MP3: Enslaved - Ruun
Of all the original Norwegian black-metal acts, Enslaved has always been one of the best, most progressive bands. While others like Darkthrone refuse to change and bands like Emperor reverted back to exploring their tech/death-metal roots before breaking up, Enslaved consistently expanded on their so-called "viking metal" sound by incorporating even more grandiose melodies, clean expressive singing (and the use of English as opposed to their insistence of only speaking in old Norse) and weird psychedelic parts. I wasn't too stoked on the last two albums "Isa" and "Below the lights" since I considered them a bit of a regression following the brilliance of "Monumension" and "Mardraum", but the new record "Ruun" is a return to form. They've ditched the recycled Darkthrone grim/necro/kvlt-style riffage and gone back to what makes them great: more Voivod-esque syncopation and dissonance, less atonal droning. I had a hard time deciding on a standout track since the whole thing flows really well as an album, so I've posted the title track for you today. It has all the traits that make Enslaved great, so I think it's a good place to start.
Enslaved - Ruun