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Album Details

• Artist: Enslaved
• Album: Isa
• Label: Candlelight
• Year of Release: 2005
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2005-06-11

Isa is one of the greater metal moments of this year. Enslaved is a bit of an anomaly with Nordic metal, they are getting better with age. Quite often the case is the band gets worse as the years go by but I do remember Mardraum, in the middle of their output, and it was just mediocre. The release of Isa really puts Enslaved in the forefront of the metal arena. The album is primarly Death Metal but the key is the prog elements that these Norwegian's. The title track showcases the death/black metal mixed with prog quite nicely. Tracks like "Ascension" make a very grand statement in the metal world. It's the way Enslaved integrate the growl vocals with the more operatic vocals that sets them apart. That and these songs fucking rule. "Bounded By Allegiance" is such a beast of a song and I could easily pick out any of the others. I don't know how but Isa sounds so unique. Enslaved are doing for Death/Black Metal what Thrice did for hardcore, opening it up to a new audience. Quite often the black metal only gets a spin or two on my stereo but I haven't taken Enslaved out of the player since I got it. Isa is a definite must for any metal fan.

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