Label - Century Media
Release Date- 23rd February 2024
Words- Chris Fletcher
The mixture of black metal with progressive elements is nothing new in the realms of extreme music. One of the bands that have been steering this ship, perhaps under the radar compared to bands like Enslaved, is Norway's Borknagar. Now into their third decade as a band, the five-piece look to continue the fine run of form they have been on. Their last effort, 2019's 'True North' was considered by many to be their best outing to date which poses the question as to whether or not they have been able to match or even exceed this with their latest album 'Fall'.
A band on their twelfth album should be able to hit the ground running and this is exactly what we see here. Never mind starting off strong, opening track 'Summit' might be one of the best tracks Borknagar have ever penned and will surely be recognised as one of the best metal songs of the year. Opening with a touch of synth before we are greeted by a hefty riff and blast beats, showcasing everything in the band's arsenal in one impressive package. From here the aptly titled 'Nordic Anthem' brings a more folky flavour to this mix, showing another side of the band.
Whilst these are two of the standout tracks the quality barely takes a dip for the entire, almost one-hour, runtime. As a result, it is difficult to view this album as anything other than one wonderfully crafted piece of work. Production wise everything is as it should be. It isn't shimmeringly clean, we are dealing with black metal after all, but the songs are allowed to soar which is exactly what this type of record requires in order to reach its true potential.
It would be easy to go through every member of the band and single them out for praise here, such is the quality of the songcraft on display; however, vocalist/bassist ICS Vortex does deserve a special mention. Their ability to flit between more guttural and harsh vocals and enchanting clean vocals really helps to bring a really textured feel to the record. This is evident on past records and it is displayed exceptionally here.
With 'Fall' Borknagar has been able to meld their different styles and influences to another impressive degree. This is majestic and expansive. Conjuring images and worlds in your mind all whilst remaining grounded with their black metal roots. It may be a cliché but without a doubt, there is something here for fans from every corner of the metal fandom. If they can keep up the standards they have set for themselves here and on previous records, the band will no doubt be looked back on as one of the best to ever do it.
9/10.