Enslaved: E 12"

Norway's iconic Enslaved reign supreme as one of the most dependable components in extreme metals indestructible backbone. Despite rarely pausing to take a breath – not just as a result of their hectic touring schedule, but also due to numerous extracurricular projects – Ivar Bjørnson and his comrades have somehow managed to piece together yet another full-length milestone in the shape of their fourteenth studio effort, the elegantly titled E.  An album full of revelatory moments, spine-tingling dynamics and exquisite but alien atmospheres, it showcases a refreshed Enslaved line-up via songs that take the band into unprecedented territory. From the grandiose, weather-beaten riff-scapes of 11-minute opener "Storm Son" to the wild, psychedelic frontier squall of "Sacred Horse" and the muscular, sax-powered shoegaze barrage of monstrous closer "Hiindsiight," E is both a typically bold and fearless statement from this most inventive of modern metal bands and a thrilling sideways step that harnesses the spirit of old and sets it loose in a whirlwind of imagination.