This album is awesome, the best of Enslaved and simply from this year, 8.55 is so far too weak. The same thing for many albums of 2012, this is unbelievable. The FIRST of this year is less rated than the LAST of 2005!!!! What's happening to you all ?!

Written by Korah on 06.12.2012 at 02:02

This album is awesome, the best of Enslaved and simply from this year, 8.55 is so far too weak. The same thing for many albums of 2012, this is unbelievable. The FIRST of this year is less rated than the LAST of 2005!!!! What's happening to you all ?!

it's a really good album, but i prefer Axioma Ethica Odini. As for the scores:

1 dArK.DaRk
1 Azael
1 ablis89
1 tjsurf246
1 jester_race

That's how.

Vote tanking is all over from lame dbags who like one album so much they sandbag other releases just to jockey for position int he top 10. if i weren't so busy, i'd probably resume nuking all the votes of people like this.

Enslaved is really one convenient band for me 'cause I don't need to hesitate before buying their new record. The quality of their releases says for itself and this album is no exception. At times it sounds more progressive than their previous works, at times it sounds harsher, more in the vein of the classic Norwegian black metal but essentially it's the same kind of music you probably liked listening to before. If not... Well, it's still not too late to give this wonderful band a chance.

Written by BenWasHere on 02.10.2012 at 00:28

My god Roots of the Mountain is the best thing to have penetrated my ears for a long time. Great album

is the only reaction i have to show to that amazing song! The chorus is just amazing and very, very catchy! I love that son, i love the entire album!! Money well spent!!!

Written by LeKiwi on 15.11.2012 at 18:55

If only the black metal components of this band were death in it's place, their albums would probably number among my favourites...such a shame that I cannot value the genre, it poses such a limitation.

Funny, because the core of this band's music since Below the Lights seems to nod more to its hard rock and heavy metal roots more than anything else. And I wouldn't consider myself a black metal buff, but it would seems that a lot of more "extreme" experimental and progressive metal music tends to incorporate black metal more so than not. I wouldn't say that death metal is any less "limited" than black metal, but I think black metal tends to be more atmospheric and, well, poetic. ;3

As for what I think about this release... I have been putting off posting my thoughts on it, because this album is really something that takes a while to sink in. At first, I thought I just didn't like this album. I found it meandering at times and just overall very uninteresting. But then I realized that it's the first few songs that were putting me off, a terrible introduction to an otherwise solid release. The first two tracks have there moments, I guess, but eh... and my god, Veilburner is the most boring song they have ever released, mostly due to the incredibly boring and dry clean vocals.

What I've always appreciated about Enslaved is how every element of their music is complementary to other each other. Everything is presented up front and centered. I kinda feel that the (overly) sharp production and mixing of the clean vocals ruin this a bit in some of the songs. It's nice that they are experimenting by having clean vocals really carry a chorus, but I don't think it really works. Also, structurally speaking, I suppose this album is less straight-forward than their previous album, but it sounds a lot less dense. Less layers, less psychedelic elements, an over-all less intensely engulfing atmosphere.

Now I know I'm a critical dude, but Enslaved really brings out the worst in me it seems. D: This is what happens when a band has such a brilliantly impressive discography! You can hardly blame me for nitpicking a band that usually releases nothing but gold. x3 If this album was released by any other band, I would probably praise it beyond belief, cus at the end of the day, I still like it. I mean, it really picks up around the time of Roots of the Mountain! This track and the rest of the album after it( ESPECIALLY Forsaken) are great. I'm really excited to see what these guys are gonna do next, cus they clearly haven't lost any creative steam. ^~^

Also, although RIITIIR does remind me of Below the Lights (what I think is a great start to getting into the band), I certainly wouldn't recommend it as a gateway album like some folks are implying. In terms of accessibility, it has more in common with Monumension.

Lol at BM being so limited.

Written by X-Ray Rod on 16.12.2012 at 12:56

Lol at BM being so limited.

Actually I think he's saying that because he doesn't like black metal that it places a limitation on what he can listen to.

For whatever reason, I haven't been very interested in listening to this album. AEO hit me like a truck, and is largely responsible for me returning here and actively looking for new metal outside doom and some obscure black. Maybe that album was just in the right place at the right time, but right now I'm enjoying several other 2012 releases a lot more. This lacks the punch of the predecessor's opener, which was one of the best songs of its year. This album feels more open and spacey (not in the outer-space sense) and I can't really fault its songwriting, so it's probably just me and the fact that there's so good competition out there.

Written by Guest on 16.12.2012 at 15:00

Written by X-Ray Rod on 16.12.2012 at 12:56

Lol at BM being so limited.

Actually I think he's saying that because he doesn't like black metal that it places a limitation on what he can listen to.

Precisely, thanks for the clarification

Written by LeKiwi on 16.12.2012 at 18:32
Precisely, thanks for the clarification

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Since I bought this a few months ago when it came I, I think I've listened to it fully three or four times. It hasn't been back in my stereo since mid-October. It was OK and all, but didn't really hit me like AEO. Plus, there are a lot of really good albums this year, an especially good year for doom it seems, so albums like this just aren't getting my attention.

