Borknagar - Origin review
| Band: | Borknagar |
| Album: | Origin |
| Style: | Neofolk, Progressive heavy metal |
| Release date: | October 30, 2006 |
| A review by: | Dream Taster |
01. Earth Imagery
02. Grains
03. Oceans Rise
04. Signs
05. White
06. Cynosure
07. The Human Nature
08. Acclimation
09. The Spirit Of Nature
Every time a band tries its hand at something different from what they are known for, they are bound to either be applauded or booed. When Melodic Black Metal combo Borknagar announced that their new opus would be an all acoustic effort, I was excited from the get-go.
Indeed, their music relies a lot on influences other than Black Metal, and this album would have been a great way to express this. That's the context in which "Origin" was brought to my attention, and while this album has its moments, it was overall a personal disappointment.
Yes, multi-talented singer Vintersorg is all over this release, putting up a great lyrical fight to save this album from oblivion but overall it lacks substance, it lacks spirit. Stripped of the usual coating of Metal, this acoustic album sounds more like a world music piece with folk influences, filled with too much bamboo flute melodies and some weak structures at times. Interesting enough, the most striking track on "Origin" is 'Ocean Rise', which happens to be a new spin on 'The Archaic Course'. 'White' is another good moment, if you like Lazare vocals that is.
While "Origin" is not a lost cause, it could have been a lot better. Its short running time does not play in its favor either. I am usually all for exploring new musical horizons, but I think Garnes Brun and Vintersorg should stop experimenting left and right - whether with "Origin" or "Terra" (with side-project Cronian) - and go back to what they did best with "Empiricism". So, please stick to your inspired Melodic Black Metal and prove us that Borknagar is not on its way out. Apart from that, if you are looking for something unusual, this may be your ticket. But comparing "Origin" to something like Opeth's "Damnation", shows how much Borknagar missed out on this release.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 6 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 9 |
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Written on 20.12.2006 by
Bringing you reviews of quality music and interesting questions such as: "A picture is worth a thousand words. How many words is a song worth?" I have only got so much patience and skills, you do the math. |
Comments
Comments: 11
Visited by: 109 users
| Damned-In-Black Posts: 212  |
I agree with the review for the most part. It's an ok album - pleasant, but nothing special. Just plain dull and uninspired-feeling at times. Could definitely have been better.
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| Ealdamir Posts: 5497  |
It's not that bad but nothing exciting too I only think that the comparison was wrong. Borkagar tried here mostly to make a folk album and not just acoustic imo and it really has no much in common with damnation (except from metal bands unplugged). It is alhough miles behind Ulver's Kveldssanger
---- Plz, Help me Fly!
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| Slottet av Take Account deleted |
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| Joop Account deleted |
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| Ealdamir Posts: 5497 |
@joop I agree that it's very good to expirement but it lacked inspiration and maybe i was more expectant from borknagar
---- Plz, Help me Fly!
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| graywolf87 Account deleted |
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| Uirapuru Liver Failure Posts: 2955  |
Written by [user id=2173] on 20.12.2006 at 13:03 I'm with you in this. The spirit and and the theme that are Borknagar's major feature are still there. It's different musicality only helped this album to become unique. All the songs are amazing and memorable, the Ocean's Rise version is fantastic. Any Borknagar real fan would appreciate this work, in understand for the band's creative purpose. An album like Origin fits perfectly Borknagar's style. The experience of listening to this album is transcendent.
----  ---- member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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| Introspekrieg Totemic Lust Elite Posts: 2749  |
This album is amazing, it has taken a while to fully set in, but it's finally hit me. I would say "The Human Nature" is my favorite track, and bear in mind I have been on a Vintersorg and Jethro Tull kick lately so the two roads finally converge here...
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| ylside Staff Posts: 4746  |
One of the best albums I've ever heard.
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| @gent_-_orange Posts: 905  |
WOW this album is damn good one of my favorite acoustic albums alongside Ulvers second album.
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