Enslaved - Isa

The evolution of black metal remains among the most astonishing and unpredictable in all of rock. How else to describe a musical movement where the same artists whose early efforts comprised some of the most primitive and vile sonic mutations ever concocted could develop into highly skilled songwriters and musicians, capable of works of astounding maturity, surprising accessibility, and, most shocking of all, undeniable class -- all within the span of just over a decade! Of course, very few are the bands that actually weathered this radical transition relatively unscathed, and, considering many of them are gone (Emperor) or dabbling in styles other than metal (Ulver, Tiamat, etc.), Norway's Enslaved have emerged as quite possibly the standard-bearers of black metal's incredible progression. Read More