There are certain critically acclaimed bands out there that get free passes when it comes to album analysis and review, and these groups are assured of lavish praise no matter what the quality of release. Though Enslaved is certainly adored by fans and critics alike, the Norwegian band has never coasted nor solely relied on its name to sell records. Instead, Enslaved has consistently put forward challenging, intellectual work, and there’s not a weak effort in the band’s growing catalogue of gems. Though Mardraum - the record that bridges the gap between Enslaved’s black metal beginnings and its current prog-obsessed state - will probably always represent Enslaved’s top moment to these ears, there’s no denying that Monumension, Below The Lights, Isa and Ruun are in their own stellar leagues as well, and now Vertebrae continues in that grand tradition. Probably Enslaved’s most expansive LP to date, Vertebrae not only pushes the borders of what it is to be Enslaved but also exudes impressive confidence, a type of verve that’s never presented itself in Enslaved’s creative palette before (for clarity: that’s not to say the collective’s previous records lacked confidence, it’s just that Vertebrae exudes way more of it). What’s also really interesting about Vertebrae is that the album hasn’t completely jumped ship with regard to Enslaved’s older sound, this record still scorchingly aggressive and caustic at moments. That said, Vertebrae is also unyieldingly made up of cathartic spirals as well as monumental emotive states and it now indisputably goes without saying that Enslaved is the go-to band for boundary-pushing and musical ambition, the group completely unrivalled in any sense. In sum, Vertebrae has both solidified the Enslaved legacy and taken it several steps forward, and the band is now poised to snatch the experimental crown away from Opeth for good. As I’ve told guitar player Ivar Bjornson in person, there are moments in Enslaved’s catalogue I want played at my eventual funeral. This band provokes.