Why Borknagar?

[Ond]

Since this is a forum, and we are here to exchange experiences/knowledge and socialize (among other things), I have some questions for you all. I know it's a personal thing, but everyone answers as he/she/it wishes.

Why do you listen to Borknagar? Do you just like the sound of the music, or you feel something else?
How did you hear about the band? Why did you start listening to it?


In my case, I always listened to heavy (some times extreme) metal, but I started listening to Borknagar, Arcturus, Ulver, Enslaved and others in a specific moment of my life.
I was alone in a new city, 300km away from the closest friends, and it was quite hard. The city itself (Trikala) was beautiful but not very pleasant to live in, I didn't feel welcomed or comfortable. However, nature around the city was truly astonishing so I embraced it as a friend. Unfortunately, it was the only friend I had.
I discovered the bands using Spotify, and I'm not sure how, but the music made perfect sense back then. I guess it was because I was getting closer and closer to nature. And, as people evolve, (good) music evolves as well. Sometimes it happens that those evolutions meet in a convergent path. In this way the music still makes perfect sense to me, but I can't quite explain why.

 

[ShadarLogoth]

It started by hearing Oceans Rise on a Century Media Sampler back in 99 or so. I was just getting into more epic/folky oriented metal, and this song was just amazing.
I guess i listen mostly because i like the music, but all music i like kind of speaks to me, i have to feel it before i really enjoy something.

 

[Kerros]

Someone I know on another forum told me, "Hey, check out Borknagar - Colossus. Best vocals ever." So I did. And they were. The rest is history!

 

[Doomtroll]

My ex boyfriend sent me "Oceans Rise" when I was like 12-13 or something. I fell in love.

 

[Narissa]

a freind in school showed me them. i liked them ok. got into them more later on, fully appreciated their music. and the rest is history. im addicted now. forever.

 

[FUBAR]

I saw the front cover of the debut album and thought "that's cool"... turned out the music was pretty good aswell.

 

[lefay82]

i discovered first vintersorg, then a friend of mine told me that he sang also in borknagar, so i thought "let give'em a try" and here i am, simply love at first hear

 

[Naglfar]

Dumb luck. Bought a Rotting Christ album that came with a promotional CD, and among the songs was Oceans Rise. How about that? I probably would have still found out about Borky eventually but woulda been a couple of years...

Anyway, cheers to promotional CDs!

 

[Undefined]

Back in 2003 I believe was when I discovered them. I was pretty young, like 16 years old, I was into Dimmu Borgir a lot back then and I was looking for new music with Kazaa and I came across Old Man's Child and Borknagar. I immediately loved Borknagar, didn't know there was different singers at the time so for a while I thought Ad Noctum and Gods of my World where by the same guy

 

[SiMuLaCrUm]

I've always been a prog rock person, so I started looking more into prog metal and what not. Checked out Borknagar first, especially Quintessence and was like :O

 

[Ond]

simply love at first hear

Apparently, that applies to everyone here.

 

[Allfader]

How I knew it? I already knew about Ulver's Bergtatt and Kveldssanger. A friend of mine showed me the S/T saying 'look, Garm sings on a new band, and Infernus is involved too' or something like that, back on 96. I just fell in love with the album and followed the band until now.

From the 2 first albums, I loved the old atmosphere that just a few bands have reached (like Ulver itself), specially on songs like Dauden and The Winterway. Also I started to knew about viking/folk metal. On those times Ulver, Borknagar, Enslaved and Kampfar were the best of the genre for me (now I just added some bands to the list), mixing black metal, folk with a melancholic feel. What I like the most from them are the guitars (raw, agressive, yet melancholic on the black metal parts and old, melodic and folky on the acoustics) and vocals (Garm did an excellent job, his voice is very deep and fit perfectly the overall atmosphere). Ivar's keys are worthy of mention too. I dunno where he got those sounds, but a good share of them still sound very unique, not heard until now even on his own band, Enslaved.

