some weird sentences where I was wondering what he meant, but here you go, quick translation.
Borknagar is a black metal band founded in 1994 by the Norwegian guitarist Øystein Brun, where he is the only permanent member of the group. For all albums Brun uses various guest musicians, predominantly from the Norwegian black metal scene. The amount of singers was limited to three in all those years, and the new album Universal features Andreas Hedland, better known as Vintersorg, for the fourth time.
After the acoustic album Origin from 2006, on this album we hear a revisit to the familiar sound, en is the famous intelligent mix of black metal, viking metal and folk metal displayed. By the expressive voice of Vintersorg, a reference to the own band of the vocalist is quite obvious, although Borknagar is quite a bit heavier and busier for most of the time. For instance, the album starts off with the rapid 'Havoc', where swift bass drums are on the foreground, and is fighting for attention together with the sampled choir vocals. In the chorus, Hedlund uses his normal folky voice that sounds layer as in most songs due to the many overdubs. In 'Reason', the trick is repeated, although the song is a bit less busy. The quiet 'The Stir of Seasons' with some folky parts is a song that would not be misplaced on a Vintersorg album. The vocalist gives a top performance on this track and even manages to gives one a light form of goosebumps. After that, we get into heavier territories again with 'For A Thousand Years To Come', although the jazzy interlude is quite special here. The classically sounding intro of 'Fleshflower' fits nicely in the musical stramien of Borknagar. When 'Worldwide' starts after this with the sound of a Hammond organ that is so popular again these days, the picture is complete again. Here too are the sampled choirs prominently present, like in the last song 'My Domain'.
Universal is an album that doesn't sound nice at each moment of the day due to its thick and busy sound, but can offer some fine support when you're in an active mood. The album is for sure not worse than previous efforts and won't disappoint Borknagar fans. Borknagar have delivered quality material for eight albums, where there is much to enjoy for Vintersorg fans as well. Although at the end of the album, some listening fatigue creeps in.
Strange review, I've got the feeling that most reviewers really didn't know the musical genius of Borknagar before this album
. I'm very curious about this 'listening fatigue', makes you wonder if that guy has listened to any uneXpect or Diablo Swing Orchestra
.
From:
http://hardrockhaven.net/online/2010/borknagar-universal/
Borknagar Universal
February 14, 2010 by Managing Editor
by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer
Borknagar are a unique extreme metal beast. They present a paradox applicable to only a few groups in this great metal world. Unlike so many bands of their ilk,
with each release, fans go in knowing what to expect, yet also without any idea of whats coming. Ludicrous as that sounds, its the absolute truth. You see, every Borknagar album (with the possible exception of Origin) comes with a set of given values, but how the band will take these and construct, arrange, deconstruct, and rearrange them remains a constant variable. Borknagar fans expect complex melodies, multilayered instrumentation, regularly shifting dynamics, and of course a perfect balance between the bands black metal and progressive sides, but still want it presented in a way they havent heard before. Taking heed, as they have with their previous releases, Borknagar have yet again delivered an album of beautiful contradictions with 2010s Universal.
The eight tracks that make up Universal flow so well that they appear more as movements in a larger epic rather than isolated events. This is not to say that the songs dont have their own identities, but they all serve to illustrate how befitting the album title actually is.
With each track, another piece of the overall Universal picture is revealed.
Opening track Havoc eases listeners in with a slow, quiet intro, gradually building tension before exploding just past the minute mark. From here, we are enveloped in pure, multilayered black metal brilliance. Replete with cinematic flourishes (such as the doubling of guitars with voices, whether real or synthesized), harsh metal screams (including
vocalist Vintersorgs new foray into a more guttural, death metal growl), and melodic choruses that have become one of Borknagars trademarks, the song acts almost as an overture to both Universal and Borknagars music in general.
Following in an equally spectacular fashion, Reason flaunts keyboardist
Lars A. Nedlands skill for countermelody (with occasional Jethro Tull-type flairs), and also showcases new drummer David Kinkade.
Kinkades style is reminiscent of predecessor Asgeir Michelson, but he also brings his own style to the mix, ensuring that he will be noticed.
The Stir of Seasons throws traditional metal song structure away with its lengthy instrumental passages and sporadic clean vocal breaks. Oddly enough, this is followed immediately by For a Thousand Years, which features some of the most traditional metal riffing on any Borknagar release. Of course, with its incorporation of clean-vocaled verses and harsh choruses, and inclusion of an extended instrumental sectioncomplete with bass solotraditional seems a bit of a misnomer. Though all tracks do a fair job, these two in particular show just how much
band founder and leader Øystein Brun allows his bandmates to shine equally, a quality not common in most band with an obvious leader.
Abrasion Tide and Worldwide are both solid compositions, if not standout tracks. They surround, however,
what could be one of Borknagars strongest songs yet, Fleshflower. With detuned guitars and what could almost be described as
80s new wave-esque vocals, the song is highlighted by its rapid changes. Whereas Borknagar tend to let things progress slowly over extended song lengths, Fleshflower sees the band take an almost Queen-like approach of firing rapidly between sections over just three short minutes. If Origin was borne of the bands wish to focus on their melodic, mellow side, perhaps now theres a chance for an album of short, complex prog metal bursts.
Closing out the record is
My Domain, which features the return of vocalist
I.C.S. Vortex after a near 10-year absence. Though arguably not as technically perfect at Vintersorg,
I.C.S.s vocals helped define the Borknagar sound and slide seamlessly back into the mix. With the complex arrangements going on in all of their music, i
t would be interesting to see both vocalists on stage together, though its hard to say how well their respective egos would tolerate this. Nevertheless, its great to mix things up and bring back a slice of Borknagars past.
While Universal may be yet another masterpiece in a long line of stellar releases by Borknagar, its also hard to say whether it is their magnum opus. It seems more likely that the band will somehow manage to outdo themselves yet again on their next release, whenever that may come. But for now,
take solace in the fact that Universal lives up to its bold title, and that Borknagars Genuine Pulse is pounding stronger than ever.
- - -
This is probably the best review of the album I've read, the guy knows what he's talking about! I liked it so much that I highlighted what were the most important parts for me.
And do notice the one that is in bold, italics and underlined
. (Hint Borknagar, hint
).
