ENSLAVED – Utgard (Album Review)

Enslaved - Utgard - New Album Out October 2 On Nuclear Blast
Enslaved – Utgard – Out October 2 On Nuclear Blast

Some Background:

For the uninitiated Enslaved are a band from Norway who formed back in the early 1990s by 2 guys (who were both teenagers at the time) Grutle Kjellson (lead vocals and bass) and Ivar Bjornson (guitars, keys, backing vocals). The band started as a black metal band with progressive tendencies and through the years have sort of turned it around to being a progressive rock band with black metal leanings along with a few other genres including jazz. Lyrically they sing a lot about Norse or pagan mythology and often in their own language. The new album called Utgard is their 15th studio release and sees them more prog than ever. The only change in personnel from the previous album (E) is in the drumming department with Iver Sandoy coming in. There is plenty of opportunities given to him to show his abilities and he takes them all, adding plenty of excellent fills and rolls.

Album Title Explained:

The album name is explained in the press release as thus… “Utgard can be countless things. An image, a metaphor, an esoteric location. From Norse mythology, we know it as a landscape where the giants dwell, where the gods of Asgard have no control. On a psychological level, it can represent the spheres of sleep, dreams or lucid dreams; the outer borders of your own consciousness and what lies beyond them in the subconsciousness. Utgard represents something that is hard to master completely, perhaps impossible. This something is dangerous, chaotic, uncontrollable. Yet there is something enchanting about a place like this. It is where madness, creativity, humour and chaos dwell.” Make of that what you will! The album certainly has plenty of creativity, with moments of chaos or discordant noise but is also very enchanting and even beautiful in places.

Onto The Songs:

Opening the album is “Fires In The Dark” which starts with chanting and some acoustic guitar. It sounds like a hymn or refrain to a Norse God to my ears. Even when it heavies up the chanting continues. I could imagine this being sung in the forest clearing late at night (like in horror movies where the virgin is about to be sacrificed) with folks in robes. It has a very cinematic feel to it. Around the 3 minute mark, it has a Floydian vibe before going almost Oriental! The refrain sang that “ancient gods told us where to go” is growled and feels intimidating. It is still heavy with the original influences coming through but they are mixed with some lovely clear vocals and harmonies. In fact, the band have 3 people listed as doing “backing vocals” and they use them to good effect. “Jettegryta” kicks in with a demonic start, and is one of the most brutal songs on the album, or at least before it goes all jazzy prog-rock ala King Crimson for a brief respite.

Enslaved: The Band
Enslaved: The Band

Sequence” has a Devin Townsend feel to the guitar tone at points. This is another song that benefits from harmonized vocals between the growling. It goes very discordant around the guitar solo, it sounds very off-kilter before becoming very lush, melodic and even slightly spacey for most of the second half. There is plenty of little drum fills all over the second half of the song as well. The guitar motif over the opening guitar riff on “Homebound” is bloody lovely and reprises throughout the track which is mainly of a heavier nature. Another song that drum enthusiasts will enjoy due to the amount of additions to the song by Iver.

Utgardr” is a short spoken-word piece with keys and sound effects in the background. There is a pulse effect as well. It seems like more of an intro to “Urjotun” which heads into krautrock mixed with Hawkwind. The keys and drums are the main features here with that pulse sound appearing as well. Quite an interesting diversion musically although surely that is what prog is about, taking chances and merging different sounds and styles for what can be a challenging listen! “Flight Of Thought And Memory” even includes an Iron Maiden galloping riff and almost heads into power metal territory whilst still being heavy and brutal in all the right places. The quieter sections again have a Pink Floyd feel to them and give some beauty and respite to the blackened metal. Closer “Distant Seasons” is full-on prog. There is almost a late 60s vibe about the opening and the sound and melody at points reminded me a touch of the chorus from the Fish track “Jungle Ride“. It is very cinematic and quite ambient and even the guitar solo fits into the feel of it beautifully.

Final Thoughts:

Enslaved continue down the road musically, experimenting even more whilst still managing to be heavy and brutal at times. The harmonies are exquisite befitting a band with so many members who can sing. I don’t think those who have been enjoying the band’s journey up to the last few records will be disappointed at all. Those who may wish for the more heavy black metal of the early days might be disappointed despite there being some heavy passages on the album. The band are ploughing their own furrow, not worried about what others think but are doing what interests and excites them. Great bands and artists are not afraid to veer down different paths but rather look for them and see where they end up. It can be a challenging listen at times but well worth the effort.

Purchase album via AmazonCanada / USA / UK

Official Band Website / Official Facebook Page

Also, find more of my CGCM reviews here: Tom Cornell

Tom Cornell

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