TAC is very melodic, epic but not really heavy. I usually hear TAC to relax or to hear something nice, since it has a happier atmosphere. Q was a surprise mainly for the brutality that reminded me to S/T. I found the production barely decent, but in a way it enhances the agressiveness.

Since Empiricism I think Borknagar found their sound or at least the path that will follow until the end. Along with Vintersorg's VFTSG, it's the album that reflects technical/songwriting perfection on their career. Epic is similar to Empiricism, faster and a little more experimental. It could be better if the 'soft' production (specially the guitar sound) were changed for something a little rawer.

Finally Origin was surprising enough to be of my liking. I never expected something like Kveldssanger or Empyrium's Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays. It has a good amount of folk but the progressive infuences are vastly superior. What I like from Origin is the album itself is very solid and cohesive, but at the same time each song has a different atmosphere, making all of them memorable enough to enjoy them in a same share. The instrumental tracks are wonderful, being more folk oriented than the rest. (I reviewed it on MA).

 

[lefay82]

Apparently, that applies to everyone here.

we are the intelligent ones

 

[Elvina]

Arcturus has been my first and truest metal love, and i was really desolate when they split up... i guess i've been whining too much about it, so my bf recommended me to try other bands Vortex's worked with. He gave me Quintessence and Archaic Course and it became like a second Arcturus to me, especially when i found out that Garm has also been Bork's vocalist in the past. I started to appreciate mr.V's albums only recently, but at the end of the day it's not the vocalists that i like about this band, as i just love everything Bork has come up with so far, more or less. ♥

 

[Nambdull]

I heard of them a few times long time ago when I was 14 maybe, and then I saw the "making of epic" video and I kinda liked that...so I got Epic then and listened to it...over and over again! That's how it started...

 

[Oerko]

i discovered first vintersorg, then a friend of mine told me that he sang also in borknagar, so i thought "let give'em a try" and here i am, simply love at first hear

Sounds familiar to me ;-)

 

[Azzor1911]

Nice to see how almost everyone got to know about Borknagar via other bands that are associated because the members are involved in other bands. For me it was via Lazare, of Solefald, somewhere after the release of Empiricism, I think.
I remember they were supposed to tour Europe with Finntroll in 2002 but the entire thing got cancelled for a stupid reason. I was 14 at that time so my parents weren't gonna let me go anyway :-/

As to why I listen to Borknagar?
I seriously wouldn't know, man. They're just awesome, that's all I can think of. Seeing the masters perform live next Friday will be a big honor for me, something I've been looking forward to for many years.

 

[Ond]

Nice to see how almost everyone got to know about Borknagar via other bands that are associated because the members are involved in other bands.

Indeed. I also found Borknagar from Vortex, I was listening to Arcturus at the time.

Seeing the masters perform live next Friday will be a big honor for me, something I've been looking forward to for many years.

Have fun and enjoy in the name of all those who can't go (like me).
Don't forget to write us a review after the gig, even if it's only one word.

 

[Oerko]

I remember they were supposed to tour Europe with Finntroll in 2002 but the entire thing got cancelled for a stupid reason. I was 14 at that time so my parents weren't gonna let me go anyway :-/

Yeah, i remember that one. They were supposed to visit Essen (my hometown) and i had already bought my ticket for the show in the legendary Zeche Carl

But i was already about 18/19 by that time.

actually, there are two more days togo, before i can finally see them in Oberhausen

Greetz

 

[Mon Cher Personne]

Why do you listen to Borknagar?

It is impossible to answer this question. Music of Borknagar is a mysterious world.

For the first time I have heard Borknagar somewhere in 1997-1998. It were two-three tracks from an album "Borknagar" 1996. And Borknagar was not pleasant to me! =))))
And when release The Archaic Course, I became the big fan of band! And then I have understood two old albums.

Guys, I am is very old fuckin fan of band!