| Heimdal | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 3 March 2023 | |||
| Recorded | January 2021–April 2022 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | