ENSLAVED

Utgard

NUCLEAR BLAST

Peerless Norwegians voyage further into the Nine Realms

THE WONDERFUL THING about every Enslaved release is expecting the unexpected. Of course, you can anticipate the unique blend of their black and Viking metal roots with progressive rock’s near-endless scope, but it’s all the permutations of this clash of styles that ensures no two records are ever the same. That their 14th album, 2017’s E, was arguably their best, is testament to how much more the nonpareil Norwegians still have left in the well and bodes extremely well for its follow-up.

Focusing on the titular home of giants in Norse mythology, is a journey into the mysterious and uncharted realms both thematically and musically. Take the opener, which moves from ancient chants, folky after the departure of Herbrand Larsen, keyboardist and clean vocalist Håkon Vinje again anchors the rich, visionary songs with his soothing tones, particularly on the likes of hauntingly beautiful closer and ’s ascent into gorgeous, serene heights. While synths and effects enrich the mood of songs like the krautrock-inspired , this is still a band whose power is grounded in organic songcraft, with ’s otherworldly evocations coming on the back of hypnotic, sinister riffs, and and centred around immediately recognisable melodies that lead you through the wild lands.