### Enslaved: Riitiir

#### 06/12/12 || Averatu

Since I first heard “Isa” I’ve thought of Enslaved as having a very primal quality. Not primal in the sense of man with pointy stick hunting mammoth, but more in a sense of being reminded of things and feelings I’ve never experienced, as though their music is a formula that taps the genetic memory right from the DNA, unlocking images of loss and battle and loved ones floating away on burning longboats, memories from centuries past. I blame it mostly on the melody. Enslaved have become masters at crafting melodies that can cut through skin and bone to the core, to the essence of being, and to tap a nerve that short-circuits the soul with the mind.

Each instrument plays its part in a perfect balance, but a large part of this effect is due to the vocals and lyrics. The vocal performance on ‚ “Axioma ethica odini” is awe inspiring. On “Riitiir” we go beyond that. The call and response interplay between the singing and growling crawled into the deepest recesses of my brain like the opposing voices in a schizophrenics mind, one voice leading to light and the other to ruin. But which voice is witch? The growls go deeper and screams get harsher with each album. The clean vocal delivery reminds me of Brendan Perry of Dead Can Dance, and based on this performance on this album the vocalist in question would definitely deserve a spot on this list (instead of someone lame like say, Warrel Dane perhaps?).

Musically we know what to expect, Enslaved are not about fast and technical, but they are definitely tight. Most bands that try to emulate their sound fall flat due to musical flab, you know, like that stuff around a fat guy’s midriff that leads to the classification of chubmiester, the stuff that inhibits fluid and coordinated motion of limbs in relation to torso.

If this album does not move you, then please visit an emergency room urgently and have your vitals checked, stat.

- Information
- Released: 2012
- Label: Nuclear Blast
- Website: www.enslaved.no
- Band
- Herbrand Larsen: keys, vocals
- Ivar Bjørnson: guitars, vocals, keys
- Arve Isdal: guitars
- Grutle Kjellson: bass, vocals
- Cato Bekkevold: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Thoughts like hammers
- 02. Death in the eyes of dawn
- 03. Veilburner
- 04. Roots of the mountain
- 05. Riitiir
- 06. Materal
- 07. Storm of memories
- 08. Forsaken