Frost - Enslaved

Whilst Enslaved's more recent albums are heavily influenced by the likes of Pink Floyd and Yes, their 1994 album "Frost" is a very different beast altogether. Based around ancient Nordic mythology, 'Frost' combines Norwegian black metal with folk influences to create a powerful piece of epic Viking metal. There is a great deal of variation at work here, from the tranquil keyboard-synth intro reminiscent of 'Hlidskjalf' era Burzum that opens the album, to brief, warm flourishes of acoustic guitar, (slightly cheesy ) keyboard-sampled horns and chanting vocals, (more accomplished) low, Nordic clean singing and reverent spoken word sections, and ...  Read the complete review

Enslaved are one of the more interesting bands of Norwegian black metal (second-wave, if you want to be needlessly specific). Evolving from a fairly generic unit comparable to Mayhem and Emperor into a primordial Viking metal band and finally plunging headlong into progressive metal with mixed results, every release from this band showcases a slightly different incarnation, and they are all entertaining and intriguing albums as a result. 'Frost' is the pinnacle of the band's original sound, back when they were playing in a style more directly associated with Norwegian black metal. The Viking metal elements debut here in the form of the lyrics, occasional ...  Read the complete review