Borknagar are one of the first Scandinavian bands (Opeth are another) to experiment with fusing black metal and progressive metal. Having tired of the punishing death metal of his former band, Molested, guitarist Øystein G. Brun formed Borknagar as an outlet for his love of progressive metal’s operatic vocals, folksy melodies and concept albums. Admittedly, the Norwegians’ early recordings, including their 1996 landmark debut, are still quite sinister and primal. By the 2000s, however, their albums begin featuring increasingly intricate arrangements and stretches of symphonic beauty that evoke visions of strapping Vikings and snowcapped peaks.