heimdal

Enslaved’s Iver Sandøy on their new album “Heimdal” and much more!

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Enslaved is a name known far and wide by fans of metal and well beyond. The band are celebrating over 30 years which is in and of itself amazing, even more amazing is that they are more vital now than they’ve ever been. Over the years their sound has evolved but they’ve always kept their black metal roots intact and fully alive. Heimdal sees the band push their progressive nature even further while keeping a firm hold on icy venom and, no surprise, it’s an epic and glorious album. Buke and lifelong Enslaved fan Colin pair up to chat with drummer Iver Sandøy about the album, how it came to be, and many other topics along the way. We now bring you this conversation in its entirety so grab your beverage of choice, a seat, and enjoy.

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Album Review: Enslaved — “Heimdal”

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The lapping of waves, creaking of ropes, blowing of horns as ships leave the shore, the all-powerful resounding of Gjallarhorn heralding the twilight of the gods — evoking ancient times yet looking ahead to the end of this world, these are the sounds that begin Enslaved’s 16th full-length album Heimdal. Similarly serving as a reflection on past, present, and a look towards the unknown future, Heimdal is a true adventure through everything Enslaved has had to offer in their 32-year history. With dynamic songwriting, powerful performances, and what is thematically their strongest album to date, Heimdal proves that Enslaved remain at the top of their game and are worthy of recognition as one of the greatest bands in progressive and extreme metal.

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Nine Circles ov… Enslaved Deep Cuts

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If there’s one thing to know about my musical taste, it’s that Enslaved is my all-time favorite band. If Enslaved has one fan then I’m that one, if Enslaved has no fans I am dead, you get the idea. From the early days of lightning fast riffs and blast beats galore to the masterful blending of black and prog metal that has defined (but not constrained) them for over 20 years, and the multilayered ways in which Norse mythology and mysticism present themselves in their lyrics and album concepts, Enslaved encapsulate everything I love about heavy music. Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson prove time and again that the band they founded as teens in 1991 will never compromise or tread the same paths twice, yet always remain consistent. With the release of their sixteenth full-length album Heimdal almost upon us, there’s no better time to revisit nine realms of the Enslaved saga.

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Nine Circles ov… 2023 Albums the Top Brass are Excited About

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metallica - 72 seasons
enslaved - heimdal
lamp of murmuur - saturnian bloodstorm


Since we somehow managed to complete another trip around the sun recently, I’ve seen a lot of those anticipatory posts flying around where people share what albums they’re looking forward to in the year ahead. And I get it. Lists are clickbait-y, and there actually is a lot of stuff to look forward to in Metal: 2023. Being one to regularly cave to peer pressure, I figured we could jump on that train as well. And by “we”, I mean your Nine Circles editing staff, also known as the Top Brass, and also known as the Benevolent Overlords to at least one person. See, I personally didn’t want to write up on nine different albums that don’t even exist yet. It’s hard for me to explain why I’m looking forward to something beyond simply saying “I like that band, so I hope the new album doesn’t suck”. But two or three albums? I can bullshit my way through that, no problem. And wouldn’t you know it? Other members of the editing team were willing to drop some words on a couple albums of their choosing, as well. That, my friends, is how we got here. So without further delay, starting with my picks, here are nine albums the Nine Circles Top Brass are looking forward to in the year ahead.

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