Review by Jack on June 7, 2004.

You have to admire the honesty of a band like Borknagar. With Epic they confirm that they are true to themselves and true to their fans. Recently there have been far too many bands that have cited ‘progression’ in moving forward, but what has really occurred has been ‘digression.’ These bands have take a left hand turn instead of the road that deviates a little, but still remains straight. Borknagar, on the other hand, have truly progressed in every sense of the word and their latest record in Epic is testament to this.

For fans of Empiricism, you are going to find great solace in Epic. Borknagar have not steered away from the progressive black metal formula that was found on Empiricism, but rather, they have refined and sharpened their interpretation of black metal. And let’s face it, Borknagar are a black metal band – you don’t want them to change into a completely different entity that is basically a shadow of what they once were.

However, without the radical deviation that some bands go through Borknagar are still going to be experiencing the problem in attracting new listeners who might not have been too fond of the band with their past outings. Basically, if you didn’t like Empiricism much you probably won’t find too much to crow about with Epic.

All things considered, Epic is a most welcome follow up from a band that realizes what their strengths are and does their best to stick to them. Borknagar have forged a record that will really appeal to their fans.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 7
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 7
Originality: 7
Overall: 8

Rating: 7.4 out of 10