Enslaved
Eld

THE REVIEW

"Våre sjeler bindast i Frost og Eld" (Our Souls Will Be United in Frost and Fire)

These are the two natural elements that inspired the early Enslaved: formed in 1991, after the split with Emperor and their first full-length, the band released "Frost" in '95, followed two years later by the twin "Eld". The line-up on this album consists of Ivar Bjørnson: Guitar, Keyboard, Effects; Arve Isdal: Guitar; Grutle Kjellson: Vocals, Bass; Cato Bekkevold: Drums.

Compared to previous works, the sound evolves: the black and viking bursts blend more fluidly with each other, and there's a more pronounced progressive streak compared to the past, due both to certain passages and the extended length of the songs. A major strength of the album is the excellent recording, flawless from every angle: I have never heard a black metal CD with such perfect sound; the drums are played impeccably and somewhat differently from the typical frantic pounding of most black drummers. Lastly, the lyrics seriously address pagan themes (especially related to ancient Norwegian legends) with only brief mentions of hatred towards Christians.

The 16-minute suite "793 (Slaget Om Lindisfarne)" ("793 (The Battle of Lindisfarne)") opens the album, being the most representative track of the band's progressive turn in black/viking metal. After an atmospheric keyboard intro, it reveals itself as a beautiful piece alternating majestic folk/viking parts in clean vocals with brief black metal sections. The melancholic lyrics, which compare the glorious past of Viking ancestors to the mediocre present, deserve applause ("For a long time we ruled, we men of the north/ But, betrayed by our own brothers, we were forced to kneel"). Following is "Hordalendingen" (The Man from Hordaland), probably the most traditional track of the bunch, dominated by "buzzy" guitars and Grutle's icy scream dripping with hatred, although the keyboards and some melodic openings render the track very epic. In the third position is "Alfablot" (Sacrifice to the Elves), featuring a kind of chorus in clean vocals that, on a background enriched also by trumpets, represents the culmination of the sacrifice, exclaiming "Oh, wise Volva, when will I reach these fields of prosperity?/ When will I feel again the gentle touch of Freya's hands?".

"Kvasirs Blod", while adding nothing musically, has its strength in the lyrics, essentially a legend set to music, narrating the story of Kvasir and the mead made from his blood (the translation, I must admit, is not very clear). "For Lenge Siden" (A Long Time Ago), starts slowly and melodically but returns after a couple of minutes to the path laid out by the other tracks. Notable is a stunning guitar solo towards the end of the song; again, the lyrics touch on the contrast between the past and the present: Christianity is described as "The disease from the south". The CD concludes with the intense "Glemt" (Forgotten) and the title track: the song opens in typical black metal style before becoming an epic piece in the middle section, leading to the final violent ride through the lands where frost and fire reign.

RATING = 7 and a 1/2