They started out as an underground band of the early 90s and I still remember how their debut album made an impact, especially to those who were in touch with the underground scene of that time. Having specific elements from the black metal scene of their motherland but also adding some Viking ones as well, they managed to distinguish themselves from the other bands of Scandinavian extreme metal music rather quickly. “Frost” gave them that extra push and since then, they have been evolving and presenting new things with every new album.
“RIITIIR” is part of the band’s evolution… even though I was a bit skeptical when I saw the timings of the songs. They were too long for their genre… most typical of prog metal music but not for a band like Enslaved. Then again I thought… let’s give it time, the songs themselves can be really good in the end. That was the case here. I did give it several spins before I drew any conclusions.
First things first, the song arrangements are beautifully done and they do not overdo it at any part. The production is excellent, clear, heavy, vigorous and tight. Yeap, most of the black metal elements have been clearly increased… while the more atmospheric & prog ones along with the clear vocals are plenteous. Then, continuing with the songs, one can say that they have probably become somehow forgettable and generally, the nice melodies as well as the extreme side have been sacrificed due to progressiveness. That’s not a lie but not quite true as well. The truth, as always, lies in the middle. The band essentially engaged some more “traditional prog metal” elements and blended them along with their heavy, extreme and melodic ones.
So far so good… but what’s that thing that concerns most of their loyal followers? It’s the fact that Enslaved have eased their sound… while they are sailing way in the sea of evolution and broadmindedness, they seem to change their ways. The band’s mellow side here is striking and it truly makes an impression when you first listen to the album. Of course, as they are not a cohesive prog band (even those eventually do things the wrong way) some songs tend to be stretched in time… and they are becoming kinda uninteresting once in a while. It’s hard to write many long songs and Enslaved went wrong on that album… they included too many long tracks and their audience is not used to it.
I do not know what the band’s next step is gonna be but I can understand why the die-hard fans won’t enjoy this album that much. I also do feel the band and know that they needed to go on progressing and not playing the same things time and again. I think that this is a fairly good album and if you give it time you’re most likely going to enjoy it more…
“RIITIIR” is part of the band’s evolution… even though I was a bit skeptical when I saw the timings of the songs. They were too long for their genre… most typical of prog metal music but not for a band like Enslaved. Then again I thought… let’s give it time, the songs themselves can be really good in the end. That was the case here. I did give it several spins before I drew any conclusions.
First things first, the song arrangements are beautifully done and they do not overdo it at any part. The production is excellent, clear, heavy, vigorous and tight. Yeap, most of the black metal elements have been clearly increased… while the more atmospheric & prog ones along with the clear vocals are plenteous. Then, continuing with the songs, one can say that they have probably become somehow forgettable and generally, the nice melodies as well as the extreme side have been sacrificed due to progressiveness. That’s not a lie but not quite true as well. The truth, as always, lies in the middle. The band essentially engaged some more “traditional prog metal” elements and blended them along with their heavy, extreme and melodic ones.
So far so good… but what’s that thing that concerns most of their loyal followers? It’s the fact that Enslaved have eased their sound… while they are sailing way in the sea of evolution and broadmindedness, they seem to change their ways. The band’s mellow side here is striking and it truly makes an impression when you first listen to the album. Of course, as they are not a cohesive prog band (even those eventually do things the wrong way) some songs tend to be stretched in time… and they are becoming kinda uninteresting once in a while. It’s hard to write many long songs and Enslaved went wrong on that album… they included too many long tracks and their audience is not used to it.
I do not know what the band’s next step is gonna be but I can understand why the die-hard fans won’t enjoy this album that much. I also do feel the band and know that they needed to go on progressing and not playing the same things time and again. I think that this is a fairly good album and if you give it time you’re most likely going to enjoy it more…
