This is the analysis of "Colossus" I did for my MUHL 151 class in the fall of 2005. Figured someone might find it interesting...
To the band: Since you guys wrote the song, was I spot on with my analysis? Or completely lost? Just wondering :Smug:.
Mmm, the formatting for the song walk-through doesn't paste over very well in this editor, so I've posted the original .doc file:
http://students.umw.edu/~ehenr8gi/colossus_final.doc
The file is formatted properly in Microsoft Word, but in OpenOffice 2.0 there seems to be a minor error in reading the file. It doesn't seem to be a huge deal, though...
To the band: Since you guys wrote the song, was I spot on with my analysis? Or completely lost? Just wondering :Smug:.
Borknagar Colossus
By Davis Hand and Evan Henry
Artist Background
Borknagar was first formed in 1995 by guitarist Øystern G. Brun after a sense of dissatisfaction with his former band, Molested. Molested played a style of brutal death metal with technical flares, but Øystern wanted to explore a more progressive style of metal (Wikipedia). Øystern gathered some of the best musicians in the Norwegian metal scene to form a super group of sorts, Borknagar (Wikipedia). Having started out as a progressive black metal outfit, Borknagar expanded far beyond the label. Of note, Borknagar have a different line-up on every album. Arguably, this revolving-door membership policy allows Borknagar to progress musically, while Øysterns involvement is the binding factor for the bands music.
Album Background
Having just recruited drummer Asgeir Mickelson and keyboardist Lars A. Nedland, Borknagar recorded Quintessence in January of 2000 at The Abyss Studios with producer/engineer Peter Tägtgren.
According to the End Records, Quintessence is Borknagar's fourth effort, and one that see this innovative Norwegian group travel even further into their guitar-driven, overwhelming, evocative soundscapes. The album has received much praise, both from fans and critics. The End Records website also states that Quintessence is one of the most powerful productions ever unleashed upon a Scandinavian band of this style. While their earlier albums have more in common with kvlt black metal and the latter two after Quintessence being warm and lush, Quintessence is a cold, inorganic album, giving it a very grim, unnatural sound.
Borknagars line-up for Quintessence:
Simon Hestnæs - vocals and bass
Øystern G. Brun - guitar
Jens F. Ryland - guitar
Lars A. Nedland - synthesizers
Asgeir Mickelson - drums
Song Background
The lyrics were written by Asgeir Mickelson, the bands drummer, while the music was composed by bassist/vocalist Simon Hestnæs. According to Asgeir Mickelson, The Colossus-lyrics are my theory about the universe as an infinite process of birth and death. At some point everything (universe) explodes (the big bang theory) and at some point it all implodes -- then it starts again, and again. This is considered by many fans to be Borknagars best song.
Song Elements
Timbre: Cold and dark, but moves to a brighter timbre as the song progresses
Tempo: Allegro, Sustained
Key: Major
Dynamics: mezzo forte, forte, fortissimo
Meter: triple meter, then quadruple
Texture: Homophonic
Form: Binary, 2 Main sections, each Rondo
Instrumentation: Layered vocals, 2 Guitars, Bass, Drums, Keyboard/Synthesizer
Rhythm: complex, intricate patterns
What To Listen For
-Complex drum rhythms: Especially note the technical structure of the pattern in the measure. Also note the drums charging forward in the beginning of the second section, supported by the bass rhythm. Follow the drums at 1:39
-Vocals: the juxtaposition of Simons very distinct singing style with his indefinite-pitched growling, layered to add depth to the lyrics and their meanings.
-song structure vs. lyrical meaning: Of note is the way the breakdown of the poem structure bridges the two song sections and the analogies within the lyrics point towards the binary structure of the music
-the wall of sound: The synthesizers atmospheric chords and harmonization provides such a solid canvas which the other musicians paint upon.
-Guitars: They make heavy metal what it is. The harmonizing between Jens and Øysterns rhythm and lead guitar work, respectively, is impressive. Especially note down-tuned riff which is introduced at 2:16 and the solo at 4:00.
-Meter: the song starts out in triple meter, then moves into quadruple meter.
