RUUN

Enslaved should be a big name, like Opeth. Enslaved is melodic and isn't easily labeled as metal, In fact, take away the vocals, and one hears prog, shoegazer, and psychedelic rock. And with Ruun, the band has completed a three-album streak that no metal band has matched in the past few years.

The albums opens with Entroper thats focused around slow riffs and Grutles great black metal vocals. It moves on to the "single" Path To Vanir witch have parts that reminds me of King Crimson and other great 70`s prog acts. "Fusion of Sense and Earth" gives a reminder to the listener that they havent forgotten how to deliver a high quality aggression themed song, but with a fantastic mellotron interlude midway through.

"I will break the chains - I will slay the betrayers - one last time - The laughter shall resound"

Keeping the album at 8 tracks allows each song to have its own individual voice, and I think this is partly why I like it so much. Each song is top notch, and there's honestly nothing here that I don't like

The average listener can probably get with the Alice in Chains-esque vocal harmonies, but the black metal vocals might not go down so smoothly. Luckily, most of the time, anyway, the band balances it with warm, clean vocals-giving you little reason to turn away from one of the best metal records to be released in 2006.

Along with Opeth, this is one of the most important progressive extreme metal bands around.

Share this ENSLAVED review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to Kid.A
• Report this review (#121923)
• Buy ENSLAVED music online with PA partners
• Show all ENSLAVED MP3/Stream
• Go to ENSLAVED page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Ruun page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for ENSLAVED related discussions