Borknagar

Borknagar formed in Norway as a progressive metal outfit whose approach merges black metal with folk influences, while their lyrics explore philosophy, nature, mythology, paganism, and the cosmos. Active since the mid-1990s, the experimental black metal collective has issued close to a dozen studio albums, among them the ferocious self-titled debut of 1996, the 2004 release aptly titled Epic, and the chart-topping Winter Thrice from 2016. Three years afterward Century Media issued the widely praised True North. Once the pandemic eased, the musicians reconvened for songwriting sessions in 2021, performed live dates through 2022 and into early 2023, and delivered the album Fall in February 2024.

Øystein G. Brun, formerly the guitarist in death metal act Molested, founded the group in 1995 after seeking a more melodic path than the brutality of his prior band. He assembled an all-star roster that featured Garm handling vocals alongside his commitments to Ulver and Arcturus, Ivar Bjornson on keyboards and vocals after departing Enslaved, Infernus on bass, and Grim on drums while still active in Immortal and Gorgoroth. Malicious Records signed the ensemble solely on the strength of that lineup and issued the self-titled debut in early 1996 without any demo; the record contained exclusively Norwegian lyrics and represented Borknagar’s most direct black metal statement, driven by blasting percussion and screamed vocals, which promptly earned them a Century Media contract. Kai Lie stepped in on bass for the 1997 follow-up The Olden Domain, shifting the material toward English-language pagan and folk metal textures. The next year the band embarked on a full European tour supporting In Flames. With I.C.S. Vortex, also known as Simen Hestnaes, now on vocals and Jens F. Ryland on guitar, Borknagar recorded and released the progressive album The Archaic Course in 1998 without interruption. Grim died from a sleeping-pill overdose in October 1999; Justin Greaves filled the drum chair briefly before Asgeir Mickelson took over. Vortex assumed bass responsibilities and Lasare joined on keyboards for the even more progressive 2000 album Quintessence.

After that release Vortex exited to join Dimmu Borgir, prompting Vintersorg, whose real name is Andreas Hedlund, to become the new vocalist while Tyr, born Jan Erik Tiwaz, handled bass. The resulting Empiricism surfaced in October 2001, emerging as one of the band’s most celebrated works and earning nominations for major Norwegian music awards. Tyr departed midway through the next album’s sessions, leaving Mickelson to cover bass; Ryland also stepped away. Even with the reduced lineup, the 2004 album Epic stood as Borknagar’s most ambitious statement to date and proved another commercial success. Tyr returned for the primarily acoustic Origin in 2007. The band moved to Indie Recordings by year’s end, after which Century Media compiled For the Elements (1996–2006) in 2008.

Ryland had by then rejoined, and the group targeted an early 2009 album release, yet Asgeir departed amicably in May 2008. American drummer David Kinkade came aboard; Universal, the eighth studio album, was announced in April 2009 for a September street date but ultimately appeared in February 2010. Vortex contributed guest vocals to “My Domain” and soon replaced Tyr—following another departure—on tour before rejoining full-time. The Indie Recordings partnership dissolved in early 2011, returning Borknagar to Century Media, where the Norse-mythology-themed ninth album Urd arrived in March 2012. It marked Kinkade’s final recording with the group before he concentrated on Soulfly and later retired from music to focus on family life; Baard Kolstad assumed the drum stool in February 2012. Recording for the subsequent album occupied much of 2014 and 2015, delayed by injuries to Vintersorg, until Winter Thrice emerged in early 2016 featuring a guest appearance by original vocalist Garm. Vintersorg and Kolstad both left amicably in early 2019, the latter replaced by Bjørn Dugstad Rønnow. Vortex rejoined on vocals for the eleventh studio album, True North, issued that autumn to widespread critical and fan acclaim, with many citing it as the band’s strongest work. After pandemic-related delays, Borknagar resumed collective writing in late 2021, performed throughout 2022 to refine new material, and entered the studio in 2023 with Brun producing and Jens Bogren mixing. The darkly anthemic single “Nordic Anthem” preceded the full-length Fall in January 2024.