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Released on March 9, 2015 via Nuclear Blast Records
When it comes to sheer consistency and putting out high quality music few can rival the expertise of Norwegian progressive black/viking metal outfit Enslaved. Especially from Isa (2004) onward the band managed to create a stylistic niche of their own, being further refined and expanded upon with each successive release. This time around the band surrounding bassist/singer Grutle Kjellson is gearing up to release their 13th album, which is also their first album in three years.
As is the case with the vast majority of the band’s previous releases In Times is a meticulously crafted musical journey through the Enslaved musical universe, taking cues from both progressive rock/metal and their blackened viking metal roots of old. The three year break did Kjellson and co well, because the bands sounds really inspired on tracks like ‘Building With Fire’, ‘One Thousand Years Of Rain’ and the impressive title track. Stylistically In Times expands on the course set out on Axioma Ethica Odini and Riitirr, yet for some reason the new record feels the most complete and accomplished of the three.
The attention for detail is astonishing, be it some nice melodic bits in ‘Nauthir Bleeding’, the raging blastbeasts in ‘Thurisaz Dreaming’ or all the nifty little curve balls in the aforementioned ‘One Thousand Years Of Rain’. That specific track can best be described as a musical summary of what Enslaved managed to produce the past 15 years.
Enslaved is a typical band in which the sum is bigger than its parts. Each individual member contributes his parts without necessarily taking centre stage, be it the clean vocals by keyboardist Herbrand Larsen, the grim shrieks by Grutle Kjellson or Cato Bekkevold’s solid drumming. He may not be the flashiest skinsman around, but he’s really the driving force behind In Times. Another big plus is the album’s production. It sounds grim enough to really underscore the black metal element within Enslaved’s music. It’s also warm and spacious, which may lure some new listeners in who normally wouldn’t bother to listen to this type of metal.
In Times shows Enslaved at their creative peak and it’s arguably their most complete and accomplished release to date. Kjellson and co are really in a league of their own and they’re living proof that consistency and sticking to your guns really pays off in the end.
