ENSLAVED — The Sleeping Gods (review)

ENSLAVED — The Sleeping Gods album cover EP · 2011 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Time Signature
Nordlys...

Genre: progressive black metal / alternative rock / soundscape

This EP was recently released electronically and has generously been made freely available for download - see the album entry for more information.

It seems that Enslaved have used this EP to release some more experimental material which is far removed from their black metal roots, and I think that the material on this release is actually quite good. Not only is in an interesting EP, but it is also a varied one which covers a number of genres.

The opening track "Heimvegen" is perhaps the track on the EP that has more in common with Enslaved's 'normal' sound, being a dark progressive black metal track with an atmospheric bridge and an overall melancholic feel to the distorted guitars, which - at times - have an almost 70s rock sound to them.

The second track "Alu Misyrki" quite a punky track - with D-beating and all - and it reminds me a bit of some of Celtic Frost's early material which is quite inspired by Discharge. Still, there are interesting atmospheric vocals in the chorus and an awesome couple of heavier riffs that pop up now and then.

"synthesis" is a dark soundscape track, while "Nordlys" strikes me as being more of a melancholic alternative rock track, but with some similarity to Paradise Lost on their least metallic releases. Don't let the non-metalness scare you; this is a really awesome instrumental track, and perhaps my favorite of this EP.

The title track is more of an experimental viking chant song which, for some reason, reminds me of a Danish folk viking act called Krauka. It it probably because it draws on the same cultural repertoire of musical conventions and expressions.

you should not expect this to be a full on black metal - not even a full on progressive black metal - release, but rather, as mentioned above, "The Sleeping Gods" appears to be an outlet for more experimental tracks. If you can live with that, I suggest that you check it out, because it is actually a very interesting release with some haunting and compelling music on it.
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