VERTEBRAE

A more raw approach with this album, and while not as strong as Ruun this album is still a great piece in the puzzle that is Enslaved. The first 2 songs CLOUDS and TO THE COAST start this album of fantasticly, i think it goes a wee bit downhill from there though with the songs sounding to much the same and becoming slightly boring, before picking up the pace again with the epic REFLECTION really saving this album and the end two songs CENTER and THE WATCHER, closing this album off in style. Lets talk a wee bit about the production here as they really toned it down a bit maybe focusing on being more black metal then prog and trying to go back to their roots, which i dont mind, it just took that original sound that Enslaved had for a few albums before and just made them sound like a 'clone' instead of progressing and trying to find their own path, other than that the riffs are still very catchy and have great vocals on this album;

Clouds ? 9/10 To the Coast - 9/10 Ground ? 8/10 Vertebrae ? 8/10 New Dawn ? 6/10 Reflection ? 10/10 Center ? 9/10 The Watcher ? 9/10

My Conclusion? not as strong as the album before but the passion and that fire still seems to be in Enslaved so for that ill still give em 4 stars.