Enslaved
Vertebrae

I don't know what effect the name "Enslaved" has on you, but for me, it always evokes a certain reverential fear... And this is not only because we are faced with one of the most important names ever in metal, particularly in extreme metal. Our heroes are much more than mere putative fathers of the so-called "viking metal" (even if, as someone will rightly point out, the origin of the genre dates back to Bathory) because, in fact, for some years now, they have been continuously questioning, on a stylistic level, what they have created. It's true that viking, in general, is not a perfectly codified musical genre and that the connections between its various incarnations are thematic in nature, but it's also true that no one has ever interpreted and modernized it like Enslaved.

Personally, I have always admired the stubbornness and the desire to experiment of this group that, since the raw debut "Yggdrasil," has virtually no weak points in its discography: over time, it has lost some old fans but gained new ones, and its way of evolving has always been a source of both controversy and new and stimulating discussions. Without wanting to endlessly continue my paean to Our heroes and seeming too biased, I just want to recall that the authentic turning point in the artistic journey of the group is commonly attributed to the intriguing "Monumension," where it begins to distinctly move away, without losing sight of, the epic sounds (characterized, for example, by the stupendous "Eld") and its black roots (more evident in the passionate "Vikingligr Veldi" and the fundamental "Frost"), in favor of a "mystical" and musically more complex approach. The sound, which was previously proud and impetuous, in some ways "earthly" (in the sense that the evocation of battles or Viking deeds was perfectly rendered through music), becomes progressively darker, oppressive, still angry but more thoughtful and tainted by progressive temptations, both in the choice of timbres (e.g., heavily affected guitars) and in the intricate composition of rhythms. This "interlocutory" period of the band ideally finds completion in the innovative "Isa," which, along with the subsequent and excellent "Ruun" and "Vertebrae," forms a triptych of inestimable value for the evolution of extreme music in recent years.

"But what the heck is this Vertebrae?" someone will impatiently ask... Just a moment of patience. It must be said that without "Isa" we wouldn't have "Vertebrae," as it's only from that album that the band starts to give a distinctly atmospheric touch to its music, insert more melodic parts, and make the presence of keyboards and clean vocals more incisive. And all thanks to the entry into the band of Herbrand Larsen, a keyboardist with a powerful growl but also a beautiful and ethereal voice, and Cato Bekkevold, a drummer less imposing than his predecessors but very imaginative and excellently blended with the rest of the lineup. On "Ruun," there isn't much to say, in the sense that it represents, with some refinements, the logical continuation of Isa, without matching its importance only due to the absence of the surprise effect.

And finally, we come to "Vertebrae." With this album, already at the first listen, I realized that I was facing yet another important album created by Enslaved, and perhaps I began to glimpse the design that connects all their artistic production. In my interpretation, their music is progressively "dematerializing," it is becoming more and more "essence" and less and less form, and the image that ideally appears before my eyes is that of a warrior who, reaching the end of his earthly existence, slowly rises to the sky in a cone of blinding light until he merges completely with it and disappears... what remains of him is his essence, the memory of his deeds, and his eternal glory. The clues to this process of "transfiguration" of Enslaved's music, less and less "Viking" in form but increasingly grandiose in essence, are already perceived in the opener "Clouds," where an initial almost-electronic and rarefied soundscape acts as a foyer to a track where Grutle Kjellson's frenzied growl is repeatedly constrained by Larsen's decadent and frigid vocals, and where the guitars must repeatedly raise their heads proudly and painfully (Arve Isdal's lyricism is truly poignant throughout the album). The subsequent "To The Coast" opens with the mournful and cadenced singing of the two guitars, while the growling vocals make their entry from afar, like a cold wind: here too, Larsen's vocals, now mournful, now more relaxed, play a fundamental role in alternating repeatedly with the decidedly more tense parts, where the original black attitude of Our heroes is still found. To revisit the previous metaphor, it seems to witness a continuous struggle between the warrior's soul that wants to unfold itself, free from earthly hardships, and the body that does not want to let it go... "Ground" is a fairly straightforward track, both for the clear predominance of clean vocals and not overly elaborate rhythmic parts, and for a (commendable) "Pink Floydian" guitar solo: perhaps not well integrated with the rest of the album but an overall successful experiment. "Vertebrae" begins with a very sustained rhythmic carpet, increasingly dissonant guitar notes, and whispered voices, until Kjellson's acidic and violent voice is inserted, which soon gives way to the second part of the track, where clean vocals sing a kind of litany, resting on keyboards, slightly distorted guitars, and a rhythm that might remind one of the Alan Parsons Project... A rather peculiar and heterogeneous track, but in my opinion rich in charm. It continues with the frenetic "New Dawn," where some death temptations seem to be present, especially in the rhythms. In reality, even in this case, it is rather difficult to describe a track that presents itself as very articulated: it is worth noting how the clean singing, always very effective, is supported by seventies-flavored keyboards (who said "Mellotron"?), entrusted with the task of closing the song alone. "Reflection" also has a very lively mood, even if the sometimes dissonant harmonic combinations remind us that this is still a Nordic album, pervaded by an underlying melancholic vein. Here, in my opinion, the drum work becomes interesting and intricate, as indeed is the case at several points with the nervous and often unison execution of guitars and bass (which quickly insist on the same "stopped" notes): the choruses, always very beautiful, guide us towards the conclusion in a continuous crescendo, assisted by keyboards increasingly in the foreground. "Center," with its almost doom-like pace, seems for a moment to want to dampen the accumulated pathos: the track is very measured and dark, marked by a subdued and almost declaiming voice. Again, a crescendo is noticeable, both from the instruments and the voice, but it almost immediately halts to make way for guitars and keyboard, called to support yet another mournful litany... The conclusion is also very fascinating, where once again the clean vocals create a sulfurous and evanescent atmosphere. The closing "The Watcher" again sees the alternation between moments of controlled fury and more relaxed bridges, where voice and keyboards seem like a single instrument: the track demonstrates a symphonic attitude, especially at the end (imagine it performed only by an orchestra), where the emotional crescendo involves all the instruments and vocals, only to stop abruptly.

"Vertebrae" is not an easy album (but which Enslaved album is?), and not to dismiss it as yet another "good disc release," one needs to go beyond, with careful and repeated listens, as in the case of the previous two albums: which is absolutely normal for a group that, like few (I mention, as an example, Vintersorg, Solefald, and the late Arcturus), knows how to propose music that is indeed extreme, but also intelligent, innovative, and conceptually very rich. As for me, I reaffirm my absolute and unconditional esteem for Enslaved, who have never lost their charm and who, although becoming something other than themselves, have always preserved their spirit unchanged... that is, their essence. This might perhaps be immediately clear if you listen again to the metaphysical intro "Frost," from the album of the same name: after their fascinating journey, Enslaved are finally returning to where it all began.