Borknagar's 'Fall' - Album Review

Whilst I have been something of a progressive rock fan for a long time at this point, I think it is fair to say that my love of all things prog has increased massively in recent years. I had select prog bands that I regularly returned to, but that window was been opened much further of late - and I am loving the never-ending journey of discovery which my prog adventure has become. I have also been making a lot more effort with extreme metal, too. I have mentioned a few times on this blog recently how I have been listening to the heavier end of thrash and death metal a lot more - and have already reviewed albums and shows by extreme metal bands this year. Lots of bands over the years have fused both progressive music and extreme metal to create a myriad of different sounds - with one such being Norway's Borknagar. Formed back in 1995, their self-titled album from 1996 exhibited a much more traditional black metal sound, with some folk influences, but over the years the band have morphed into something much more atmospheric, melodic, and progressive - all whilst retaining their core black metal roots. I cannot claim to be a big expert on Borknagar's history, but I have become something of a casual fan over the past couple of years - and enjoy both 2016's Winter Thrice and 2019's True North. I have not ventured further back in the band's catalogue yet, and I fully intend to, but it is currently time to look forward instead - as last month saw the release of the band's twelfth studio album Fall. Their first release since True North, Fall very much seems to be continuing on the more atmospheric, and arguably less heavy, sound of True North. Following the departure of the band's long-time harsh vocalist Vintersorg in 2019, True North seemed to focus a little less on growls than previously. Bassist and co-lead vocalist ICS Vortex took on the harsh vocal duties alongside singing clean, with long-time keyboardist Lars Nedland also providing clean vocals, and True North felt somewhat different than Winter Thrice as a result - despite the band's core mix of sounds being retained. The change was not night and day, but I think the departure of Vintersorg made the band somewhat re-evaluate their approach - which led to True North's dreamier sound. It should also be noted that Nedland has become much more involved in the band's songwriting from True North onward, which is likely part of the reason why his keyboards play a bigger role here than ever. Fall, then, takes this emphasis on atmosphere further. There are plenty of heavier sections, and Vortex's harsh vocals are strong, but there is generally more of a focus on progressive soundscapes, cinematic guitar leads, and folky textures than ever - at least in the context of my limited knowledge of the band. It helps that all of those who made Truth North return on Fall - with the new album being the second release by the current five-piece iteration of Borknagar. Joining Vortex and Nedland here are founding guitarist and principal songwriter Øystein Brun, lead guitarist Jostein Thomassen and drummer Bjørn Dugstad Rønnow.

There are only eight songs here but they are all pretty lengthy and varied. It is the sort of album that needs a few listens to appreciate - but there is also quite a bit that jumped out at me from the off. Opener Summits is one of the heaviest pieces here - at least early on. It very much focuses on a more extreme metal sound - with Vortex's harsh vocals dominating. It does not take too long to get going either, as some big guitar chords kick in after a few seconds of textured keyboards set the scene - before a fast-paced black metal tremolo guitar pattern kicks in, backed by some blast beats from Rønnow. Vortex's raspy harsh vocals are easy on the ear, though, and are less grating than many black metal screamers. The vocal style has always been part of the reason why I tend to struggle with black metal - but I like Vortex's approach here, and he often switches up to also utilise his enigmatic and theatrical clean vocal style. Nedland's vocals are a bit more subdued, but the three different approaches work well throughout - and all three are put to good use throughout the early sections of this track, despite the harsh vocals dominating. Arrangement-wise, early on the song is quite typically structured - with heavy verses augmented nicely with a more soaring chorus. The guitars rip through the verses with their black metal tones, but the keyboards are ever-present - and really come to the fore during the chorus which sees Vortex delivering some anthemic vocal melodies. The song takes a turn as it moves along, though, descending into a folkier territory with clean guitars and plenty of keyboards adding new textures. The song remains in this slower pace for quite a while, with the occasional vocal interjection, but generally this is an instrumental passage which focuses on Nedland's warm synth playing - before Thomassen takes a slow-burning guitar solo. Vortex's vocals again dominate the later portions of the track, but the vibe shifts again to a more of a big, harder rock sound - with bright vocal melodies and an anthemic drum groove bringing the song to a powerful and hooky close. Nordic Anthem opens slowly, with dense keyboards and percussion creating a folky setting. The whole song essentially remains similar, even when Nedland starts to sing. His slightly deeper delivery than that of Vortex fits with the darker tones the song looks to create - but the darkness here does not come with a significant amount of heaviness. This song is heavy in tone and atmosphere instead, with the layers of keyboards creating a murky soundscape - whilst the guitarists add simple stabs of distorted guitar to bulk out the percussive approach. There is a lot less going on here as a result, then, but the song excels at creating a strong atmosphere. Occasional folky guitar melodies are woven into the piece, but they tend to be quite low in the mix, whilst Vortex's subtle vocal harmonies add a brighter tinge to the chorus with proper drums also adding a little more weight. All of these additions add colour but do not significantly change the song's overall direction - and I really like the approach which has been taken here to create something that lacks any true metal yet still fits in with the album's core sound.

