CoC : Enslaved - Mardraum - Beyond the Within : Review

Enslaved - _Mardraum - Beyond the Within_
(Osmose, 2000)
by: Chris Flaaten (8 out of 10)

I have never been a fan of Enslaved and it was with some reluctance that I decided to give their newest album a spin. Well into the first and magnificent track I had to re-check the cover; is this really Enslaved? Atmosphere, melodies; it's all there, and luckily for me it's not presented in their usual supersonic tempo. The music is greatly varied and you even get acoustic guitars and clean (choir) vocals. The album has an intense, cold and brutal atmosphere, due to both the choice in harmonies and to the production, courtesy of The Abyss. Midway through the album they explore some death and thrash-like metal influences before they unleash the two fastest tracks on the record. With earlier Enslaved albums I had to concede listening after a few tracks. This time I endured the entire album and wanted more. Still, I do not believe any fans of their previous works will be disappointed. Enslaved has simply made an awesome album, to be enjoyed by all fans of extreme metal.

(article published 20/11/2000)

CHATS
1/16/1999	P Schwarz	Enslaved: A Viking Vengeance, in Blood

ALBUMS
3/29/2015	J Semprich	9	Enslaved - In Times
10/7/2012	J Carbon	7.5	Enslaved - RIITIIR
2/6/2011	A McKay	9.5	Enslaved - Axioma Ethica Odini
1/31/2009	J Ulrey	8	Enslaved - Vertebrae
5/2/2006	T DePalma	5.5	Enslaved - Ruun
11/29/2004	P Azevedo	8.5	Enslaved - Isa
10/14/2003	P Azevedo	8.5	Enslaved - Below the Lights
1/14/2002	P Azevedo	7.5	Enslaved - Monumension
11/19/1998	P Schwarz	9	Enslaved - Blodhemn
5/13/1997	S Hoeltzel	9	Enslaved - Eld
5/10/1996	S Hoeltzel	7 / 5	Satyricon - The Forest Is My Throne Enslaved - Yggdrasill

GIGS
12/3/2008	C Burton	Enslaved	There Is a Sound Made by Boiling Blood
1/14/2002	A Wasylyk	Enslaved / Electric Wizard / Macabre / Horde of Worms	Murder! Death! Toke!
1/10/2001	D Rocher	Morbid Angel / Enslaved / The Crown / Dying Fetus / Behemoth / Hypnos	Belated Tales of the Unexpected
8/12/1999	D Rocher	Six Feet Under / Mayhem / Vader / Enslaved / Cryptopsy / Nile / Thyrfing / Darkseid	Facing the Breton Storm Season
8/12/1999	M Noll	Six Feet Under / Vader / Enslaved / Cryptopsy / Nile / Thyrfing	Pig's Feet and All Things Yummy
2/5/1997	P Schwarz	Dark Tranquillity / Enslaved / Bewitched / Swordmaster / Demoniac / Dellamorte	We Must Dominate, We Will Dominate