Music That Doesn't Suck: Enslaved

Black Metal is virtually unknown to American audiences these days, and progressive Black Metalers, Enslaved, are one of the most unique bands out of Norway right now. Vertebrae (2008) is all about the atmosphere, all about the chords, and all about the melody. It's not technical metal by any stretch of the imagination. Some might consider their later work post-rock, but there are obvious black metal elements still there. The drumming and, of course, syncopation, help keep them within the realm of metal. They have a hodgepodge of influences without a doubt. It's a closer match to Opeth than anything, but its clearly Pink Floyd influenced as well. The sound has this very subdued yet grandiosely epic quality that is really hard to find in metal these days. There is no way in hell this could ever have come out of America or Poland that's for sure. The melodies are grim and ethereal, mixing traditional black metal vocals with melancholic and nostalgic singing. The guitar work is really minimalist for a metal band, lots of pedal bass, lots of ringing chords, and with two guitarists and a keyboardist who plays guitar occasionally as well, the textural layering they achieve is absolutely gorgeous and completely unique. The keyboarding is notably minimalist as well, featuring a lot of Floydish organs and pads. Their previous album, Ruun (2006), marked Enslaved's first venturings into this post-black metal territory, but they've made up their minds on this new album, and their style is much more consistent and polished. It's an instant classic and every metal head or post-rock enthusiast should have this in their library.