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
Universal
Borknagar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oceans deeper than sorrow
A distance of furious dreams
Random fields of tension
Where the sun comes blinding
When the moon goes hiding
I have seen the chaos in every course
I have seen all the rivers stream
Yes, back to the end of the circle
Rivers longer than blood can flow
Horizons wider than complete wisdom
A distance of furious dreams
Isolated fields in convulsive motion
A distance of furious dreams
Random fields of tension
Where the moon comes glaring
When the sun goes dying
I have seen the chaos in every course
Followed the solar dimensions of time
I have seen all the rivers stream
Yes, back to the end of the circle
I can smell the air
I can taste the soil
I can tame all fire
I can spill all the water
I am the spine of the reversal nature
The blinding forces of complete defeat
Trace the universal steps
The shores by the course
The lyrics to Borknagar's song Universal paint a picture of a vast and chaotic universe, with mountains that reach beyond the limits of the human mind, and oceans that run deep with sorrow. The singer describes a journey through this universe, witnessing chaos in every direction and following the solar dimensions of time. The repeated phrase "a distance of furious dreams" highlights the overwhelming and overwhelming nature of the universe, with isolated fields in motion and random tensions.
As the song progresses, the singer declares their power over the elements, proclaiming that they can smell the air, taste the soil, tame fire and spill water. They are the force of nature that seeks to reverse and defeat the universe's blinding forces. The final verse tells the listener to "trace the universal steps," suggesting that despite the vastness and chaos of the universe, there is a certain order and path that can be followed.
Overall, the lyrics of Universal offer a powerful and poetic interpretation of the cosmos, highlighting both its beauty and its overwhelming nature.
Line by Line Meaning
Mountains higher than mind can fly
There are mountains that are so high that they surpass the limits of our imagination and comprehension.
Oceans deeper than sorrow
There are oceans that are so deep that they evoke feelings of intense sadness and despair.
A distance of furious dreams
There is a great expanse which incites rapid and uncontrolled movement of the imagination and subconscious.
Random fields of tension
There are areas of unpredictable and unstable energy that create feelings of stress and unease.
Where the sun comes blinding
In some places the sun is so bright it's difficult to see anything else.
When the moon goes hiding
In certain areas the moon is obscured, unable to shed light upon the surroundings.
I have seen the chaos in every course
I have observed disorder in all directions and paths.
Followed the solar dimensions of time
I have traced the patterns of the sun's movement through time.
I have seen all the rivers stream
I have witnessed the flow of all rivers, from their beginning to their end.
Yes, back to the end of the circle
I have traveled along the circles of time to observe the end of each river's course.
Rivers longer than blood can flow
There are rivers that are longer than the distance blood can travel through the veins of the human body.
Horizons wider than complete wisdom
There are horizons that extend beyond the limits of human understanding.
Isolated fields in convulsive motion
Certain fields are isolated and subject to sudden, uncontrollable movements.
Where the moon comes glaring
There are places where the moon appears so bright it is impossible to look at it directly.
When the sun goes dying
In certain areas the sun appears to be losing its radiance, becoming weaker and dimmer.
I can smell the air
I am able to perceive the aroma and scent of the atmosphere.
I can taste the soil
I am able to perceive the flavor and essence of the earth beneath my feet.
I can tame all fire
I possess the ability to harness and control the element of fire.
I can spill all the water
I possess the ability to manipulate and release large quantities of water.
I am the spine of the reversal nature
I am a crucial aspect of the natural world, capable of influencing the course of nature in both positive and negative ways.
The blinding forces of complete defeat
There are powerful and inescapable energies of failure that can leave one feeling helpless and disoriented.
Trace the universal steps
Examine and follow the footprints of the universe.
The shores by the course
The boundaries along the path of the universe.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
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