BORKNAGAR guitarist/founder Øystein G. Brun is featured in a new interview with websize Scratch The Surace. An excerpt is available below.

Q: Does mastermind and guitarist Øystein G. Brun care to shed some light on the subject and dissipate any misconceptions around their highly anticipated new record?

Brun: “Well, the case is not that I want to repeat myself by doing a second The Archaic Course or Quintessence, which is simply against my musical beliefs so to speak. But in the same way as we previously have been inspired by a lot of different musical styles, this time around we have allowed ourselves to be inspired by ourselves. The new album will be a big leap forward for the band musically but at the same time the album is heavily inspired by our work on the late '90s or early 2000. That was the period of the band where we were musically extremely focused and some of that feeling is what we try to build this new record on. I have just recorded the main parts of the guitars and I can assure you that it will be a really powerful album in all aspects, not circling about - this time it is straight on target!”

Q: Perhaps the return of former members, guitarist Jens Ryland and bassist Erik Tiwaz to the ranks of Borknagar have led people to speculate about a return to the more heavy and dark sonority that characterized your initial works right?

Brun: “Yeah, but the idea of making a heavier and darker album this time around has been part of my plan for many years now, even before we did Origin. With Origin we closed a chapter or you might say a musical journey and with the new album we are about to start a new musical endeavour. So the new album will surely represent a fresh start and we are definitely sounding vital as ever before. Of course the return of Jens Ryland and Erik Tiwaz will surely make our mission even more enjoyable for us and for our fans.”

Q: So how does it feel to be working again with almost the entire line-up that recorded “Empiricism”? What kind of ideas are the rejoined members bringing to the table this time around?

Brun: “It feels good! The Empiricism line-up is definitely the most dynamic and powerful line-up we have ever had so it is a pleasure to work with the guys again. What they bring to that table is basically their unique musical handcraft ship. I still write and arrange the majority of the material but the guys, basically the entire band, make their mark on the album. I think our previous album stands as a testimony of their musical qualities.”

Go to this location for the complete interview.