Enslaved is a special band, they cross so many genre boundaries and have redefined what black metal is and can be. Whether they were setting the standards for second wave black metal in 1993, or setting the standards for psychedelic black metal in 2000 Enslaved has been a major trail blazer in metal.
I’ve spoken to MANY Enslaved fans, especially when I saw them on their recent tour; what I’ve discovered is that everyone in the fandom has a very different favorite. Part of this is because of the many styles they have embraced over the years, but I can’t imagine what a group discography ranking of them would look like because I have not been able to find a consensus favorite. I first encountered them back in 2015 with In Times when I saw them open for BTBAM. By the time that concert came around I was more excited for Enslaved than BTBAM. I’m very particular about which bands I call “my favorites”. I only have a top 5 list and Enslaved is number 4. At this point I’m just establishing my cred, but I LOVE Enslaved, one of my favorite bands and I have made this discography shred a real project for myself, this list is the result of years of inner debate and deep thought just because I’m that much of a nerd. I hope you enjoy, this really was a labor of love.
18. Utgard
Yes, Utgard is my least favorite Enslaved album, not necessarily their worst, but my personal least favorite. I think this was an album of transition for the band, they had just gotten their new keyboard player and I think they were still figuring out how to integrate his ideas with their sound. Of course there’s still some absolute bangers on here; Jettagryta, Flight of Thought and Memory, Distant Seasons, all excellent songs. However this also has the first Enslaved song I actively dislike. Urjoten; this song is the perfect example of how this album doesn’t really know what to do with the synths and in my opinion misuses them. Still Enslaved doesn’t miss and even their “worst” albums are still pretty damn good.
17. Frost
There’s a lot of people who want to crucify me for this decision, but I just don’t like this album as much. It’s a good album, Enslaved doesn’t miss but this probably has my least favorite production of their discography and I just don’t enjoy it as much. That being said, Fenris is an all time classic black metal song.
16. Sleeping Gods (Þ)
I remembered not being overly impressed by this EP, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it this time around. It lands above Frost because I think it has a really nice variety of sounds and the production is rather interesting. The band says they used a combination of old school and modern production techniques on these songs and I think it produced a unique sound.
15. Hordanes Land
For all those who maybe think I don’t like black metal Enslaved, let this be a lesson. Hordanes Land is ridiculously good, maybe I’m biased because I just saw them live and they played Allfathr Odin (it was amazing). But once again the production (this is the 1994 version I’m talking about) brings the right feel to it and the mix is surprisingly excellent.
14. Ruun
It’s sad, but I had to put Ruun down this far. I love the sound and really this is the blueprint for their sound going forward, but I still think some of the songwriting is a little samey and none of the songs stick out as much as I would like. Still a great album; the title track, Fusion of Sense and Earth, and Entroper are all excellent Enslaved songs. Really though this album serves as an introduction to their modern sound.
13. Blodhemn
This one takes their early 90s classic second wave black metal sound and thickens it up. The riffs are dense, heavy, and the production values are top tier for 1997. It gets this low on the list because for such a diverse and creative discography, this album is kind of one dimensional comparatively. If you prefer your black metal to be straightforward and in your face, then this will probably be more your cup of tea.
12. Vikingr Veldi
This has always been one of my favorite Enslaved albums. For a while it was much higher, but then I dove into modern Enslaved and fell in love. However for me this is the shining example of what second wave black should sound like. A nice smattering of synths give depth and complexity to this brutal and chilling slab of black metal. What a debut album, and the only reason this album fell so far is that Enslaved don’t miss.
11. Mardraum (Beyond the Within)
I want to put this one higher, but it’s kind of a mess. Personally I think Monumension greatly added to the canvas created here. Større enn Tid – Tyngre enn Natt is a crushing song that almost sets an unfair standard for the rest of the album to live up to. The rest of the album is still good, just not THAT good. Entrance – Escape and Stjerneheimen are really good too, but there’s a couple of audio tricks they pull here that either work or don’t work for you. It’s a very subjective experience, but I love it.
10. Axioma Ethica Odini
I don’t like the term, but I think it’s applicable here. I think this album is slightly overrated. It’s still good and has some absolute bangers; Ethica Odini, Giants, Nightsight are all instant classics, but I find the rest of the album a bit lackluster comparatively. Oh and Lightening is a great closer.
9. Eld
This is kind of a difficult album to discuss. On the surface it’s kind of clunky and disjointed and at first I wondered why I had it higher than Mardraum or Vikingr Veldi, or even Blodhemn for that matter. Then I re-listened to it and I was reminded of why this album is so good. Slaget om Lindesfarne reminds me of Fountain of Lamneth by Rush. It’s not perfect, it has rough spots and some transitions that are… questionable. However the good parts of the song far outweigh its issues. The layers of sound and complexity, combined with the ocean faring Viking themes are what sells me here. It’s a bizarre mix of brutal black metal, folk and progressive metal elements. This is definitely one of Enslaved’s more unique albums.
