and White mixing strings, elements of Damnation-style Opeth and Vintersong’s strong, melodic voice. Although quite short, and only containing eight new songs (Ocean’s Rise is a reworking of the track from 1998′s The Archaic Course), Origin is a quick shot of totally natural music played by exemplary musicians, including Norwegian Steinar Ofsdal on flute. Anyone who enjoys the musically challenging, acoustic sides of bands like Opeth, Green Carnation and Ulver is going to enjoy this album. Equally, anyone who wishes to find out just what the next evolution of the ever-changing Borknagar sounds like should find themselves intrigued an ultimately satisfied with the quality of musicianship on offer.

“ totally natural ”

Tracklist: Earth Imagery / Grains / Oceans Rise / Signs / White / Cynosure / The Human Nature / Acclimation / The Spirit of Nature

Written by Andy Lye
More: Albums, Other, Borknagar