With major international tours and chart placements around the world, after more than 30 years, Borknagar remain a consistently evolving force. Starting with their self-titled beginnings, the band quickly pushed past the boundaries set by traditional black metal by encompassing prog, neofolk and hard rock. Their tenth album remains a true force of nature.
Today, Season of Mist is proud to announce a reissue of Borknagar’s tenth full-length album Winter Thrice. With blinding blast beats, melodies as crisp as the first frost and Garm of Ulver joining forces with their seasoned vocal trifecta, the band summoned a perfect storm of blackened progressive metal.
With major international tours and chart placements around the world, after more than 30 years, Borknagar remain a consistently evolving force. Since their self-titled beginnings during the mid-’90s, the Norwegian mainstays have pushed past black metal’s grim domain. On their sixth album, the band shifted even further in a more epic direction.
Today, Season of Mist is proud to announce a reissue of Borknagar’s 2004 full-length Epic. By introducing more progressive wonders behind newly cemented vocalist Vintersorg, this album cemented the band’s place as true epics of progressive black metal.
Lineup Øystein Brun – Guitars Vintersorg – Vocals, Guitars on “The Inner Ocean Hypothesis” and “Quintessence” Lars A. Nedland – Keyboards, Piano, Organ, Backing Vocals Asgeir Mickelson – Drums, Bass, Guitars on “The Weight of the Wind”
Songwriting credits Øystein Brun – Songwriting on Tracks 1-4, 6-9, 11 and 12. Lyrics on Tracks 1,2,8,11. Vintersorg – Songwriting on “The Inner Ocean Hypothesis”. Lyrics on Tracks 3,6 and 10. Lars A. Nedland – Songwriting on “The Weight of the Wind”. Lyrics on Tracks 4,5,7,9.
Production credits Børge Finstad – Co-producer, Engineering and Mixing Morten Lund – Mastering
In staying true to metal’s origins, Borknagar have always let their spirit guide them. Starting with the band’s self-titled beginnings back in 1996, these Norwegians pushed past the boundaries set by traditional black metal. Over the course of the past 30 years, the band’s domain has come to include prog, neofolk and darkly enchanting hard rock, capped by major international tours and chart placements across the world.
Today, Season of Mist is proud to announce a reissue of Borknagar’s album True North. More than two decades into their storied career, the band reached another creative peak on their eleventh full-length, which includes the hit singles “Up North”, “Voices” and “The Fire That Burns”.
True North will be reissued by Season of Mist on May 15, 2026.
Available formats –2×12″ Vinyl Gatefold (Black) –2×12” Vinyl Gatefold (Crystal clear, black and white marbled)
True North found Borknagar at a crossroad. Half of the band’s lineup had turned over, but their longstanding members kept them on a dizzying upward trajectory. Whether picking or riffing, founder and guitarist Øystein Brun led the way, lighting a path for the versatile ICS Vortex (Arcturus, ex-Dimmu Borgir) to return to the mic. His thunderous cleans shine amidst the warm misty keys of hit single “Up North”, while his screams cut through the more hellish passages of “The Fire That Burns”. Even when hounded by “Voices”, keyboardist Lars Nedland’s resounding chorus resonated far and wide. Loudwire named the album one of the best of 2019.
Norwegian avant-garde/progressive Black Metal pioneers, BORKNAGAR, released their monumental third single, “Moon,” from the highly anticipated 12th studio album, “Fall,” on the 6th of feburary.
The track, crafted by ICS Vortex, marked another significant step in the band’s ever-evolving musical journey. Accompanied by a visually stunning animated clip created by the talented visual artist Costin Chioreanu of Twilight13Media, the “Moon” video provided a profound and sophisticated visual interpretation of the song. Both the band and Costin Chioreanu were enthusiastic about the collaboration, with Øystein G. Brun expressing pride in presenting the single and its accompanying video.
Prior to “Moon,” BORKNAGAR had unveiled the album’s opening track, “Summits,” in a visualizer clip created by Wanderley Perna / W Designer, offering fans an initial glimpse into the captivating world of “Fall.” As anticipation for the album continues to build, BORKNAGAR remains at the forefront of the avant-garde/progressive Black Metal scene, showcasing their unique musical prowess and visual storytelling.
Embark on a transcendent musical odyssey with the latest offering from BORKNAGAR, the captivating single “Nordic Anthem”, from their upcoming album “Fall” set to release worldwide on February 23rd.
