Enslaved’s path from progenitor’s of second wave black metal through to the progressive behemoth’s of today is a long and twisted path, but one, when taken as a whole journey, that never fails to impress. The music may have developed yet they still retained that black metal seed, albeit mixed up with Viking metal at times, and even at their most progressive moments when Pink Floyd were a yardstick, they were still at the forefront of extreme metal.
It’s good to see that little has changed on new album Mið, in terms of progression. Indeed, as the roar of ‘I Am Ice’ screeches in on emblazoned riffs and full pelt screams, it’s almost a return to the earlier Viking metal of Blodhemn. In fact, initial thoughts on hearing Mio is how much heavier they sound than the last few releases. Songs that once stretched out are kept concise, although this doesn’t mean that their prog tendencies have been removed with ‘Solar Will’ sounding like some black metal Hawkwind.
‘Mountain’ is a change of pace, with its clean vocals soaring over glacial realms for the first half, before an ominous riff signals in the blackened elements. Breaking out into a rather groovy doom riff for the final stretch, it’s a moment of concise progression which stands out from the previous tracks as a moment where Mið takes a turn into more esoteric territory. The opening of ‘Spirit Helper’ accentuates this as it takes the band back to a spiritual nature, before bringing an exploration into native sounds and mythology within the colossal music. The quest for nature and the elements is not just in the song titles, but within the music too as the band seeks to open new avenues of sound within its already prescribed route.
This dichotomy of extreme metal against more ambient, symphonic textures, plays off really well in ‘Parted’ and again it’s the sense of tapping into native elements which elevate the music. It’s dramatic, widescreen music made to evoke the forces behind the elements. Whilst the album has started off an a more straightforward footing, Enslaved have now managed to encapsulate their previous lengthy explorations into something much more taut. The tension can be felt, which makes the quieter moments all the more expansive as you feel yourself released.
‘Tales Of Trees’ sounds almost simplistic after the previous stretch of tracks but it’s a welcome break into more anthemic territory. Finally, ‘I Miðju’ provides that requisite summing up in true epic form. After that incredible middle section of the album though, it almost feels a little underwhelming even if musically it is impeccable.
A minor criticism on what is a quite remarkable album, and given time one imagines it will all coalesce as a whole. There is a cohesiveness about Mið, made stronger by its concise nature, and whilst the progressive elements are certainly there, the reigning in of more out there elements makes for a more direct approach. Mið is yet again another progression on the endless journey that Enslaved have been making, and one that continues their impressive form. Another triumph.
