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After first hearing the news that the new BORKNAGAR CD "ORIGIN"
would be all acoustic, I assumed it would be influenced by folk and
classical music because this band has always ventured into that musical
territory. The folk elements are finally revealed to us in full force.
This album has many clean, brilliant, and original melodies. From what I
know OYSTIEN BRUN writes all the songs on the acoustic guitar then takes
the arrangements and then add in the progressive Black Metal and Folk
elements. When I listen to this CD, however I hear elements of ACTURUS
because it has parts that are avant-garde at times, which isn't bad but
sometimes it does and doesn't work.
"Origin" is introduced by the beautiful acoustic guitar
arpeggios and accompanying flute melodies of “Earth Imagery.” This
combination of string and woodwind instruments sets the pace for the
entire album, with vocalist Vintersong’s soft croon matching the
instruments perfectly, lending a grim, icy tone to the disc.
It takes OYSTIENS and VINTERSORGS composition skills to make an album
enchanting and gripping as ORIGIN. "Oceans Rise" is a remake
of one of their songs on a previous album (The Archaic Course) and shows
how you can make raw old school Black Metal acoustic. The song
"White" starts out with a violin and has passages similar
elements to the "The Human Nature" track flowing together
nicely.” Cynosure" and "Acclimation" are absolutely
beautiful songs that are highly original and stand out the most on this
album. It amazes me that a band that once had a dirty, raw, black metal
sound could produce an album such as "ORIGIN".
I don't have much more to say, as this album is a very short and overall
consistent folk album. When hearing "ORIGIN", you can only
think of snowy-peaks, steamy waterfalls, with a lot of green, white, and
brown around you. The prog-rock elements are more prominent on ORIGIN
than in previous releases. This album is not what I originally had hoped
for but not a bad release either. I highly recommended the new Borknagar
to those with tastes similar to mine!
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