Favourite Borknagar album

[_Arkanum_]

What's your favourite Borknagar album? I'm between "The Archaic Course", "Quintessence" and "Empiricism", but I'll finally decide "Quintessence" .

 

[The Scourge]

The Archaic Course, no question about it. It is the finest moment of three great musicians on that album, namely Simen, Oystein, and Grim. Not any of those musicians have topped themselves since then(kind of hard for Grim anyways, since he's dead), as that album was a breathtaking display of power, passion, originality, and a perfect execution of personal energy. Borknagar will never best that album, and that is ok. It is too daunting of a task for anyone.

 

[Henrik Main]

It's a VERY tough choice, but I think it has to be Empiricism.

 

[Dantven]

I like the self-titled the best for many reasons:

It was sung in their native tongue and sounds better than english.
The production is very clear yet atmospheric.
Garm's vocals.
Grim's drumming (highlight: Svartskogs Gilde @ 5:00)
The instrumentals are badass.
Some of my favorite riffs are on this album.
It was the most raw and energetic.
It was the darkest album.

I could go on and on and on and on, but this one is definitely the best. Of course I love all their albums, but this one is very special to me. I just wish it would come out on vinyl (i have all their other albums on vinyl except this one!)

How come so many bands put out their greatest album first? It seems like alot of bands have the first record being their best.

 

[Frostheim]

Both...

the self-titled album:
* Norwegian as the language in use
* One of the most _nordic_ albums I've ever heard
* Powerful and proud nordic atmosphere, extremely pagan
* Garm on vox
* Grim on drums
* Ivar on synth

and...

The Olden Domain:
* Extremely original atmosphere, even wintry, very pagan
* One of the most original and genuine metal albums I've ever heard
* Garm on vox
* Grim on drums
* Ivar on synth

..Although I like them all very much..

 

[TB666]

The Archaic Course

*Vortex
*Universal and winter millenium
*Grim awesome drumming

Empiricism

*Vintersorg
*Fucking awesome sound and production
*Asgeir awsome drumming

 

[minion_of_chaos]

borknagar - borknagar

maybe only untill i come across i copy of the olden domain
there last few albums are over produced and i think vintersorg is a bone-teethed tail end, yeah i know this is my problem but still, the cunt ruins it for me

 

[DarksomePoet]

Awow! A NEW thread! fuckin great!



ps....ok,ok, I go with "empiricism"&"the archaic course"

 

[The Scourge]

God you people, why Empiricism? It is ok, but certainly nowhere near their best. Like S. Craig Zahler of Metal Maniacs fame said, it seems this album seems more of a display of musicians showing off their skills than focusing on writing good songs. And yes, Vintersorg's voice does indeed suck, especially when comparing it to Simen's. Christ, sometimes he reminds me of Alanis Morissette singing while trying to swallow a Big Mac whole.

 

[The old Swede]

I´ll go with Quintessence.

 

[DarksomePoet]

God you people, why Empiricism? It is ok, but certainly nowhere near their best. Like S. Craig Zahler of Metal Maniacs fame said, it seems this album seems more of a display of musicians showing off their skills than focusing on writing good songs. And yes, Vintersorg's voice does indeed suck, especially when comparing it to Simen's. Christ, sometimes he reminds me of Alanis Morissette singing while trying to swallow a Big Mac whole.

R u joking, or what?
Anyway, I don't see any musician "showing off his skills" on empiricism.
If you're looking for that, try listening to progressive or jazz.

 

[Heart of Steel]

The Archaic Course and Quintessence are really nice, but I prefer the self-titled album and Empiricism, they are the best.

 

[earthquake666]

mmm i love too much their albums to say which is the best...i mean:
-Borknagar is a really beautiful album beacuse it is something really close to their root (for the riffa...for the atmospheres..) and i love Garm voice (in Ulver and Borknagar he made great vocals)

-The Olden Domain is also wonderful because it has many things of the self titled but it is the beginning of a new way...the are starting to leave metal sound, and Maelstrom as in Arcturus used his voice refined voice in a unexpected way...

-The Archaic Course musically is another step out of metal sound and Vortex made his best work on this album

-Quintessence i think it's not really easy to listen.. they are refining a lot their sound leaving the rooty atmospheres (in fact they didn't take a "extreme metal" drummer, they take an extremely technical one)..anyway it's a borknagar stuff..so it's wonderful too..

-Empiricism is something not human..Borknagar gained total succes on the way of "more refined" sound..absolutely not metal sound...but with the voice of Vintersorg..something i can't tell by words

All these words just to say...Every Borknagar stuff is the best one..everyone in his way...

 

[Ethnobotanikkk]

Quintessence; without doubt their most daring and intriqueing album. Oysteins skillfull songwriting is taken to even greater hights by the fresh influences by Mickelson (who seems a limitlessly talented drummer) and Lazare (very brutal yet subtil pseudo-psychedelic synth touches). And it would be deathsin to not mention Simens Awesome vocal folds, indeed this album is an expirimental masterpiece. Well that's what I think anyway...

 

[oscura_criatura]

My favorite is Quintessence but.... i think there is time to buy Borknagar

 

[Ormir]

Borknagar

 

[The Scourge]

R u joking, or what?
Anyway, I don't see any musician "showing off his skills" on empiricism.
If you're looking for that, try listening to progressive or jazz.

No jokes here. And yet another debate between us Darksome. Very well, I love this. I am not saying that Empiricism is bad, in fact, it made my top ten list when it came out. It just seems that the course of the last two albums have been focused on virtuosity and instrumental masturbation. Borknagar's strength comes from Oystein's amazing songwriting, not from Lazare's keyboard pyrotechnics(although I love it), nor from Asgeir's crazy and technical fills and time signatures(although I love that too), nor from Tyr's elaborate bass fingering(also great), nor from Oystein's crazy guitar scaling he seems to be employing as of late. It is a good album, but not a great album, by Borknagar standards. Oh, and you suggested that I listen to progressive or jazz? Thanks, I think I'll pop in Empiricism right now.

 

[En Vind Av Sorg]

"Oh, and you suggested that I listen to progressive or jazz? Thanks, I think I'll pop in Empiricism right now."

Very true. i notcied many aspects of borknagar songs on Empiricism that could possibly have fallen under a label and/or sub-catagorey of Jazz/Progressive music. However this is not a bad thing. Yet i too have to agree that Empiricism is not my favorite. I dont think i could pick one, i think that i would be split between the s/t and Quintessence. Although i disagree about Vintersorgs voice, i think it is excelent at times, altough i prefer Vortex to him as a general singer.

 

[doomsower]

Hmmm hard task because i love them all but let's say The Archaic course.

 

[Aerandir]

It has to be The Archaic Course.... Winter Milennium and Witching Hour cannot be beaten. I prefer Vintersorgs lyrics, but Simens vocals... If only the two would combine!