Origin: Norway  
Genres: Black Metal
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Last update/review: March 6, 2024

Borknagar

Borknagar was founded in 1995 by guitarist Oystein Brun, who, fresh from his stint in a previous band called Molested, decided to form a new black metal project, enlisting several major players in the scene. The band forgoes the simplistic blastbeats and shrieking typical of the early black metal bands, instead opting for a more majestic black metal sound ("epic metal" as Brun himself has described the style). Despite frequent lineup changes, Borknagar's music remains of high quality -- this is one of the better modern post-black metal bands in the scene today. The arrival of new vocalist Vintersorg has added a new dimension to their sound, and they have improved with each successive album. Their most recent release, Origin, is an all-acoustic affair.

Current Members

I.C.S. Vortex (Simen Hestæs)

vocals/bass (ex-Arcturus, ex-Dimmu Borgir, ICS Vortex)

Oystein G. Brun

guitars

Jostein Thomassen

guitars (ex-Source Of Tide)

Lars Nedland

keyboards (Age Of Silence, guest for Carpathian Forest, Solefald)

Bjørn Dugstad Rønnow

drums (TrollfesT, ex-Trail Of Tears)

Former Members/Guests

Garm (Kristoffer Rygg)

vocals (ex-Arcturus, ex-Head Control System, Ulver)

Vintersorg (Andreas Hedlund)

vocals (Cronian, ex-Havayoth, Vintersorg)

Jens F. Ryland

guitars (ICS Vortex)

Infernus (Roger Tiegs)

bass (Gorgoroth)

Kai K. Lie

bass

Tyr (Jan Erik Torgersen)

bass

Ivar Bjørnson

keyboards (Enslaved, ex-Gorgoroth, ex-Trinacria)

Grim (Erik Brødreskift)

drums (ex-Gorgoroth, ex-Immortal) RIP: April 10, 1999, suicide, age 29

Asgeir Mickelson

drums (ICS Vortex, ex-Ihsahn, guest for Lunaris, ex-Sarke, ex-Scariot, ex-Spiral Architect, guest for Vintersorg)

Dave Kinkade (guest)

drums (ex-Council Of The Fallen, ex-Insatanity, ex-Soulfly)

Baard Kolstad

drums (guest for In Vain, Leprous)


Discography



Borknagar  
1995 Malicious
  1. Vintervredets Sjelesagn
  2. Tanker mot Tind (Kvelding)
  3. Svartskogs Gilde
  4. Ved Steingard
  5. Krigsstev
  6. Dauden
  7. Grimskalle Trell
  8. Nord Naagauk
  9. Fandens Allheim
  10. Tanker mot Tind (Gryning)
  • Garm
  • Oystein G. Brun
  • Infernus
  • Ivar Bjørnson
  • Grim


The Olden Domain  
1997 Century Media
  1. The age of Oden
  2. The Winterday
  3. Om Hundredeaareralting Glemt
  4. A tale of Pagan Tongue
  5. The Mountains Rove
  6. Grimland Domain
  7. Ascension of our Fathers
  8. The Dawn of the End
  • Garm
  • Oystein G. Brun
  • Kai K. Lie
  • Ivar Bjørnson
  • Grim
1997 Readers' Album #76



The Archaic Course  
1998 Century Media
  1. Oceans rise
  2. Universal
  3. The witching hour
  4. The black token
  5. Nocturnal vision
  6. Ad noctum
  7. Winter millenium
  8. Fields of long gone presence
  • I.C.S. Vortex
  • Oystein G. Brun
  • Jens F. Ryland
  • Kai K. Lie
  • Ivar Bjørnson
  • Grim
1998 Readers' Album #64



Quintessence  
2000 Century Media
  1. The rivalery of phantoms
  2. The presence is ominous
  3. The ruin of future
  4. Colossus
  5. Inner landscape
  6. Invincible
  7. Icon dreams
  8. Genesis torn
  9. Embers
  10. Revolt
  • I.C.S. Vortex
  • Oystein G. Brun
  • Jens F. Ryland
  • Lars Nedland
  • Asgeir Mickelson


Empiricism  
2001 Century Media
  1. The genuine pulse
  2. Gods of my world
  3. The black canvas
  4. Matter & motion
  5. Soul sphere
  6. Inherit the earth
  7. The stellar dome
  8. Four element synchronicity
  9. Liberated
  10. The view of everlast
  • Vintersorg
  • Oystein G. Brun
  • Jens F. Ryland
  • Tyr
  • Lars Nedland
  • Asgeir Mickelson


Epic  
2004 Century Media
  1. Future Reminiscence
  2. Traveller
  3. Origin
  4. Sealed Chambers of Electricity
  5. The Weight of Wind
  6. Resonance
  7. Relate (Dialogue)
  8. Cyclus
  9. Circled
  10. Inner Ocean Hypothesis
  11. Quintessence
  12. The Wonder
  • Vintersorg
  • Oystein G. Brun
  • Lars Nedland
  • Asgeir Mickelson
2004 Readers' Album #32



Origin  
2006 Century Media
  1. Earth Imagery
  2. Grains
  3. Oceans Rise
  4. Signs
  5. White
  6. Cynosure
  7. Human Nature
  8. Acclimation
  9. The Spirit of Nature
  • Vintersorg
  • Oystein G. Brun
  • Tyr
  • Lars Nedland
  • Asgeir Mickelson
2006 Readers' Album #58



Universal  
2010 Indie
  1. Havoc
  2. Reason
  3. The Stir of Seasons
  4. For a Thousand Years to Come
  5. Abrasion Tide
  6. Fleshflower
  7. Worldwide
  8. My Domain
  • Vintersorg
  • Oystein G. Brun
  • Jens F. Ryland
  • Tyr
  • Lars Nedland
  • Dave Kinkade
2010 Readers' Album #87



Urd  
2012 Century Media
  1. Epochalypse
  2. Roots
  3. The Beauty Of Dead Cities
  4. The Earthling
  5. The Plains Of Memories
  6. Mount Regency
  7. Frostrite
  8. The Winter Eclipse
  9. In A Deeper World
  • I.C.S. Vortex
  • Vintersorg
  • Oystein G. Brun
  • Jens F. Ryland
  • Lars Nedland
  • Dave Kinkade
2012 Readers' Album #55



Winter Thrice  
2016 Century Media
  1. The Rhymes Of The Mountain
  2. Winter Thrice
  3. Cold Runs The River
  4. Panorama
  5. When Chaos Calls
  6. Erodent
  7. Noctilucent
  8. Terminus
  • I.C.S. Vortex
  • Vintersorg
  • Oystein G. Brun
  • Jens F. Ryland
  • Lars Nedland
  • Baard Kolstad


True North  
2019 Century Media
  1. Thunderous
  2. Up North
  3. The Fire That Burns
  4. Lights
  5. Wild Father's Heart
  6. Mount Rapture
  7. Into the White
  8. Tidal
  9. Voices
  10. Wild Father's Heart (Instrumental Demo Version)
  11. Up North (Demo Version)
  • I.C.S. Vortex
  • Oystein G. Brun
  • Jostein Thomassen
  • Lars Nedland
  • Bjørn Dugstad Rønnow


Fall  
2024 Century Media
  1. Summits
  2. Nordic Anthem
  3. Afar
  4. Moon
  5. Stars Ablaze
  6. Unraveling
  7. The Wild Lingers
  8. Northward
  • I.C.S. Vortex
  • Oystein G. Brun
  • Jostein Thomassen
  • Lars Nedland
  • Bjørn Dugstad Rønnow



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