Enslaved - Monumension

Once again, here's an older album I'm checking out from a band that I've loved their newest releases. I discovered Enslaved after the release of Below The Lights. Below The Lights is still probably my favorite release by these guys, although for some reason I never got around to checking out their older catalogue after hearing it. Enslaved plays kind of a black folk metal type thing.

The first 3 tracks of Monumension are heavy and fast black metal, similar to what Below The Lights, Isa, and Ruun continue to perfect. The fourth track, Hollow Inside, makes heavy used of keyboards and clean spoken vocals, and begins slowing down the album. The rest of the album is weak compared to the strong start of the song. It still provides for an interesting listen, but they really could have scaled back many of the keys and spoken vocals. Enslaved is so very good at writing fast, heavy riffs and the singer has a distinctive metal rasp.

Overall, Monumension is a good album. It doesn't match up against Below the Lights and later, but is an interesting listen to hear what they would eventually head towards soundwise.