Released with an invigorating call to embrace the untamed Nordic spirit, this track is more than just a composition—it’s a sonic manifesto that resounds with profound themes of individuality, strength, and liberation.
As the echoing notes of “Nordic Anthem” reverberate, Borknagar delivers a powerful message of defiance, rejecting societal doctrines and standing tall against gods and authorities. The music becomes a conduit for a rebellion of the spirit, urging listeners to find solace and empowerment within their inner cores.
In the tapestry of “Nordic Anthem,” Borknagar weaves together a melodic and atmospheric soundscape, transporting the listener into a realm where the rugged beauty of Nordic landscapes meets the rebellious spirit of the human soul. The track not only showcases the band’s musical prowess but also serves as a testament to their ability to infuse deep philosophical concepts into their art.
Pre-order “Fall” and listen to “Nordic Anthem”, at this location.
A very special 25th Anniversary re-issue of the pioneering self-titled debut album by Norway’s avant-garde Black Metal innovators BORKNAGAR is out worldwide today via the band’s longtime label partner Century Media Records.
Check out a visualizer clip for the track “Dauden (Remaster 2021)” created by Wanderley Perna / W Designer to get an impression of “Borknagar (25th Anniversary Re-issue 2021)” here:
BORKNAGAR founder and mastermind Øystein G. Brun commented about “Dauden” as follows: “ If there is one song that has shaped my sound and inspired my career as a musician that is “Dauden”. Even though this was not the first song written for the debut, “Dauden” was the first song I carved out on my, then newly bought, Fostex multitrack recorder. This opened a new world to me, to be able to sit in solitude and work out layers of guitar arrangements without the typical fuzz and chaos of a rehearsal room. I still remember the grandiose feeling of musical excitement when the mid-section of this song fell into place. A notion that music can derive from “nothing” to become an entity bigger than life. This exact notion has kept my flame burning throughout all these years. Furthermore, when first talking with Kristoffer “Garm” Rygg about him doing the vocals and joining the band, “Dauden” was the song we were talking about, this was the musical trigger so to speak. He was seriously into this song. And I can clearly remember as if it was yesterday, Garm dancing around in studio in awe doing choirs. There was something magical about this one…And still is!”
And Øystein G. Brun previously commented on “Borknagar (25th Anniversary Re-issue 2021)” as follows: “Throughout the years I have received countless requests for a re-release of this album…but because this album represents such a personal and treacherous part of my life, I wanted it to be done with dignity. And here we are: This is the definitive re-release of the debut album of BORKNAGAR. This release contains a genuine re-master of the debut album, based on the original mix tapes. This has been done with the uttermost care and love by yours sincerely to maintain the original sound and flavour of the album, and solely to improve the listening experience. Working on this re-release has been an emotional ride. While always maintaining a good feeling about the project it has been times of frustration and technical obstacles. Hours has been spent finding and compiling old pictures, dealing with tapes and equipment that has not been played or used in over 25 years. But now it is done, and I hope you all enjoy and appreciate this release as much as I do.”
Initially released in 1996, “Borknagar” saw Øystein G. Brun recruiting a phenomenal cast of like-minded musicians such as Garm (Ulver, ex Arcturus) doing the vocals, drummer Grim (ex-Immortal, Gorgoroth), Ivar Bjørnson (Enslaved) on keyboards and bassist Infernus (who played in Gorgoroth) to enter the notorious halls of Grieghallen Studios with the goal of rupturing the peripheries of what was then deemed “traditional” Black Metal.