Afar builds from a slow-burning guitar lead which, alongside some staccato drumming, creates a bridge from the previous track to this heavier piece. The atmosphere from the previous song feeds the intro here - but as soon as Vortex starts to scream the heaviness from the first song returns. The riffing early on is more traditional metal in scope, with a chunkier, more lead-based pattern backing Vortex's screams - before another blast beat kicks in and the track returns to a more typical black metal approach. Much of the song is quite fast-paced, then, even during the more melodic sections. Rønnow's drumming is generally pretty full on here, with lots of double bass patterns present, but this only emphasises the band's metal credentials following the slower previous track. There are moments which return to the more riff-based approach of the early part of the track, which sees the speed slowed somewhat, but generally this tracks powers forward - with a great mix of screams and theatrical clean vocals. Thomassen gets quite a lot of time in the spotlight here, too, as there are some great lead-based moments, with his aching playing often a counter for Brun's abrasive riffing beneath - and there is also a retro and very proggy synth solo from Nedland which could have definitely been a bit longer in my opinion. With most of the album written by Brun and Nedland, Moon came from Vortex - and given his background in extreme music it unsurprisingly roars out of the gate with a driving, thrashy riff which features more some more straight ahead double bass drumming from Rønnow. There is less of a black metal approach throughout, though, with the heaviness being more rooted in traditional metal. Thomassen gets plenty of opportunities to show off again with some heroic lead guitar moments, whilst the keyboards here are generally mixed more into the background. There is a less atmospheric sound this time, then, and the track is more in-your-face and vocally-orientated. Despite the riffy approach, vocally Vortex sings clean. His clean vocals have always been full of character, though, and he adds plenty of drama to the track - often fighting Thomassen for the spotlight due to the plentiful guitar leads and solo spots present here. The song feels less progressive, then, but there are some brief atmospheric moments to change the pace slightly. This is a piece which focuses more on hooks and it was one of the tracks which stood out the most to me early on. Stars Ablaze again opens slowly, and at first it seems as if it could be another low key piece similar to Nordic Anthem - but there is much more of a punch here despite the creeping, slow-burning arrangement. Nedland's keyboards are back to the fore here, but there is also plenty of melodic clean guitar playing - which reminds me a little of Marillion at times. The arpeggiated guitar playing helps to create a rich sound alongside the keyboards - and the occasional synth lead utilised here sound like something from the 1980s, too. Unlike the previous song, though, there are some black metal trappings. After a more enigmatic build up with the aforementioned clean guitars, a drum punch, and Vortex's soaring cleans, a heavier section kicks in with some rasping guitar textures and plenty of cutting leads from Thomassen. The harsh vocal sections are relatively short, but they help to give the song a bit of a kick. There are fewer blasts here, though, with the heavier sections feeling more guitar-led - but the overall texture of the song is dense, thanks to the dominance of the keyboards and clean guitars.

Unraveling is heavier overall, but there is a retro vibe throughout. Along with Summits it could well be the heaviest thing here - but it has more of a classic rock strut despite plenty of harsh vocal-led moments. Rumbling Hammond organ often sits in the background of the track, adding a growl to everything, whilst the mix of clean and harsh vocals seems to be balanced in favour of the latter. The chorus in particular sees the two styles play off each other nicely, whilst other moments have clean and harsh vocals sung in unison - often whilst Rønnow adds plenty of double bass drum patterns and the lead guitar playing of Thomassen adds some heroic melodies. I really like the mix of sounds present throughout the track and I also like how it places more focus on the band's heavier side. There is less of an atmospheric approach taken here, with the guitars feeling weightier overall and Nedland relying more on his Hammond than synths. There are shades of modern Opeth here, and could well represent how Opeth would sound today if they took a different approach vocally. The old-school grind of the keyboards is welcome, then, and the shorter track packs a punch due to this less progressive approach. The Wild Lingers slows the pace again, and opens with a lengthy lead guitar moment - which recalls Pink Floyd somewhat. This opening instrumental section meanders somewhat for a while, setting a delicate tone, and the song generally proceeds along a similar path. There is little metal here at all and the song goes for a much more pastoral approach. It is different from the dense darkness of Nordic Anthem, though, as The Wild Lingers feels more like a lost progressive rock song from the 1970s. The vocal approach, featuring both Nedland and Vortex, is more laid back - and the keyboard textures are a good mix of retro and cinematic. There are occasional heavier guitar chords for depth, but generally the guitars add clean textures and melodic leads - whilst the occasional synth melody takes this approach further. The track perhaps lacks a big build towards a climax, but its overall feel is welcome - and the lack of metal again is notable for a band like Borknagar. The album then comes to a close with the lengthy Northward. The longest track here, the song morphs through a lot of different sections - but opens up in a heavy manner with black metal rasps, plenty of double bass drumming, and lots more excellent guitar leads. The track overall is much more focused on a metallic sound than some of the others here, but there is still plenty of light and shade. There is a lot of tough riffing and growling early on, but there are also lots of clean vocals and soaring guitar moments. Overall the track is crunchier, though, and it is fitting that the album closes with a bit more of a bang. Black metal rasps and blast beats are never far away - but the soloing of Thomassen is also given a lot more space to breathe, with his guitar playing here being some of the album's best. The ending section of the track is less heavy overall, but there is still plenty of weight from the guitars and drums despite the harsh vocals being dropped. Vortex's big hooks are a great way to close out the album, though, and there is still a punch packed as things fade out. Whilst this band is yet to fully sink its claws in, I have been enjoying Fall a lot since it dropped. I have never made a secret of my general dislike of black metal, but Borknagar's mix of it with other sounds interests me greatly - and there is a lot to like here for prog and metal fans alike.

The album was released on 23rd February 2024 via Century Media Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Moon.