AXIOMA ETHICA ODINI

After hearing so much metal over the course of the years I had come to a point that nothing could hit me as much as the classics of yore. But every year there is that odd album that proves that metal can still be the most engaging and crunching music of recent decades. Last year that album was Leprous' s Tall Poppy Syndrome. This year it is Enslaved that takes the honors.

It's been since their previous masterpiece Isa that there was so much bite and aggression on an Enslaved album. The albums released since were all critically acclaimed but missed the typical Enslaved sharp edge. Not here, the pace is insistently high and vigorous and the vocals are full of aggression. More then once Enslaved remind me of Alchemist here, a fast paced Australian progressive metal band with thunderous tempos and dissonant Voivod riffs.

But there's more. As usual Enslaved varies grunts against clean singing, and this time around they both are marvelous. Grutle Kjellson sounds as furious of old, shrieking and snarling his way through the material. So be warned, if you already can't handle the warm and harmless grunts of Opeth, you shouldn't even be reading this review. The biggest improvement comes from Herbrand Larsen's clean vocals, which were the weak link for me on Ruun and Vertebrae. Here they are stunning, beautifully harmonious, melancholic and delivered with warmth and steadiness.

So, we get more aggression, better dynamics, infectious tempos, more and better clean vocals, and a further increased progressive metal style with intricate riffing, spacey lead guitars and original keyboard work that carefully avoids the cliché pre-programmed keyboard sounds that everyone else is using. In songs as Lightening they sound very symphonic, almost to the point that Enslaved teaches Dimmu Borgir a lesson at black metal arts.

Enslaved is a leading example of how you can stay true to your musical vision and at the same time remain fresh and inspiring in the genre. Axioma Ethica Odini is a perfect release from a band that has yet to release a weak album. Guaranteed 2010 top 5 material for me.