The Perfect Element was the first of their albums to deliver the polished elegance that previous records had only hinted at. Utgard is released on October 2 via Nuclear Blast. Unless you were into church infernos and inverted crosses, Scandinavian metal was too often a derivative and awful mess before Pain Of Salvation stumbled onto the prog-metal scene in the late 90s. Getting ever-more impressive as they near their 30th anniversary, Enslaved have created another masterpiece.įor Fans Of: Winterfylleth, Oranssi Pazuzu, Bathory Throughout the album, from the glorious swells of Homebound to the rollicking Storms Of Utgard, Enslaved effortlessly segue from arena-worthy, rock’n’roll riffs into kaleidoscopic, progressive wig-outs, with that black metal core still fired up, all while staying splendidly streamlined. This idea permeates the album as the mood veers from ominous to uplifting, and Enslaved embrace a multitude of sounds throughout – the album centrepiece Utgardr has Hawkwind-style spaciness meeting Nordic poetry, the synth-laden grooves of Urjotun could fill any dancefloor (remember those?), while the shimmering melodies of album closer Distant Seasons are simply gorgeous.
Embarking on this expedition is a metaphor for journeying through your own unconscious, and facing darkness to find rebirth.
On Utgard, Enslaved take the listener through a frightening landscape in Norse mythology where the gods have no control and chaos reigns.
Utgard has a suitably far-out concept, racking up prog points while also utlising the vast terrain of Enslaved’s roots for inspiration.
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