The new deluxe edition of the album, now entitled “Borknagar (25th Anniversary Re-issue 2021)” marks the definitive version of this pioneering Norwegian Metal classic, as it includes a careful remaster of the 10 album songs courtesy of Øystein G. Brun himself, a makeover for the original artwork, profound liner notes, exclusive photos and a bonus disc full of previously unheard material from the band vaults. Here are the complete tracklistings of the Anniversary release:
Most recently, BORKNAGAR have unfortunately been forced to cancel their previously announced European headlining run with support by SAOR and Cân Bardd, initially scheduled to happen in November-December 2021. But in better news, BORKNAGAR have announced a re-scheduled routing for their long overdue return to North America as part of the “Devastation Of The Nation” tour with Rotting Christ, Wolfheart and Abigail Williams, as well as several other shows for 2022 in order to continue to promote their latest album “True North”. Check out a list of all upcoming BORKNAGAR dates here:
BORKNAGAR – Live 2021: 11.12.2021 Eindhoven (The Netherlands) – Eindhoven Metal Meeting
BORKNAGAR – Live 2022: 08.01.2022 Zürich (Switzerland) – Dynamo / Mehsuff Winter-Festival
Rotting Christ, BORKNAGAR, Wolfheart & Abigail Williams “Devastation Of The Nation” – North American Tour 2022 21.04.2022 Berkeley, CA – Cornerstone 22.04.2022 Portland, OR – Bossanova Ballroom 23.04.2022 Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre 24.04.2022 Seattle, WA – El Corazon 26.04.2022 Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall 27.04.2022 Denver, CO – The Roxy Theater 29.04.2022 Minneapolis, MN – Skyway Theatre 30.04.2022 Chicago, IL – Reggies 01.05.2022 Detroit, MI – Sanctuary 03.05.2022 Toronto, ON – Lees Palace 04.05.2022 Montreal, QC – Foufounes Electriques 05.05.2022 Quebec City, QC – Imperial 06.05.2022 Manchester, NH – Jewel 07.05.2022 Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus Bar 08.05.2022 Baltimore, MD – Soundstage 10.05.2022 Greensboro, NC – Blind Tiger 11.05.2022 Nashville, TN – Exit/In 12.05.2022 Birmingham, AL – Zydeco 13.05.2022 Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade (Hell) 14.05.2022 Tampa, FL – The Orpheum 16.05.2022 Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall 17.05.2022 Fort Worth, TX – Haltom Theater 18.05.2022 Austin, TX – Come and Take It Live 19.05.2022 El Paso, TX – Rockhouse Bar 20.05.2022 Phoenix, AZ – Nile Theater 21.05.2022 San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick 22.05.2022 Los Angeles, CA – 1720 More info: https://www.facebook.com/devastationonthenation Tickets: https://bit.ly/DOTN2022
BORKNAGAR – Live 2022: 27.05.2022 Hollandscheveld (The Netherlands) – Graveland Open Air 28.05.2022 Whittlebury Park / Towchester (UK) – ManorFest 19.06.2022 Clisson (France) – Hellfest 24.06.2022 Kauhajoki (Finland) – Nummirock 27.08.2022 Thessaloniki (Greece) – 8Ball 28.08.2022 Athens (Greece) – Kyttaro
Moonspell, My Dying Bride, BORKNAGAR, Wolfheart & Hinayana “Ultima Ratio Fest” – European Tour 2022 29.09.2022 Frankfurt (Germany) – Batschkapp 30.09.2022 Leipzig (Germany) – Hellraiser 01.10.2022 Antwerp (Belgium) – Trix 02.10.2022 Luxembourg (Luxembourg) – Den Atelier 03.10.2022 Paris (France) – Elysee Montmatre 04.10.2022 Lyon (France) – Transbordeur 05.10.2022 Pratteln (Switzerland) – Z7 06.10.2022 Stuttgart (Germany) – LKA 07.10.2022 Geiselwind (Germany) – Music Hall 08.10.2022 Munich (Germany) – Backstage Werk 09.10.2022 Brno (Czech Republic) – Sono 10.10.2022 Budapest (Hungary) – Barba Negra 11.10.2022 Vienna (Austria) – Arena 12.10.2022 Wroclaw (Poland) – A2 13.10.2022 Berlin (Germany) – Kesselhaus 14.10.2022 Hamburg (Germany) – Markthalle 15.10.2022 Oberhausen (Germany) – Turbinenhalle 2 16.10.2022 Utrecht (The Netherlands) – Ronda Ticket pre-sale: http://www.ultima-ratio-fest.com
“True North” received raving reviews in the media and was elected “Album of the month” by publications like Metal Hammer (Germany), Legacy (Germany) or also Scream (Norway). The album scored several international sales chart rankings upon release as follows: Germany: #31, Switzerland: #34, Finland: #42, Austria: #56, Sweden (Physical Albums): #46, USA (Billboard Heatseekers): #12, USA (Billboard Hard Rock): #22 as well as ITunes Charts: Canada: #70, Italy: #77, Germany: #86 and Finland: #94.
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