Enslaved - Utgard

 

Key Facts

Country: 🇳🇴

Genre: Progressive Black/Viking Metal

Release Date: 2nd October 2020

Record Label(s): Nuclear Blast

Band Members

Ivar Bjørnson - Guitars, Keyboards, Piano, Electronics, Effects, Percussion, Vocals

Grutle Kjellson - Vocals, Bass, Mouth harp, Electronics, Effects 

Arve Isdal - Guitars 

Håkon Vinje - Keyboards, Vocals 

Iver Sandøy - Drums, Vocals 

Enslaved - Jettegryta

Review

Rating (out of 5🤘): 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

Favourite Track(s): Fires In The Dark, Jettegryta, Homebound, Urjotun, Flight Of Thought And Memory, Storms Of Utgard,  

Enslaved have been a staple of the Norwegian black metal scene since the release of 1993's Hordanes Land, and since then we have seen the band develop and evolve into something truly unique. Effortlessly blending the harsh coldness of black metal with intense and magical atmospheres. With lyrical themes covering; Norse mythology, Vikings, nature, spirituality, and mysticism, I have long been enchanted and mesmerised by Enslaved's music. I will never forget seeing them support the mighty Opeth, on a cold November night in Bristol back in 2017. They had just released E, with my favourite song of their set The River's Mouth, moving me spiritually as I soaked in the sounds and melodies, fully aware of the cold outside, it felt like a perfect match. It's been three years then and I have eagerly anticipated  Utgard, felt crushed when the release was pushed back because of the virus that shall not be named, but now it is finally here! 

Musically, it feels like a continuation of the constantly evolving saga that is Enslaved. The first thing that I have noticed is it feels more experimental than 2017's E, with more focus on progressive and ethereal atmospheres. One song that highlights this the most for me is Sequence, a slightly melancholic track with soft melodies in a dreamy but slightly tense atmosphere, that is eerily reminiscent of Opeth's Eternal Rains Will Come, in terms of instrumentals alongside vocal layering and harmonies. Another aspect that has stuck out to me is the more frequent use of the acoustic guitar. The warm, hollow wood sound of the instrument adds a unique texture to sections where there is synths, big riffs and a driving beat. Homebound is a prime example of this in action, the chorus is a symphony of textural layers; raw guitars, swelling pads, soaring vocals and the delicate picking of an acoustic in the background. It is truly something to behold and several times whilst writing this I have zoned out to that chorus because it's so strikingly beautiful to me. The thing that I enjoy most about Enslaved is how they incorporate the Viking/Norse theme, it takes a dark, melancholic and very spiritual edge to it. It allows you to get lost in the imaginary landscapes that your mind puts out as the music washes over you, Utgard has this in abundance. Moving with the ebb and flow of the music you feel yourself in these dark, Scandinavian winter environments. The  Utgardr interval leading into Urjotun is probably my favourite part of the album as it introduces you to the more aggressive and darker side to the album. The first half has a few upbeat surprises but leading into the second half we hard back to 2012 era Enslaved, which I really love. It definitely feels like Håkon Vinje has a bigger role on this album, as his voice is present in pretty much every chorus section, and his vocals sound phenomenal above the chaos of Ivar, Arve and Grutle. The stand out riff for me comes in the form of the Storms Of Utgard, a groove laden riff that locks you into a trance like, rhythmic body movement. It is almost a summary track before the album closer Distant Seasons, consolidating elements from all the other songs we've heard. Not to mention that I think the line "The storms of UUUUUTTTTGAAARRRDD" is going to be a crowd favourite. From start to finish Utgard is a very immersive album, its definitely one that you have to listen to in full to understand each individual role each song plays in the greater context of the album. Little subtitles that lead from one song into the next to create an unbreakable spell that you only come out of once the album is finished. Overall, the album is a finely crafted and put together piece of art that is testament to the bands devotion to evolve and develop. 

The production of the album is something else. Managing all the layers and textures heard throughout the album is no small feat. Either way, the album envelops you with the sheer size and sound of it, a wall of razor sharp guitars, symphonic pads and synths accompanied by some expert vocal layering. It dwarfs 2017's E quite substantially in my opinion, and that album was also a spectacle! The lead guitar tones have a warmth and clarity to them that helps them not only fill a space but soar above the rest to stand out in front of the atmospheric elements behind it. The rhythm tones are thick and chunky, really helping to drive the rhythms alongside a heavy fuzz bass the fills the low end with ease, surrounding the listener with omnipresent sound waves. The drums are thunderous when they need to be but also have that dynamic, prog delicacy and intricacy to them (which I think the credit goes to Iver's playing than the production). Overall, the album is a finely mixed monolith that wraps you up in symphony of flowing and raw sound. 

I firmly recommend you listen to Utgard for a dose of progressive black metal genius. I know I'll have it on repeat today! Or the other option is to watch their awesome release event to get a feel for how the new songs sound live. 

Utgard Release Event With Summer Breeze

Enslaved - Utgard