Czternasty album Enslaved. Po raz kolejny zespół zaskakuje pomysłowością, złożonością kompozycji, gdzie rock progresywny łączy się z hard rockiem, black metalem i psychodelią. Fascynująca i magiczna płyta.
ENSLAVED'S "E" OPENS A NEW DOOR
"We're going to move away from the past. 2016 was the 25th anniversary of ENSLAVED and that was really important, for us and for the fans. But now, we move on..." Formed in Bergen, Norway, in 1991, ENSLAVED had evolutionary zeal in their eyes from the start. Even as they emerged from the nascent Norwegian black metal scene of the early '90s, guitarist Ivar Bjřrnson and vocalist/bassist Grutle Kjellson demonstrated a fervently idiosyncratic approach to making extreme music. By eschewing the wilful conservatism of their peers in favour of an outward-looking ethos, ENSLAVED's reputation grew rapidly in the wake of extraordinary, epic albums like their primitive but insidious debut "Vikingligr Veldi" and its strident follow-up "Frost" (both 1994). By the late '90s, the band had morphed into a wildly progressive and adventurous beast, always retaining the core, aggressive tenets of their musical roots but increasingly in thrall to the limitless possibilities that music, in its entirety, truly presents. Widely acknowledged as a powerful and ferocious live band, ENSLAVED entered the 21st century by flexing new muscles on the acclaimed likes of 2003's "Below The Lights" and its groundbreaking successor, "Isa" (2004). Now as much a part of the flourish progressive rock and metal realm as they were loyal servants of the extreme metal underground, Bergen's finest hit a rich vein of form as the years passed, with albums as diverse and challenging as 2008's "Vertebrae" and 2010's "Axioma Ethica Odini" joyfully expanded the ENSLAVED musical universe, drawing in countless new acolytes along the way. In 2015, ENSLAVED released their 13th studio album, "In Times". A tour-de-force of hypnotic prog nsity and scabrous, blackened pomp, it exuded an air of completion and finality that led perfectly into 2016's extravagant celebrations, as ENSLAVED marked their 25th anniversary with some truly life-changing shows that explored all shadows and hidden corners in the band's colossal catalogue. According to Ivar,
"In Times" represented the end of an era and the opening of a gateway to somewhere entirely new. Despite rarely pausing for breath - not just as a result of ENSLAVED's hectic touring schedule, but also due to numerous extracurricular projects - Ivar and his comrades have somehow managed to piece together yet another full-length milestone in the shape of their 14th studio effort, the elegantly titled "E". Written amid a burst of creativity, grabbed at the tail-end of the band's 2016 US dates, the new album marks the majestic birth of a revitalised and newly inspired ENSLAVED. Against the logistical odds, a new dawn was coming. One major factor in this revered band's new lease of creative life is the arrival of new keyboard player, Hakon Vinje, who replaces the departing Herbrand Larsen. Finding a replacementfor such a long-time compatriot was no easy task, of course, but as Ivar recalls, the planets were quite happy to align on the band's behalf.
An album full of revelatory moments, spine-tingling dynamics and exquisite but alien atmospheres, "E" showcases a refreshed ENSLAVED line-up via songs that take the band into unprecedented territory. From the grandiose, weather-beaten riff-scapes of 11-minute opener 'Storm Son' to the wild, psychedelic frontier squall of 'Sacred Horse' and the muscular, sax-powered shoegaze barrage of monstrous closer 'Hiindsiight', it is both a typically bold and fearless statement from this most inventive of modern metal bands and a thrilling sideways step that harnesses the spirit of old and sets it loose in a whirlwind of imagination. Conceptually, too, ENSLAVED are making giant forward strides. While past albums frequently focused on notions of individuality and isolation, "E" offers a transformative fresh perspective.
14 albums and 26 years into a career that shows no signs of losing neither momentum nor its magical, effervescent creative sheen, ENSLAVED are once again evolving before our ears and eyes. This time, however, even the sky is no limit. Stronger than ever and manifestly thrilled to be in such rude health, Ivar avows that life in ENSLAVED has never been more rewarding. And the best is yet to come.
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