With “Mið” the Bergen trailblazers Enslaved once again prove that their horizons are limitless

In a scene built on recurring trends, Norway’s Enslaved stand as an indestructible backbone. A riveting live act and a masterclass in perpetual evolution. Thirty-five years and seventeen albums after their formation, founders Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson have achieved a rare and remarkable feat: their horizons are still expanding. Their latest opus, “Mið”, out October 30th via Nuclear Blast Records, explores the dialogues between past and present, challenging both convention and themselves. It is another bold departure from a band that refuses to age, reminding us why their signature black/progressive sound remains peerless.

Emerging from the quiet, otherworldly embrace of the intro “Non Being”, which solemnly ushers the listener into the realm of the album. Wind. Desolation. Before a single lyric is sung, “Non-Being” establishes the world of “Mið”. Just as though Enslaved were inviting us to step beyond the familiar and into something older and colder.

With “I Am Ice”, “Mið” opens up early in a different direction. Johan Sara Jr.’s contribution brings Sámi joik into the album, imparting an added layer of cultural depth to the track. This is no casual decoration, but an expansion of their expressive space. Here, Enslaved are audibly seeking connections that reach far beyond their own traditional framework. The idea succeeds because it is organically woven into the music and genuinely transforms the song. With jagged, abrasive riffs, Enslaved reconnect with some of the harsher elements of their past whilst refusing to abandon the breadth and sophistication they have developed over the decades. Grutle Kjellson’s vocals sound possessed, whilst Håkon Vinje provides the contrast. Vinje’s keyboard solo highlights the progressive aspects of the sound.

“Solar Will” relies on a balance of aggression, melody, and very strong prog influences. Kjellson’s harsh vocals and Vinje’s clean vocals collide to majestic effect. Classic riffs, driving drums, and melodic flares split the song into two parts. Because at times a tremendous black metal hurricane rages here, while at others a complex progressive song takes the upper hand. You get the feeling of being in two songs that nevertheless form a symbiosis. Gripping, varied, and surprisingly fascinating. A truly unique song!

“Mountain” begins very quietly with a trance-like, almost boring mood that gradually and dramatically builds into a sequence of driving and powerful riffs. The vocals growl like a mountain, powerful and raw, like a merciless and treacherous alpine world. One becomes acutely aware of nature, feeling as though standing before a gigantic mountain and realizing just how small one is. Images of menacing trolls and giants automatically appear before the mind’s eye.

“Spirit Helper” expands the album with a very unusual song. Kevin Kicking Woman, an elder of the Blackfeet Nation, appears here as a guest vocalist. The track is based on a traditional Blackfeet morning prayer that Enslaved participated in. A deeply personal and spiritual piece serving as the foundation for this extraordinary song. The track is sung exclusively by Kevin, as anything else would completely jeopardize this sublime atmosphere and simply be too much.

Coming to “Parting”, which begins with piano and clean vocals. This initially plunges us into a desolate isolation. Then the song gains power with massive guitars accompanied incredibly melodically by the keyboards, picking up speed. “Parting” is extremely diverse and showcases Enslaved in all their facets. Quiet beginnings, rising tension, heavy outbursts, and melodic folk influences alternating with sophisticated prog elements before everything discharges into a thunderstorm of guitars and growls.

“Tales of Trees” is once again wonderful, classic old-school black metal just the way I love it. The song offers black metal aggression, but also melancholic, quieter progressive and folk influences. Vinje’s vocals lend the whole thing a very melodic touch, while the guitars, together with Kjellson’s vocals as a contrast, “shred” everything.

The final track, “I Miðju”, unleashes everything once more. A massive, gloomy mid-tempo song. Moving between powerful riffs, progressive passages, and yet always maintaining an atmospheric restraint, the interplay between Kjellson and Vinje unfolds while the guitars ruthlessly alternate between hard, raw, clattering cold and more delicate acoustic parts. Shortly before the end, the album concludes just as it began, with acoustic guitars that bring us right back to the desolate, windswept atmosphere of “Non-Being”.

Tracklist:

1. Non-Being
2. I Am Ice (feat. Johan Sara Jr.)
3. Solar Will
4. Mountain
5. Spirit Helper (feat. Kevin Kicking Woman)
6. Parting
7. Tales of Trees
8. I Miðju