Artist: Borknagar
Label: Century Media Records
Release Date: 8/10/04
|
|
Title: Epic Artist: Borknagar Label: Century Media Records Release Date: 8/10/04 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
|
5 | ||
|
4 | ||
|
4 | ||
|
| |||
Abyss's Review:
Note to bands: Stop naming your albums "Epic" it's been done already! With the exception of this album's moniker, you won't be hearing me say anything all that bad about them. Epic is the latest successful album in a distinguished career for this band, and the faithful will not be disappointed.I was a little shocked at how experimental this album is, however. It reminds me a great deal of Enslaved's Mardraum: Beyond The Within and the progressive tack they took on that record. Borknagar have gone to their roots and come out with a folk-centered album, but one that is still connected to the gutteral black metal from which this genre was spawned.
"One word review: Masterful." Vintersorg continues to prove an asset to the band, and the vocals provide a satisfying balance between acidic spite and gothic beauty. But this album is much more interested in the direction the music is going. This band might be criticized for following a bit too close behind Enslaved, but they've proven again and again that they are simply too talented a band for them to be relegated to a bandwagon jumper.
Comparisons to Enslaved are without a doubt unavoidable, but shouldn't be looked at as anything other than something to be proud of. Borknagar have investigated some of the same themes, but have done it in their own style. Some of the more traditional music on this disc wouldn't feel out of place on a band as out there as Skyclad, but here the folk music takes on a sinister and evil persona.
Borknagar remain a master of craft, writing songs that are as easy to listen to as they are breathtaking to behold. The music is adventurous, but grounded, allowing the metal fan and the music critic inside me equally firm footing. I'm also a bit pleased that the band, who seemed to be getting more and more 'mainstream' melodic on a few of their records, have retreated a bit, refusing to dilute their sound for a larger audience.
The bottom line is this is a great album from start to finish. If I have a complaint it's that every once in awhile it drifts a little too towards its progressive slant, but even with that being the case, it is a surprisingly listenable record. One word review: Masterful.
Death's Review:
Borknagar are back with another album of high-level, refined and challenging art metal, appropriately laced with blackened trappings. Once again, this is an album you must listen to a lot before you “get it,” which is, of course, the record’s primary appeal. The production makes it easy to do so. The music sounds organic and alive, taking the art of black metal to heretofore unexplored extremes. Clearly this is not an album for everyone, but it is a real treat for anyone who has previously described themselves as a Borknagar fan, and this one will surely end up on many of said aficionado’s year-end top ten lists. The uninitiated or those looking for a quick and easy hit probably will not be so intrigued. In a perfect world, you’d all invest the effort.
"The music sounds organic and alive, taking the art of black metal to heretofore unexplored extremes."
Hel's Review:
To call this record “a challenging listen” would be a vast understatement. It seems that each progressive Borknagar album is determined to force you to stretch your mind further and further in order to wrap around it. There is certainly nothing wrong with this, but to my dismay this week was not amenable to indulging in an album this ambitious. Between the ultra-early publication deadline for this week, an extremely busy schedule and being sick on top of it all, I really feel like I failed in giving this album the time and attention it needed and deserved.
"This is one album that has certainly earned its name." That’s not to say I haven’t listened to it. In fact, I’ve listened to Epic from beginning to end at least five times so far. And even that is not enough times to fully absorb everything they have going on. This is one album that has certainly earned its name. Listening to this record will take you on a journey, to places beyond and back again. You will voyage through different styles, different genres. You will go places you never thought Borknagar would take you. It is not only an album, but an experience.
Oddly though, I don’t find any of the songs sticking with me the way that some of the tracks from Empiricism did. For whatever reason, I come away thinking that somehow this new album does not captivate me the way the last one did. Perhaps it wanders a bit too far afield. Perhaps I just haven’t had enough time with it. But whatever the reason, this has been an Epic undertaking, and one that I am certainly not finished with.
[- Metal Judgment Home -] [- Email Metal Judgment -]
©1999 Metal Judgment. All rights reserved.