Enslaved's Caravans To The Outer Worlds EP has been released unto the universe, alongside a beautiful video for the track, "Ruun II - The Epitaph". Viewers should note that the video is part two - a second part to the video which accompanied the EP title track.

A new cycle is underway, and Enslaved find themselves on a bridge between the archaic and the unmapped. Caravans To The Outer Worlds EP is a tale of departure, of leaving behind a barren and desolate world, travelling boldly into the future. There are outer worlds to go to and new havens to rebuild in, to invoke a new dawn and to defend the new world for those of Sense and Earth.

Order Caravans To The Outer Worlds physically + digitally here. Watch the video for "Ruun II - The Epitaph" below.

Grutle Kjellson stated, "Releasing an EP is a huge privilege, it really is. It is somehow reliving to go on a stroll away from the the album format, and take some leaps into obscurity in between two full lengths. There’s so many great and experimental EP’s in music history; Magical Mystery Tour, Garage Days Revisited, Deathcrush, The Golden Years… just to mention a very few. We hope Caravans To The Outer Worlds, our third EP in 30 years, can fascinate and inspire.”

Ivar Bjørnson added, "This EP is an expression of the vital state Enslaved is in – the idea to create a transitory release between Utgard and what is to come next logically led to the idea of an EP. Iver’s idea of adding short intermezzos between the two main songs gave this release even more energy and depth. This EP is one that points backwards towards our early works as well as forward to a yet unknown place we seem to be heading for."

There is a desert which is very old, very dry, and very dangerous. Few have ever dared to cross it, and fewer have returned. Some say that it is a desert between places, others say that it is a desert between worlds. Those who have crossed it and returned swear that the desert is another world in itself - an astral bridge, which swallows all but the most well-prepared travellers.

Enslaved are such seasoned voyagers. In their last venture, they descended into Utgard, deep in the dark beneath their native Norway. Now, they are preparing to set off again, not down this time, but out. They intend to cross the desert, into it and perhaps beyond it.

Caravans To The Outer Worlds EP contains neck breaking riffage that points backwards to the raw beginnings of Enslaved - the title track marking an explosive lift-off with melodic breakaways and proggy slingshots onto new orbits, while the ominous Ruun II: The Epitaph takes a sombre dive into the murky and mysterious ocean of stars beyond the known. These two main pieces are framed by two intermezzos: Intermezzo I: Lönnlig. Gudlig. and Intermezzo II: The Navigator; wrapping up the main stories with respectively what came before and what is to come…

Caravans To The Outer Worlds EP tracklisting:

"Caravans To The Outer Worlds"
"Intermezzo I: Lonnlig. Gudlig."
"Ruun II - The Epitaph"
"Intermezzo II: The Navigator"

"Caravans To The Outer Worlds" video:

(Photo - Roy Bjørg)