As such, the band's most known style would be that of progressive black metal, with most of their albums taking from this style. Borknagar's lyrics often deal with philosophy, paganism, nature, and the cosmos. Øystein Brun stated once that the name was inspired by a Scottish legend about a man who climbed Lochnagar, a mountain in Scotland.
Borknagar rose out of the ashes of the Norwegian death metal band Molested when then-member Øystein G. Brun became tired of the brutal aspects of the band's music. Øystein formed Borknagar to explore a more melodic outlet of expression; he wrote all of the music and lyrics and gathered together an all-star group of black metal musicians to play in his band. Well-known musicians of the black metal scene (such as Infernus of Gorgoroth, Grim of Immortal and Gorgoroth, Ivar Bjørnson from Enslaved, Garm of Ulver, Head Control System, and ex-Arcturus) joined the project, bringing immediate attention to Borknagar. The band never even recorded a demo – they simply asked for a record contract on Malicious Records and were granted their request. Borknagar's majestic, melodic sound was instantly liked by many and received positive press attention.
Borknagar has released ten albums to date. Their self-titled debut album features lyrics in Norwegian; all subsequent albums have featured lyrics written in English by both ICS Vortex from Arcturus and Dimmu Borgir and later by current singer, Vintersorg from Otyg and his eponymous band (Vintersorg). All of the band's records (excluding the original pressing of the debut album via Malicious Records) have been released by the Century Media label. Borknagar has toured with various bands, including the well-known Cradle of Filth.
Simen Hestnæs rejoined the band in 2010. Since then he and Vintersorg have shared lead vocal duties.
Discography:
1996 - Borknagar
1997 - The Olden Domain
1998 - The Archaic Course
2000 - Quintessence
2001 - Empiricism
2002 - Urd
2004 - Epic
2006 - Origin
2010 - Universal
2012 - Urd
2016 - Winter Thrice
2019 - True North
Members:
Current Members
* Vintersorg (Andreas Hedlund) - Vocals
* Øystein G. Brun - Guitar
* Lazare (Lars Nedland) - Keyboard
* Jens Ryland - Guitar
* ICS Vortex (Simen Hestnæs) - Vocals, Bass
* Baard Kolstad - Drums
Former Members
* Garm (Kristoffer Rygg) - Vocals
* Asgeir Mickelson - Drums
* Kai Lie - Bass
* Infernus - Bass
* Ivar Bjørnson - Keyboard
* Grim (Erik Brødreskift) - Drums (Causa mortis: Suicide. 1969 - 1999.10.04.)
* Tyr (Jan Erik Tiwaz) - Bass - Session Member for Origin album
* David Kinkade - Drums
The Dawn Of The End
Borknagar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way of the hunting moon
O storms that reign supreme
The breeze comes whisperin' soon
Strike the flowers' last gleam
In spite of desperate fight, their power
Leave no shores where the torrents stream
Mountains highest hills
Fragments, beheaded formations
The cosmic rivers curse
Denial of all recreation
Wind, Water, Earth, Fire - Invincible!
Autumn-twice, Winter-thrice
River and Rock
A new kingdom rise
I close my eyes
The lyrics of Borknagar's song, The Dawn Of The End, can be interpreted as an apocalyptic ode to the end of the world. The imagery of the first few lines describes the pale sun, indicative of its death or weakening, and the hunting moon, usually associated with death and darkness. The storms reigning supreme and the whispering breeze could imply the coming of some catastrophic event like a natural disaster. The flowers' last gleam could represent the end of life and hope, fighting desperately but eventually succumbing to death. The phrase, "leave no shores where the torrents stream" implies a complete erasure of existence.
The subsequent lyrics provide more clues to the apocalyptic themes. Mountains, hills, and formations are fragmented and beheaded, invoking images of destruction and chaos. The cosmic river's curse could represent nature turning on us, or perhaps some otherworldly event causing chaos. The denial of all recreation could signify the end of playfulness, suggesting a world where there is no time for leisure.
The chorus of the song is where the title, "The Dawn Of The End," comes from. The four elements, wind, water, earth, and fire, are invincible, implying their role in the end of the world. Autumn and winter are repeated twice and thrice respectively, emphasizing the timelessness and eternal nature of the end of the world. River and rock symbolize two elements that survive, but even they give birth to a new kingdom, indicating that the end of the world is the start of something new.
Line by Line Meaning
Pale like the skull of the sun
The sunrise is weak, giving the impression of a dead sun's skull.
The way of the hunting moon
The moon controls the tides and the timing of the hunt.
O storms that reign supreme
Powerful storms dominate and rule over everything in their path.
The breeze comes whisperin' soon
A gentle, cool wind is on its way and can be heard approaching.
Strike the flowers' last gleam
Destroy any last hope or positive energy, just like crushing the final light of a dying flower.
In spite of desperate fight, their power
Even though they struggle, their influence or strength remains.
Leave no shores where the torrents stream
Take away all potential for growth or prosperity, similar to how raging floods destroy everything in their path.
Mountains highest hills
The most majestic and powerful natural formations.
Fragments, beheaded formations
The great mountains are falling apart or being destroyed, as if decapitated.
The cosmic rivers curse
The powerful forces of the universe are aligned against us, bringing about hardship and misfortune.
Denial of all recreation
All pleasure and relief is refused, making life feel like a punishment.
Wind, Water, Earth, Fire - Invincible!
The elements are indomitable, possessing an unstoppable strength.
Autumn-twice, Winter-thrice
The cold seasons have a grip on everything, with an extended period of autumn and an extra winter season bringing about even more misery.
River and Rock
Both water and stone are equally rigid and unyielding, with no compromise possible.
A new kingdom rise
A great change is coming, bringing forth a new order or a new era.
I close my eyes
The artist is resigned to the coming destruction, or perhaps they are preparing for what is to come.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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