24. Enslaved -
Ruun, Vertebrae, & Axioma Ethica Odini Genre: Melodic progressive black metal
For fans of: Metalheads who want to start to explore some of the more extreme subgenres of metal without giving up the melodic and musical aspects of metal.
What makes this special: This is a great gateway band for learning to appreciate black metal. Very progressive and melodic.
Some of you are going to see "black metal" or "Enslaved" and mentally check out of this one. WELL DON'T!! I discovered this band through a guy who owns a record store in the town where I got my undergraduate degree. Since he was a metal head, I had him look at my iPod. He asked me if I heard Enslaved, and since I had not, he gave me a used copy of
Vertebrae for free. He told me it was "progressive black metal", but I spent the next week listening to the stuff I actually bought. Eventually I got around to trying this album I was given for free...and I really enjoyed it. It completely shattered my expectations of what black metal was. It could be melodic. It could be progressive. It could be catchy. It could be creative. It could be awesome. Needless to say, I go out of my way to stop at his record store to spend some money when I'm in Pennsylvania now.
Story over...the music. I've had some surprising success with this band in some roulettes, so it seems that Enslaved is a band capable of breaking other people's barriers as well. It's got all a lot of the elements I like in music: killer riffs, melodic, fast and heavy, some nice drum fills, some creative progressive passages, doesn't abuse distortion, and it's not all death/screamo vocals, and the ones that are used are appropriate. If you are going to just say, "some harsh vocals, screw it" that's your loss. If, however you are willing to stick your toe in the deep end you can get to enjoy the diving board. The albums
Isa and
Monumension are also similar if you like these, and their earlier stuff is less progressive.
Tracks to try: Entroper, Path to Vanir, Heir to the Cosmic Seed, Clouds*, Ground, Reflection, Ethica Odini, Waruun, Singular, Lightening