Works Cited
Mickelson, Asgeir. "Borknagar Lyrical Meanings." Borknagar Forums. March 2002. <http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3438379&postcount=4>
"Borknagar - Quintessence." The End Records Online Catalogue. 2005. <http://shopping.theendrecords.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.13/it.A/id.1736/.f>
"Borknagar." Wikipedia. 2005. Wikipedia. 23 September 2005 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borknagar>
Introduction
(0:00-0:06)
Intro Section 2
Intro Section 3
(0:13-0:25)
Part I
Verse 1
(0:25-0:37)
A
Bridge
(0:37-0:50)
B
Verse 2
(0:50-1:02)
A'
Bridge
(1:02-1:14)
B
Verse 3
(1:14-1:39)
C
Bridge
(1:39-1:51)
B'
Verse 4
(1:51:2:04)
C'
Transition Verse
(2:04-2:16)
D
Mezzo forte
homophonic melody
Drum accents
2 Guitar melodies
Complex drum - only toms
Crescendo
Big bang - Vocals Introduced
Full band - forte
Keyboard block chords
Cymbals introduced
Homophonic
Guitar solo
Double bass on drums
Homophonic
Vocals with guitar
Full band
Homophonic
Homophonic
Guitar solo
Brighter verse, more intense
New melody, homophonic
Guitar riff into only mention of the colossus
Layered Vocals begin
Lower guitar solo, more blended
Harmonies and block chords
Piano becoming more prevalent
Drums become more prominent
Same brighter sound as Verse 3 without guitar playing lyrical line
Switches into quadruple time
Throws you into second half
Blend of both sections, final build
More intense keyboard chords
From out of static time has grown
Existence formed by substance unknown
Prelude to matter, shift of disorder
Completion of bonds between chaos and order
The era of seasons, the essence of being
The continuous process awakens the living
Absorber of every flickering sun
Arranging the pieces to vivid perfection
The stream of mortality flows uncontrolled
A boundless downward spiral to prospective void
Existence takes its toll, extinction unfolds
The Colossus falls back from it's threshold
The cosmic grip so tight. Heed the celestial call
The rise, the voyage, the fall- tangled womb of mortal soil
Universal key of inception, pulled out of the grind
The growing seed of creation and time
Part II
Theme - intro
(2:16-2:41)
A
Verse 1
(2:41-2:53)
B
Bridge
(2:53-3:05)
C
Verse 2
(3:05-3:18)
B'
Theme - variation
(3:18-3:42)
A'
Verse 3
(3:42-3:55)
B'
Coda - Solo
(3:55-4:27)
A'
The culmination of all that has been building
Section 2 melody introduced
Full band, huge blocked chord harmonies
Growl (2:29)
Second lyrical layer growing
Lighter sound and higher chords
Complex drum beat for lyrical section, mirrors guitar
Keyboard drops out
Verse 1 musical repeat
Section 2 melody back on guitars
New melody variation
Verse 1 musical repeat
Louder layered vocal
Guitar solo
Section two main harmony and beat accompaniment
All playing, complex beat, loud chords and harmonic line
Complex fusion, the bond of four- the nature's core
Universal ritual, aesthetic beauty adored
The pendulum upholds the carnal deceit
Eternal, endless, indefinite
The paradox, render and the merge is complete
Nothing but the process is infinite
Nothing but the process is infinite
Eternal, endless, indefinite
Afterthoughts
Did you notice how in section 2, you were thrown into the main theme, only to be pulled back out of the music by the verse/bridge sections? Then did you then find yourself thrown back into the main theme? Rather like a pendulum, of which is referenced in the lyrics. A seeming endless cycle, sort of like the way the band describes the universe. They take you to the threshold (another reference in the lyrics) of your senses then ease off just enough to let you orientate yourself, only to bring you back to your breaking point. A majority of Heavy Metal is designed to completely overwhelm you, so this back and forth duality in the song is unusual for the genre.
The primary focus of the vocals was clean sung, while the indefinitely-pitched growls were layered underneath the clean singing. The majority of heavy metal today utilizes the growling, so why did Borknagar chose to use both? Perhaps to represent the duality of the message in the song, or to give the song some more depth. Also, why are the vocals so far back in the mix? At times you have trouble hearing clearly what the singer is saying, so the focus is obviously more on the music, of which is full of activity and very layered. The message of the song is better said through the musical phrases than the poetic.
The triple meter of the first section of the song gave it a very lofty, celestial feel. Rather like the dance movement in the symphony, the section has this constant sense of cyclical motion. It then switched to quadruple meter, but retained triplets in the measure. This mimicked the triple meter, but marched forward as a normal rock song does. Why make the switch? Arguably, without the march forward in the meter, the song would end feeling incomplete and you would feel unsatisfied.
