Enslaved – RIITIIR (2xLP, Gold Vinyl)

Enslaved's RIITIIR arrived in 2012 as the Norwegian band's twelfth studio album and their debut for Nuclear Blast, capturing a stage where their black metal roots and progressive instincts were fully intertwined. The title is Ivar Bjørnson's own Norse-inflected take on “rites” or “rituals,” and that idea of transformation runs through the whole record: eight tracks, more than an hour of music, and songs that treat extreme heaviness, melody, and atmosphere as parts of the same language.

This is a particularly strong entry point into late-period Enslaved because the lineup's contrasts are so well used. Grutle Kjellson's harsh vocals and bass keep the music grounded, while Herbrand Larsen's clean singing and keyboards open the songs outward, often within the same passage. Tracks like Thoughts Like Hammers and Veilburner show how naturally the band could move between surging black metal attack, progressive detail, and a more spacious, almost reflective feel without losing momentum.

RIITIIR also became Enslaved's highest-charting North American release, which says something about how far this version of the band could reach without simplifying its approach. Roots Of The Mountain remains one of the album's defining pieces, while the 11-minute Forsaken underlines just how confidently Enslaved were writing at epic scale by this point. For many listeners, this is the album where the band's progressive black metal identity feels most complete.

Features

• 2xLP, Gold Vinyl, Limited Edition
• Gatefold sleeve

Reviews

• Riitiir is Enslaved’s most realized vision of their blending of extreme metal with progressive rock/metal. - AllMusic.com