Borknagar

Borknagar is a melodic, progressive, folk/viking, black metal-influenced band from Bergen, Norway founded in 1995 by Øystein Garnes Brun. The band's style combines symphonic metal and black metal with viking, medieval, a

Borknagar is a melodic, progressive, folk/viking, black metal-influenced band from Bergen, Norway founded in 1995 by Øystein Garnes Brun. The band's style combines symphonic metal and black metal with viking, medieval, and traditional folk elements. Borknagar's lyrics often deal with philosophy, paganism, nature, and the cosmos. The name Borknagar is an anagram of "Ragnarok", with a B thrown in to make it pronounceable (however, Øystein Brun stated once that the name was inspired by a Scottish myth about a man who climbed Loch Nagar, a mountain in Scotland).

Borknagar rose out of the ashes of the Norwegian death metal band Molested when then-member Øystein 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, and 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.