The bass is very thin on the recording. It follows along playing the same rhythm as the drum, so the whole piece lacks the richness a strong bass would give to the song. Perhaps the richness the bass gives a song would ruin the cold timbre they were striving to create in the piece.
By Davis Hand and Evan Henry
Artist Background
Borknagar was first formed in 1995 by guitarist Øystern G. Brun after a sense of dissatisfaction with his former band, Molested. Molested played a style of brutal death metal with technical flares, but Øystern wanted to explore a more progressive style of metal (Wikipedia). Øystern gathered some of the best musicians in the Norwegian metal scene to form a super group of sorts, Borknagar (Wikipedia). Having started out as a progressive black metal outfit, Borknagar expanded far beyond the label. Of note, Borknagar have a different line-up on every album. Arguably, this revolving-door membership policy allows Borknagar to progress musically, while Øysterns involvement is the binding factor for the bands music.
Album Background
Having just recruited drummer Asgeir Mickelson and keyboardist Lars A. Nedland, Borknagar recorded Quintessence in January of 2000 at The Abyss Studios with producer/engineer Peter Tägtgren.
According to the End Records, Quintessence is Borknagar's fourth effort, and one that see this innovative Norwegian group travel even further into their guitar-driven, overwhelming, evocative soundscapes. The album has received much praise, both from fans and critics. The End Records website also states that Quintessence is one of the most powerful productions ever unleashed upon a Scandinavian band of this style. While their earlier albums have more in common with kvlt black metal and the latter two after Quintessence being warm and lush, Quintessence is a cold, inorganic album, giving it a very grim, unnatural sound.
Borknagars line-up for Quintessence:
Simon Hestnæs - vocals and bass
Øystern G. Brun - guitar
Jens F. Ryland - guitar
Lars A. Nedland - synthesizers
Asgeir Mickelson - drums
Song Background
The lyrics were written by Asgeir Mickelson, the bands drummer, while the music was composed by bassist/vocalist Simon Hestnæs. According to Asgeir Mickelson, The Colossus-lyrics are my theory about the universe as an infinite process of birth and death. At some point everything (universe) explodes (the big bang theory) and at some point it all implodes -- then it starts again, and again. This is considered by many fans to be Borknagars best song.
Song Elements
Timbre: Cold and dark, but moves to a brighter timbre as the song progresses
Tempo: Allegro, Sustained
Key: Major
Dynamics: mezzo forte, forte, fortissimo
Meter: triple meter, then quadruple
Texture: Homophonic
Form: Binary, 2 Main sections, each Rondo
Instrumentation: Layered vocals, 2 Guitars, Bass, Drums, Keyboard/Synthesizer
Rhythm: complex, intricate patterns
What To Listen For
-Complex drum rhythms: Especially note the technical structure of the pattern in the measure. Also note the drums charging forward in the beginning of the second section, supported by the bass rhythm. Follow the drums at 1:39
-Vocals: the juxtaposition of Simons very distinct singing style with his indefinite-pitched growling, layered to add depth to the lyrics and their meanings.
-song structure vs. lyrical meaning: Of note is the way the breakdown of the poem structure bridges the two song sections and the analogies within the lyrics point towards the binary structure of the music
-the wall of sound: The synthesizers atmospheric chords and harmonization provides such a solid canvas which the other musicians paint upon.
-Guitars: They make heavy metal what it is. The harmonizing between Jens and Øysterns rhythm and lead guitar work, respectively, is impressive. Especially note down-tuned riff which is introduced at 2:16 and the solo at 4:00.
-Meter: the song starts out in triple meter, then moves into quadruple meter.
