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ENSLAVED Release 15th Studio Album ‘Utgard’
October 2nd, 2020

Bergen, Norway-based progressive extreme metal band Enslaved issued 15th full-length studio album Utgard on October 2nd, 2020 through Nuclear Blast Records.

The band commented: “Utgard bears countless meanings to us; an image, metaphor, an esoteric ‘location’, a word on its own etc. – on different levels and layers. From Norse mythology we know it as a landscape where the giants roam; where the gods of Asgard have no control; dangerous, chaotic, uncontrollable and where madness, creativeness, humour and chaos dwell.

“The album is a journey into and through Utgard. It is a place of unification of that which is above and that which lies below. It is not about avoiding fear of the pitch-black darkness (it will keep on growing until the next confrontation), but to go into the darkness itself. This is the rebirth of the individual. In a world that has become so obsessed with the false lights of greed, jealousy and egotism this is a necessary journey.

“Utgard is not a fairytale, it is a vital part of both your mind and your surroundings, and it has been since the dawn of mankind. Acknowledging that this realm exists and is a vital part of the self, has inspired us deeply since the early days of our lives. Enjoy our journey to the outer limits.”

Utgard was recorded in Bergen in Duper Studio and next door at drummer Iver Sandøy’s Solslottet Studio. Mixing duties fell to Jens Bogren at Fascination Street in Örebro, Sweden.

Cover artwork was once again created by Truls Espedal.

The track listing is as follows:

01. ‘Fires In The Dark’
02. ‘Jettegryta’
03. ‘Sequence’
04. ‘Homebound’
05. ‘Utgardr’
06. ‘Urjotun’
07. ‘Flight Of Thought And Memory’
08. ‘Storms Of Utgard’
09. ‘Distant Seasons’

Enslaved’s line-up is as follows:

Grutle Kjellson (vocals and bass)
Arve “Ice Dale” Isdal (lead guitar)
Ivar Bjørnson (rhythm guitar)
Iver Sandøy (drums)
Håkon Vinje (keyboards and vocals)

‘Homebound’ was released as a limited edition (500 copies worldwide) 7-inch vinyl single on June 26th, 2020. The B-side features a cover rendition of TNT’s ‘Knights Of The Thunder’, which was exclusive to the format.

Music videos were filmed for the tracks ‘Homebound’, ‘Jettegryta’ and ‘Urjotun’. All three clips can be viewed below.

Fourteenth studio record E was released in October 2017 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Promotional photograph by Roy Bjørge.