ENSLAVED - Monumension
December 31, 2001, 22 years ago
(Osmose)
A bizarre musical vision these Norwegian Viking heroes have. Not satisfied with the normal, run-of-the-mill black metal, Enslaved are misplaced and misguided. And both those traits make for an eye-opening, mind-expanding experience in extremity. Last year’s Mardraum: Beyond The Within was an unstoppable force and very albums could match its fire. Alongside a deep concept based on Northern Mythology (see Chris Bruni’s feature this issue for more of an explanation), Monumension may be the first black metal release to deserve headphones. Guitarist/songwriter Ivar Bjornson fuses a plethora of tastes and dark images. And it’s mostly in English this time, Enslaved perhaps craving a little bit more crossover attention. But prog-heads beware, underneath the frightening bombastic nature, you’ll find a great deal of ‘70s inspiration. They’ve even tinkled the ivories of a Hammond organ to heighten the haunting soundscape as showcased heavily on ‘The Sleep: Floating Diversity - A Monument Part III’. While tracks like ‘Convoys To Nothingness’, ‘The Cromlech Gate’, ‘Enemy I’ and ‘The Voices’ lead one into a blackened cavern, Monumension is much more than a turbulent attack. The album closes with a dark acoustic Viking chant/poem called ‘Self-Zero’. Bizarre and psychedelic its weirdness is beyond words. Have they gone to far? No, but their star-trekking may take some light years to catch up on.
