Enslaved – Vikingligr Veldi (RSD 2024)

Enslaved’s debut album, Vikingligr Veldi, stands as a landmark release in the world of extreme metal. Released in 1994, it’s a brutal and atmospheric journey into Viking history and mythology. Imagine yourself transported to a vast, windswept Norse landscape. The music on Vikingligr Veldi is like the icy winds of that land, howling with black metal fury while punctuated by the melancholic beauty of the epic sagas.

This album is a dedication to Euronymous, the murdered founder of the record label that released it. It’s a fitting tribute, as Vikingligr Veldi captures the raw aggression of early black metal while weaving in a distinctly Viking atmosphere. The album features the youthful energy of Enslaved’s teenage founders, Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson, who crafted a soundscape that’s both hauntingly beautiful and ferociously intense.