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Rating: Since they formed in the early nineties, Enslaved have always distinguished themselves for a remarkable attitude towards experimentation and expansion towards new musical horizons.
Works like "Frost," "Eld," or "Monumension" are true milestones of extreme Norwegian music, and particularly the first one I mentioned has literally "created" a new subgenre: the now famous viking-metal (in truth, Bathory were the initiators, but many have forgotten..). The latest work by the northerners from Bergen is titled "Isa" and once again we are faced with a stylistic upheaval.. the result? A true "monster" in musical terms! Perfect production, further improved technical skills, first-rate creativity and compositional maturity.
The first novelty is undoubtedly the abandonment of black metal outbursts that dominated "Frost" (complain, purists…) in favor of a more considered attack where the rhythmic section slows down considerably, while remaining tight and very technical. To tell the truth, Enslaved have flirted with melodic sounds for about a decade, but this undoubtedly represents the final result of their sound research.
Grutle and company span from prog-rock with King Crimson influences, to almost Teutonic thrash-style riffing finishing with references to the sonic "madness" (in a positive sense) of the latest Opeth. All of this while maintaining the intact epic-Viking approach that has made them famous and that spills over uncontrollably into the magnificent "Return to Yggdrasil" where the atmospheres take us to the ancient and glorious Norwegian past.
An evocative intensity worthy of comparison with the "Hammerheart" of the immortal Bathory. Another highly expressive track is the opener "Lunar force," which alternates melancholic riffs with tighter ones, abrasive vocals that culminate in madness thanks to the illustrious guest of the moment: ex-Immortal Abbath! Worth mentioning for their power-melody combination are also "Ascension" and "Violet Dawning" with truly interesting choruses, enriched by the clean vocals of talented keyboardist Herrbrand Larsen. The band's abilities continue to amaze in "Bounded by Allegiance," where the progressive aspect becomes overwhelming, particularly in the very technical and imaginative riffs of the inspired Arve and Ivar.
The harmonies loaded with melancholy and intimacy explode in the final episode, that "Neogenesis" which is all a succession of sharp guitars, dreamy keyboards, vocals from soft to venomous growling, and solos full of light (Pink Floyd came to mind!): truly a great finale for this album.
What to say.. for me "Isa" is the total masterpiece of the Vikings, the achieved maturity and balance at a technical-compositional level. A final applause also to the singles, especially the lead guitar of Arve Isdal, a truly gifted musician who does not waste a note in the solos. A work to buy with your eyes closed, for those who expect strong emotions from music and not the usual pointless display of power for its own sake.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
07 Return to Yggdrasill (05:39)
A new sound heard throughout the land
From which the spirits had left ages ago
Sacrifice and honour replaced by betrayal and usurpers
A trail of sweat and blood, a gathering to the pagan outer worlds
For ages we have wandered
Under the wings of deception
Too long have we been waiting
For the long winter to end
An uprising by those that claim the Supremacy of One
Against the misleaders of the blind, deceivers of the Masses
Man can no longer claim ignorance as reason for waiting
It is all for the taking, the world for their making
We will gather again
Under the leaves
We will gather again
In honour of the nine nights
For ages we have wandered
Under the wings of deception
Too long have we been waiting
For the long winter to end
We will gather again
To praise the courage
We will gather again
To watch the harvest
09 Neogenesis (11:58)
Navigation by the fires of the dead world
Towards the shores of Neogenesis
Navigation by the fires of dead worlds
Towards the shores of Neogenesis
Distant self now cut through, approaching infinitely
Racing hearts throbbing deep beneath the painted bones
Mars opens the hidden doors to Venus
Lunar flight crashing into solar storms
Blinding unification - vertigo - ecstatic curtain fall
Get ablaze by inner arson, endlessly reborn
Winds, oh the winds that speak of your salt and blood
Break open the dam, flood the deserts
Shocking white pulsar radiant dreams drawn in night sky
Ice-glazed branches undead by rays from an impossible sun
Crystallized pathways towards runic chambers concealed within the microcosmos
Revert away from the predicament, flee across the abyss
Severing the fetal cords spawning fusions by the thousands
Through bent space created black channel - pagan relay
Sensations of flesh flickering
Praising death through bleeding eyes
Neogenesis
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