The mighty vikings of Enslaved have returned with their most accomplished work to date with their new opus, "Mardraum (Beyond the Within)", and it kicks some serious ass!!! Wielding a variety of musical influences ranging from death metal to progressive, Enslaved have created a masterpiece sure to be hailed as one of the absolute best releases of 2000.

Enslaved's resume includes split LP's with Emperor and Satyricon; and later releases Vikinglr Veldi, Frost, Eld, and their mammoth Blodhemm recording. All of Enslaved's works exhibit their passion and superb musicianship, and it is these qualities that propelled them to the forefront of the Norwegian scene. And unlike their peers who relied upon Satanic themes and imagery in their music, Enslaved managed to carve their own niche, employing Viking mythology as their lyrical fodder.

Mardraum (Norwegian for 'nightmare') sees Enslaved moving into new territory, incorporating many different styles into their formula. A strong death metal influence is present here, not to mention some of the meandering, mellow guitarwork found in progressive metal. Epic, majestic clean singing is abundant alongside Grutle's trademark Viking screams, giving the vocals a healthy dose of variety. The blazing guitar sound of Blodhemm is revisited here, complemented by acoustic parts as well. The production is superb, giving every instrument room to breathe, and the drum sound in particular is stellar.

If you doubted anything could top the amazing "Blodhemm", then get this CD immediately and prepare to be blown away. It's hard to say where Enslaved are headed next, but until we find out, "Mardraum (Beyond the Within) will keep Enslaved fans drooling for more.

This review is credited to:
incipitsatan