Borknagar are unique, no-one sounds quite like them. Musically, vocally, songwriting, arrangement – put them all together and there’s only one band it could be – Borknagar. But their personal blend of Progressive Extreme Metal is no overnight sensation. “Fall” is album number twelve in a 30-year career. It also has to hold its own when following the band’s two finest and most accomplished albums (“Winter Thrice” and “True North”) to date, which set the bar so ludicrously high that it doesn’t seem possible that they could do it again. Not for a third time?

Well, they have! “Fall” is another masterpiece in the way only Borknagar seem able to create. It’s the perfect follow-up from “True North”, yet somehow manages to once more instil its own identity, whilst still overflowing with all those wonderful elements that the Borknagar faithful demand. It’s clearly a bonus that the line-up has for once remained consistent since the last album – founding member, Guitarist and main songwriter Øystein G. Brun at the helm, steering Lars A. Nedland (Keys and Clean Vocals), Simen “ICS Vortex” Hestnæs (Bass, Clean and Harsh Vocals), Jostein Thomassen (Guitar) and Bjørn Dugstad Rønnow on Drums. This stability has highlighted a unified sound the band have retained and built upon with each member working perfectly with his bandmates.

There’s no time for whimsical intros as Borknagar get straight down to business with opener ‘Summits’, which is littered with Brun’s sublime, trademark guitar melodies throughout. It also leaves the listener in no doubt as to how well the two vocalist work with each other. Combining aggression with stunning vocal melodies, which is an album long trait that enthrals and engages on every song. The two vocalists have such different vocal approaches, but put them together and they sound fantastic. Add in their innovative and imaginative vocal lines and you have something quite amazing. This album is Borknagar at their finest and each song displays the band completely at the top of their game once more.

It seems wrong to pick a favourite when an entire album is this impressive, but the second track on a Borknagar album is becoming a real highlight. “Winter Thrice” had its stunning title track, “True North” had the unbelievably infectious ‘Up North’ and “Fall” has ‘Nordic Anthem’. It’s the track you just know the band have done a vid for (and they have), it’s the track that will hook you in and ‘Nordic Anthem’ certainly does. A fantastic Bass-led rhythm, couples with an off-beat time-signature which twists and winds its way through the song in an utterly entrancing way, until it finally explodes into the most fabulous of choruses. Guitar melodies are also interwoven, keys further elaborate, tempos chop and change and the whole thing comes out the other side as a stunning behemoth of a track.

And there it is, if you needed a way into the album, ‘Nordic Anthem’ is your gateway. The entrance to song after song of wonderful Borknagar-ness. Brun’s songwriting seems to get better with time and the additional writing contributions from Nedland (who wrote two tracks) and Hestnæs (who also wrote one), shows the writing part of the band has it all sorted. The performance and arrangements however are where Borknagar really come into their own. Everyone plays an integral part. The layers within these songs alongside the attention to detail, just goes to further display the care and attention that has gone into this entire album. This is a superb release, expertly crafted in every way. Three albums of this quality in a row – Borknagar really are a truly special band.

(9/10 Andy Barker)

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