8. Heimdal
It’s dark, twisty and menacing. It’s also beautiful and soaring. This album perfectly lays out the paradox and dichotomy of Enslaved as a band. Personally I prefer albums that are both dark and beautiful which is what lands it above so many excellent albums. Forest Dweller is probably my favorite song on the album, but The Eternal Sea, Caravans to the Outer Worlds, and Heimdal the title track itself is pretty incredible as well. The bass lines are filthy and the synths blend really well in the arrangements. Like I said, Enslaved don’t miss.
7. Below the Lights
Below the Lights is a weird album, I mean everything Enslaved does is weird, but this one is hard for me to judge. I love this album, songs like As Fire Swept the Earth, The Crossing and Havenless are all really incredible. However, I feel like the songs themselves don’t stick out as much as the next 6. Maybe I just prefer the more melodic Enslaved material, but to me this is the end of Enslaved sounding like a mess that works somehow and I would argue their albums after this one are more coherent and sonically consistent. The Crossing especially is fun for a prog rock lover such as myself and the main riff is really fun.
6. RIITIIR
This was actually my first Enslaved album, specifically Thoughts Like Hammers was my first song and I actually didn’t like it at the time. I actually got into them circa 2015, but going back to this album now is a treat. The obvious pick for best song is Roots of the Mountain, that bridge and solo are just perfect, but now, 11 years later my favorite song might actually be Thoughts Like Hammers. I spent time studying dissonant and atonal music in college partially I think because I fell in love with Enslaved and bands like this. Thoughts Like Hammers is a perfect microcosm of what I like about progressive black metal and what I like in music generally. The album’s only flaws are having some songs that almost feel like padding, but really I just don’t think Forsaken lives up to some of their best epics.
5. Monumension
Don’t give me that look. I’m a child of 70s rock, the weirder and more psychedelic it is the more likely I am to enjoy it. This is a wholly unique Enslaved album. Seriously none of their other albums sound like this, even Mardraum. I’ve read the interviews, I know how much of a disaster this album was behind the scenes, but I can’t help but love how it sounds. The emotions are there, just under the surface and there’s just so many details waiting to be noticed. I hear new things every time I put this album on and that’s part of why it has been so enduring for me. Picking a favorite song is tough, but I’ll go with Vision: Sphere of the Elements – A Monument Part II; this song grooves in a way that no other Enslaved album does. Heck I can’t think of any black metal that grooves like this. I don’t like to dance, but this song, this album makes me want to.
4. Vertebrae
This album feels like a combination of Isa and Ruun but with some differences in the mix. It sounds… colder, more distant. There’s a bit more of a wall of sound approach going here, but it’s not overwhelming. In fact one of the things I like about this album is that it almost feels more laid back, more psychedelic, but of course still with a black metal edge. The vocals almost sound flatter than usual, in the EQ sense I mean. They’re less sharp and piercing and become just another layer of sound in the desolate soundscape this album creates. It’s another very subjective experience, I imagine there’s a lot of people who don’t like the mix, but I do. Oh and Ground is one of their best songs, almost forgot.
3. In Times
This was my first Enslaved album, I loved it from the beginning. Thurisaz Dreaming is both straightforward black metal and jazz fusion, it’s quite incredible. Over time I’ve come to realize that Building With Fire is a little overrated and overplayed for myself. However the second half of the album is where it really shines. A Thousand Years of Rain, In Times, and Daylight are all perfect 5/5 songs.
2. ᛖ (Ehwaz)
I feel like this album almost speaks for itself. It’s simultaneously more psychadelic and complex, yet more accessible than In Times. That’s just my opinion, but I think with this album they took some of their songwriting ideas from In Times, smoothed them out, and added a layer of Vertebrae/Ruun psychadelia on top. Every song on this album is brilliant; Storm Son is one of their best epics, Open the River’s Mouth is better than Building with Fire (don’t @ me), Sacred Horse is really catchy and takes you on quite a journey. Axis of the Worlds is weird and gritty and I love it. But Hiindsight. This song is probably my second favorite Enslaved song. First of all it has a sax solo, so instant win for me, but it just has this epic build up and the most uplifting and beautiful closing I’ve ever heard from them. Oh and the bonus tracks kick ass too. Need I say more? This is basically a perfect album.
1. Isa
Some albums are more collections of songs, than a true album. That’s just how I feel, a full length album should flow together cohesively around a consistent theme. Or you can just write a concept album. When you look at the individual songs I can understand why people underrate this album, but this is one of those that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. Isa is a journey to be experienced, it takes all the prog influences of Under the Lights, adds a layer of psychedelia and just so many details hidden in the “icing”. Every time I got back to this album I find new things to appreciate about it, there’s so many details hidden under the surface. Neogenesis is probably my favorite epic the band has written, and the title track is black metal legend at this point. This album takes the top spot because no other Enslaved album feels this perfect from start to finish. I don’t even think of this album as a collection of songs, I think of it really as one big 50 minute song and I think it’s best experienced that way.
