ORIGIN

This might be the most accessible Borknagar album for a progger simply due to lack of extreme metal element. Borknagar prove that they can craft beautiful acoustic, melodic and creative music highlighting their prowess diverse music styles. Emotions are limited to the more positive ones. The absence of heavy elements let some of Borknagar's strongest weapons to dominate: excellent vocal tone and harmonies, accessible melodies and clearer keyboards. Furthermore, violin, cello and flute add a more folky feeling.

On a less positive note, after a couple of tracks, the typical Borknagar fan might lack music challenges and ambitions of previous releases. One exception is "White" that stands out due to its instrumentation, melody and pace. "The spirit of nature" is a purely symphonic number and instrumental. A good album that is not overly long and very original/unexpected of Borknagar.