BAND:ENSLAVED (NORWAY)
GENRE: PROGRESSIVE BLACK METAL
LABEL: NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS
RELEASE DATE:10/2/2020
TITLE:"UTGARD"
PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG):
"ARMY OF THE NORTHERN STAR" (BOXED SET), 2/24/2020 via DARKNESS SHALL RISE PRODUCTIONS.
"E", 10/11/2017 via NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS.
"LIVE IN PLOVDIV (SPLIT WITH OPETH), 10/6/2017 via PROG MAGAZINE.
"ROADBURN LIVE", 5/1q9/2017 via BY NORSE MUSIC.
"IN TIMES", 3/10/2015 via NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS.
"SHINING ON THE ENSLAVED", (SPLIT WITH SHINING) 2/24/2015 via DEVIL INC. PRESSERVERLAG
"RIITIIR", 10/28/2012 via NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS.
"THORN", (EP), 8/27/2011 via SOULSELLER RECORDS.
"THE SLEEPING GODS", 5/10/2011 via SCION AUDIO/VISUAL.
"AXIOMA ETHICA ODINI", 9/27/2010 INDIE RECORDINGS.
"THE WOODEN BOX" (BOXED SET), 10/9/2009 via VIVA HATE RECORDS.
"LIVE AT THE ROCK HARD FESTIVAL", 5/10/2009 via INDIE RECORDINGS.
"VERTEBRAE", 9/29/2008 via INDIE RECORDINGS.
"RUUN", 2008 via TABU RECORDINGS.
"RETURN TO YGGDRASILL-LIVE IN BERLIN", 9/12/2005 via TABU RECORDINGS.
"ISA", 10/25/2004 TABU RECORDINGS.
"LIVE RETALIATION", 8/1/2003 via METAL MIND PRODUCTIONS.
"BELOW THE LIGHTS", 5/19/2003 via OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS.
"MONUMENSION", 11/14/2001 via OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS.
"MARDRAUM (BEYOND THE WITHIN)", 10/2/2000 via OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS.
"BLODHEMN", 6/1/1998 via OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS.
THE WORLD DOMINATION LIVE (SPLIT WITH DARK TRANQUILLITY, BEWITCHED, DEMONIAC, DELLAMORTE and SWORDMASTER), 1998 via OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS.
"ELD", 3/21/1997 via OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS.
ENSLAVED, SATYRICON (SPLIT), 1995 via MOONFOG PRODUCTIONS.
"FROST", 8/4/1994 via OSMOSE PRODUCTIONS.
"VIKINGLIGR VELDI", 2/22/1994 via DEATHLIKE SILENCE PRODUCTIONS.
ENSLAVED/EMPEROR SPLIT, 6/1993 via CANDLELIGHT RECORDS.
"HORDANES LAND" (EP), 5/1993 via CANDLELIGHT RECORDS.
.
ENSLAVED: "UTGARD" TRACK LISTING:
1."FIRES IN THE DARK"
2. "JETTEGRYTA"
3. "SEQUENCE"
4. "HOMEBOUND"
5. "UTGARDR"
6. "URJOTUN"
7. "FLIGHT OF THOUGHT AND MEMORY"
8. "STORMS OF UTGARD"
9. "DISTANT SEASONS"
BEST RELEASE(S) "UTGARD" (2020) , "ISA" (2004), : "ELD" (1997). "FROST" (1994), "MARDRAUM (BEYOND THE WITHIN) (2000)"
ITP RATING **** 1/2
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING:****
PERFORMANCE **** 1/2
ENSLAVED are a long running, veteran Viking black metal band from Bergen and Vestland, Norway. During the last 20 years, ENSLAVED have a taken a more progressive approach to the bands musical journey as each release features more and more prog touches.
Here ITP has ENSLAVED'S latest release "UTGARD" released in 2020.
.ENSLAVED'S "UTGARD" kicks off with "FIRES IN THE DARK", enters with chanted vocals, acoustic interludes. At 2:32, "FIRES IN THE DARK" features a combo of beautiful clean/ sung vocals and black metal screams intertwined with awesome songwriting and appropriate tempo changes..ENSLAVED'S "FIRES IN THE DARK" is a beautiful, well written track as it exits with an acoustic interlude.
ENSLAVED''S "JETTEGRYTA" features malevolent grooving riffs and black metal screams. At 33 seconds, "FIRES IN THE DARK" takes off into an stratosphere of atmospheric black metal featuring some good clean singing. I love "FIRES IN THE DARK's combo of clean and black metal vocals "I will not return."
At 3:00, ENSLAVED'S "JETTEGRYTA goes off into a prog excursion featuring keyboards, and melodic riffs before seguing back into awesome atmospheric black metal. \m/
ENSLAVED'S "SEQUENCE" is an accessible blackened, prog rock track with excellent black and clean vocal interplay. At 1:50, "SEQUENCE" features a proggy jam out, segueing into blast beats and an atmospheric acoustic interlude, all in the blink of an eye.
"SEQUENCE" continues on with a beautiful progressive, acoustic rock excursion, perhaps influenced by PORCUPINE TREE.
. ENSLAVED'S ."HOMEBOUND" features complex, progressive riffing integrated with atmospheric black metal and black and clean vocals.At 3:10 "HOMEBOUND" features some blackened, thrash with complex and proggy, melodic, post metal riffing.
ENSLAVED'S "UTGARDR" is a spoken word, ambient instrumental track.
ENSLAVED'S "URJOTUN" experiments with electronica as the song features excellent clean and black metal vocals and an 80's nu wave, prog rock vibe.
ENSLAVED'S "FLIGHT OF THOUGHT AND MEMORY" is an excellent amalgamation of progressive rock and vicious black metal featuring black and clean vocals.
At 2:16, "FLIGHT OF THOUGHT AND MEMORY" takes off with some awesome atmospheric blackened, thrash metal featuring blast and thrash beats and good melodic solos. .
At 4:47, "FLIGHT OF THOUGHT AND MEMORY, the bottom drops out for a lighter, bluesy, psychedelic ending.
ENSLAVED'S "STORMS OF UTGARD" is wonderfully written progressive black metal track featuring black and clean vocals, tight musicianship and progression riffing.
ENSLAVED'S "UTGARD" closes with "DISTANT SEASONS", a post progressive rock track with wonderful clean vocals. "Now that I am hunting shadows, this is the way I chose".
ENSLAVED'S "UTGARD" is one of my favorite releases of 2020.
ENSLAVED'S "UTGARD" passionately combine progressive metal with post rock and black metal.. While ENSLAVED''S musical ambition sounds like a tall order, the bands stellar musicianship and great songwriting intertwine progressive and black metal elements into an exciting musical journey.
ENSLAVED ."UTGARD" is the musical companion of a BATHORY and KING CRIMSON steel cage wrestling match featuring subtle dynamics interwoven into a complex musical maelstrom of great song craft.
ENSLAVED'S ."UTGARD features beautiful melancholy passages integrated with wondrous atmospheric black metal as the awesome progressive excursions are packaged in an amazing performance and great songwriting.
Following ENSLAVED over the years, the band has the courage to progress in a tasteful way without alienating fans of their 90's Viking black metal releases. I like both 90's and new millennium ENSLAVED, as the band like fine wine have aged gracefully.
ITP RATING **** 1/2
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING:****
PERFORMANCE **** 1/2
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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