Send "Enslaved " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Sputnikmusic |
 There is something about Enslaved that transcends black metal. Starting with 2003's Below The Lights, the Scandinavian metalers said to hell with the rigid traditionalist attitudes that act as a tether to even the most creative of black metal bands and embarked on a journey that would see them stretching and transcending the limits of the genre. Much like what Opeth did in the death metal world, Enslaved positioned themselves as the bastions of smooth, melodic 70's progressive rock within the cold, ethereal, blackened universe of jagged tremolo picking and ghoulish shrieks, with every album leading further and further away from the norm until with 2008's Vertebrae they found themselves at yet another crossroads. They could continue on the road they were on and risk losing the extreme elements that the band was founded upon, or they could rediscover themselves and stake out an identity not just based off of their current musical interests, but from their career as a whole. Enslaved chose the latter. A shimmering example of everything Enslaved have brought forth in their twenty years as a band, Axioma Ethica Odini is the crown jewel in an already renowned discography. Let's get things straight. Axioma Ethica Odini is black metal album. Simple as that. That aching feeling that Enslaved's metal herritage was slipping by the wayside on each passing release is put to rest thirty-five seconds into the lead off track “Ethica Odini” when the song's main riff springs to life like the cold Nordic winds. It's a triumphant blast of frigid intensity that rivals “As Fire Swept Clean the Earth” as the definitive Enslaved song, combining the harsh atmosphere of their past with the buttery Dave Gilmour-esque moments that shine like a diamond adrift in an icy sea. The album continues with Enslaved doing what they have always done, but doing it even better than ever before. It is truly astounding the way Enslaved continue to find new ways of combining their downright primeval and bestial minimalist metal framework with heavenly leads and progressive flourishes without ever faltering. Out of all the awe-inspiring moments on the album, what may be the biggest surprise on Axioma Ethica Odini is the riff-laden “Giants”. It bridges from monolithic riff to monolithic riff in a towering wall of occult atmosphere and increasingly heavy guitar chords that gets downright nasty when Grutle's monastic wails and beastly howls weave in and out of the the song's stunning crescendo, before it drops into what just might be the heaviest breakdown to make it's way into a black metal song. To be honest, I could go on forever describing every minute detail of Axioma Ethica Odini, but even that wouldn't even begin to do it justice as each of the nine songs on Axioma Ethica Odini stand on their own as unique, beautiful, and intriguing works of art....full text |
| Angrymetalguy |
| It is not hard to accept one fundamental axiom of the post-black metal Norway that I have referred to recently: Enslaved is easily Norway’s finest band. From the beginning the band has always been strong; grown-ups in a room filled with angry teenagers. This sense has not lessened with the passage of time. While certain members of the scene will forever be singing their equivalent of Alice Cooper ridiculous teen hits as 45 year olds (or older, like the man himself), Enslaved will continue to push the boundaries of black metal with a mature and progressive sound. Starting with the release of Below the Lights in 2003, Enslaved has produced four modern classics of “progressive, psychedelic black metal.” The fourth of this string of amazing albums was Vertebrae, which was released in 2008 and landed the band a tour with Opeth as well as more recognition than they had ever received worldwide. And with good reason: it was the best record the band had written to date. I never had the good fortunate to review Vertebrae, but I can easily say that it was a perfect album. It advanced the sound of Enslaved, while staying on the trajectory the band had been on since 2001/2003. The record had a still greater progressive feel due to an unusually large amount of clean vocals that the band had written, something that differentiated the album from its predecessors and gave it a unique feel all its own. The production was thick, but organic (if loud) and the song writing had the kind of energy that you get from a band that is in the middle of their prime, not a band producing their eleventh full length. For whatever reason the writing on that album burrowed right into my Angry Metal Heart and set down roots....full text |
| Hookinmouth |
| 2008 proved to be a great year for metal releases. As the norm, it also proved to be a great year for highly anticipated albums being disappointments. That’s expected though. Looking back at my Top Ten Albums Of 2008 when I wrote for Metal Martyr, it makes me wonder. Kataklysm? Number 1? I don’t know what I was thinking there. I mean I like Kataklysm and everything but Prevail as my top pick of 2009? Anyway, let me get to my point. In 2008 I kept hearing great things about Enslaved‘s Vertabre and I don’t think it was until 2009 that I actually got around to listening to Vertabre. It would have made my top 10 if I had, but it seems every year I miss a few good albums that would have made my list. So with the new Enslaved album coming out later this year, I’m definitely going to be on top of this one. 2009 has had almost too much to offer as far as new album releases and there is still more to come. Axioma Ethica Odini will see a North America release on September 28th on Nuclear Blast Records. The cover was designed by Norway’s Truls Espedal, who has done every album cover since 2001′s Monumension....full text |
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