Album Review: Enslaved - Cinematic Tour Live Albums
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
Last year Norwegian progressive metal outfit Enslaved completed an online Cinematic tour. Recorded in collaboration with European festivals Roadburn, Beyond the Gates and Summer Breeze, there are four separate releases which chart the events, and which will be released in limited editions on both vinyl and CD. Checking the webpages as I listened to these performances, it was no surprise to see that the wooden boxset containing all four vinyl recordings and many extras had already sold out. "We are so stoked about how these Cinematic Tour releases turned out; the sound is great, and the packaging is beautiful and unique like the shows themselves," commented bassist Ivar Bjørnson. "The crown jewel for old vinyl collectors like ourselves has got to be the wooden box - handmade, numbered and named individually."
‘The Rise of Ymir’ started the quartet and was performed as part of the Verftet Online Festival in Bergen during spring 2020. It features songs from six of their previous releases. It’s a stunning representation of the band over the years, with tracks dating back to the seminal ‘Below the Lights’ album from 2003. Enslaved have always balanced light with dark and this recording is no different, the band’s progressive exploration seeing them switch from spine crushing death metal to gentle, intricate progressive sounds in a sonic soundscape which few bands would even attempt to emulate. The version of ‘The Crossing’ is breath taking.
‘Chronicles of the Northbound’ was performed in collaboration with Roadburn Festival at USF Verftet in Bergen during Summer 2020. The setlist was assembled from an online fan vote with established classics like ‘Roots of the Mountain’ from ‘Riitiir’ sitting alongside older tracks such as ‘793 (Slaget om Lindisfarne)’ from 1997’s ‘Eld’ and ‘Fenris’ from 1994’s ‘Frost’. A fabulous journey through the history of Enslaved, the musicianship is, as expected, incredible, the emotion intense and the sound crystal clear. Listen to ‘Fenris’ stand tall and proud with those thumping Hammond riffs working in harmony with the guitars, a throwback at times to the 70s and yet still as contemporary today as it was 25 years ago.
‘Below the Lights’ was performed in league with Beyond the Gates Festival at USF Verftet and saw Enslaved perform ‘Below the Lights’ in its entirety, featuring guest musician Inge Rypdal. It’s another magical journey, mixing the heaviness with melodies and progressive passages in a way only the Norwegians can.
The finale comes with the virtual release party of last year’s stunning album ‘Utgard’. Performed at Summer Breeze Open Air in Sotra, Norway, ‘Utgard – The Journey Within’ features a selection of tracks from one of the best albums of 2020. It’s a fitting conclusion to a magnificent collection and another demonstration that progressive metal can retain its heaviness and intensity. As they arrive at their 30th anniversary, Enslaved remain one of the most essential bands in metal today.
