Terra

by

Cronian

Edit

Cronian is a side project of Borknagar's Oystein Brun and one Mr. V (aka Vintersorg), also of Borknagar. Given the players involved, it shouldn't come as too great a surprise to find that Cronian sounds very much like recent Borknagar albums.

2006's Terra is the band's debut album, and it is an interesting mix of aggressive musical elements. Keyboards and synthesizers play a large role on this album, and bring sounds as varied as new-agey piano intros to epic symphonic arrangements. Brun is a guitar player first and foremost though, and his playing makes sure you know you're listening to a metal album. Vintersorg brings his considerable vocal talents to Terra, intertwining his clean and "black" metal vocal styles to great effect. Overall, Terra is an excellent album that strikes just the right balance between aggression and progression.

Needless to say, fans of Borknagar and Vintersorg's solo work should find plenty to enjoy with Cronian. The band merges the aggressive elements of the former with the nature/cosmos fixation of the latter. Is it black metal? I'll leave that for someone else to decide. Personally I think Cronian has more in common with progressive metal bands like Winds or Age of Silence than black metallers Dimmu Borgir or Immortal.