I will probably revisit this sometime in the coming months, probably in January when it always feels (whether they are or not) like new releases are fewer.

AEO was much harder hitting indeed, no doubts about that in my mind. It was also more structurally compound which adds a bit of emphasis to that, songs kind of lend themselves to each other with the final two being the most distinctive from the album as a whole. Strongest album from them in terms of energy within the songwriting, but creativity is where RIITIIR comes into a league of its own I think. Each song is something very different from the last, an observation which I would compare to albums like Isa save with better production and prbably less of a black metal influence in the mix
What really wins me over is the clean vocals, in the first few tracks especially... outstanding really. Loved them on "Lightening" from AEO but here they just floor me. But the final two tracks are really where they redefine their sound I think, absolute powerhouses of progressive black

Written by R'Vannith on 17.12.2012 at 03:07

AEO was much harder hitting indeed, no doubts about that in my mind. It was also more structurally compound which adds a bit of emphasis to that, songs kind of lend themselves to each other with the final two being the most distinctive from the album as a whole. Strongest album from them in terms of energy within the songwriting, but creativity is where RIITIIR comes into a league of its own I think. Each song is something very different from the last, an observation which I would compare to albums like Isa save with better production and prbably less of a black metal influence in the mix
What really wins me over is the clean vocals, in the first few tracks especially... outstanding really. Loved them on "Lightening" from AEO but here they just floor me. But the final two tracks are really where they redefine their sound I think, absolute powerhouses of progressive black

Agree entirely with your remarks here. Had another listen last night and have new respect for those final two tracks. These guys are freakishly talented musicians.

Axioma and this are both awesome

Good stuff, sometimes the clean vocals sounds really annoying and inappropriate to me i think, but this is a cool record anyway, in the vein of AEO

Really felt this was a step down from their last releases. Actually I'd say it's their worst in 16 years (since Blodhemn). Yet it's still far above so many bands these days.

I also think this album is bad , boring, and at times, too many trying to sound like Porcupine Tree and I like the latter by the way. Is so long and nothing there to make me wanna rehear it.

Written by ivulv on 09.03.2013 at 09:42

I also think this album is bad , boring, and at times, too many trying to sound like Porcupine Tree and I like the latter by the way. Is so long and nothing there to make me wanna rehear it.

Please point out any specific moment (Track/Time) in the album where it sounds like Porcupine Tree... for science.

Written by Introspekrieg on 09.03.2013 at 15:28

Written by ivulv on 09.03.2013 at 09:42

I also think this album is bad , boring, and at times, too many trying to sound like Porcupine Tree and I like the latter by the way. Is so long and nothing there to make me wanna rehear it.

Please point out any specific moment (Track/Time) in the album where it sounds like Porcupine Tree... for science.

Yeah, the Porcupine Tree comparison has me puzzled as well.

Fucking good album \m/

The best album of 2012 for me, All is Perfect. what progression in this group since their beginning. it's impressive...
http://www.metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=3242

This is pretty good.
Strange.. Why did I always think that this was another of those senseless brutal generic bm bands?

Written by Karlabos on 09.04.2014 at 21:26

This is pretty good.
Strange.. Why did I always think that this was another of those senseless brutal generic bm bands?

Probably because they're called "Enslaved" which sounds pretty generic when you think about it.

Written by Guest on 09.04.2014 at 21:30

Probably because they're called "Enslaved" which sounds pretty generic when you think about it.

Yeah, probably. That name makes them sound generic as fuck.

Written by Karlabos on 09.04.2014 at 21:26
Why did I always think that this was another of those senseless brutal generic bm bands?

No idea - even in their early stages they were never like that. :/

Written by Karlabos on 09.04.2014 at 21:26

... brutal generic bm ...

What? Thanks God such thing does not exists

Written by mz on 09.04.2014 at 21:44
What? Thanks God such thing does not exists

Such a thing definitely exists. "War metal" is probably the definition of brutal/generic black metal (bands like Bestial Warlust).

Written by Troy Killjoy on 09.04.2014 at 21:57

Such a thing definitely exists. "War metal" is probably the definition of brutal/generic black metal (bands like Bestial Warlust).

Really? I though that we don't have such thing as brutal black metal. Also, is war metal a subgenre? I think it's similar to viking metal: it's umbrella term , but not a sungenre.
Anyway, you should neglect this reply since I know almost nothing about war metal and brutal black metal might exist.

Written by mz on 09.04.2014 at 22:02

Really? I though that we don't have such thing as brutal black metal. Also, is war metal a subgenre? I think it's similar to viking metal: it's umbrella term , but not a sungenre.
Anyway, you should neglect this reply since know almost nothing about war metal and brutal black metal might exist.

(not sure this is technically even war metal, but kinda sounds like it.)

Written by mz on 09.04.2014 at 21:44

Written by Karlabos on 09.04.2014 at 21:26

... brutal generic bm ...

What? Thanks God such thing does not exists

Well, by brutal generic bands I meant Marduk, Dark Funeral, Setherial, Tsjuder, Enthroned (Which kinda resembles the name enslaved btw),
Urgehal, Infernal War, and so on...

Looking more on the internet it seems some of them are classified as "norsecore" o.O Never heard of that.