Works Cited
Mickelson, Asgeir. "Borknagar Lyrical Meanings." Borknagar Forums. March 2002. <http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3438379&postcount=4>
"Borknagar - Quintessence." The End Records Online Catalogue. 2005. <http://shopping.theendrecords.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.13/it.A/id.1736/.f>
"Borknagar." Wikipedia. 2005. Wikipedia. 23 September 2005 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borknagar>
Introduction
(0:00-0:06)
Intro Section 2
Intro Section 3
(0:13-0:25)
Part I
Verse 1
(0:25-0:37)
A
Bridge
(0:37-0:50)
B
Verse 2
(0:50-1:02)
A'
Bridge
(1:02-1:14)
B
Verse 3
(1:14-1:39)
C
Bridge
(1:39-1:51)
B'
Verse 4
(1:51:2:04)
C'
Transition Verse
(2:04-2:16)
D
Mezzo forte
homophonic melody
Drum accents
2 Guitar melodies
Complex drum - only toms
Crescendo
Big bang - Vocals Introduced
Full band - forte
Keyboard block chords
Cymbals introduced
Homophonic
Guitar solo
Double bass on drums
Homophonic
Vocals with guitar
Full band
Homophonic
Homophonic
Guitar solo
Brighter verse, more intense
New melody, homophonic
Guitar riff into only mention of the colossus
Layered Vocals begin
Lower guitar solo, more blended
Harmonies and block chords
Piano becoming more prevalent
Drums become more prominent
Same brighter sound as Verse 3 without guitar playing lyrical line
Switches into quadruple time
Throws you into second half
Blend of both sections, final build
More intense keyboard chords
From out of static time has grown
Existence formed by substance unknown
Prelude to matter, shift of disorder
Completion of bonds between chaos and order
The era of seasons, the essence of being
The continuous process awakens the living
Absorber of every flickering sun
Arranging the pieces to vivid perfection
The stream of mortality flows uncontrolled
A boundless downward spiral to prospective void
Existence takes its toll, extinction unfolds
The Colossus falls back from it's threshold
The cosmic grip so tight. Heed the celestial call
The rise, the voyage, the fall- tangled womb of mortal soil
Universal key of inception, pulled out of the grind
The growing seed of creation and time
Part II
Theme - intro
(2:16-2:41)
A
Verse 1
(2:41-2:53)
B
Bridge
(2:53-3:05)
C
Verse 2
(3:05-3:18)
B'
Theme - variation
(3:18-3:42)
A'
Verse 3
(3:42-3:55)
B'
Coda - Solo
(3:55-4:27)
A'
The culmination of all that has been building
Section 2 melody introduced
Full band, huge blocked chord harmonies
Growl (2:29)
Second lyrical layer growing
Lighter sound and higher chords
Complex drum beat for lyrical section, mirrors guitar
Keyboard drops out
Verse 1 musical repeat
Section 2 melody back on guitars
New melody variation
Verse 1 musical repeat
Louder layered vocal
Guitar solo
Section two main harmony and beat accompaniment
All playing, complex beat, loud chords and harmonic line
Complex fusion, the bond of four- the nature's core
Universal ritual, aesthetic beauty adored
The pendulum upholds the carnal deceit
Eternal, endless, indefinite
The paradox, render and the merge is complete
Nothing but the process is infinite
Nothing but the process is infinite
Eternal, endless, indefinite
Afterthoughts
Did you notice how in section 2, you were thrown into the main theme, only to be pulled back out of the music by the verse/bridge sections? Then did you then find yourself thrown back into the main theme? Rather like a pendulum, of which is referenced in the lyrics. A seeming endless cycle, sort of like the way the band describes the universe. They take you to the threshold (another reference in the lyrics) of your senses then ease off just enough to let you orientate yourself, only to bring you back to your breaking point. A majority of Heavy Metal is designed to completely overwhelm you, so this back and forth duality in the song is unusual for the genre.
The primary focus of the vocals was clean sung, while the indefinitely-pitched growls were layered underneath the clean singing. The majority of heavy metal today utilizes the growling, so why did Borknagar chose to use both? Perhaps to represent the duality of the message in the song, or to give the song some more depth. Also, why are the vocals so far back in the mix? At times you have trouble hearing clearly what the singer is saying, so the focus is obviously more on the music, of which is full of activity and very layered. The message of the song is better said through the musical phrases than the poetic.
The triple meter of the first section of the song gave it a very lofty, celestial feel. Rather like the dance movement in the symphony, the section has this constant sense of cyclical motion. It then switched to quadruple meter, but retained triplets in the measure. This mimicked the triple meter, but marched forward as a normal rock song does. Why make the switch? Arguably, without the march forward in the meter, the song would end feeling incomplete and you would feel unsatisfied.
The bass is very thin on the recording. It follows along playing the same rhythm as the drum, so the whole piece lacks the richness a strong bass would give to the song. Perhaps the richness the bass gives a song would ruin the cold timbre they were striving to create in the piece.
Mmm, the formatting for the song walk-through doesn't paste over very well in this editor, so I've posted the original .doc file:
http://students.umw.edu/~ehenr8gi/colossus_final.doc
The file is formatted properly in Microsoft Word, but in OpenOffice 2.0 there seems to be a minor error in reading the file. It doesn't seem to be a huge deal, though...
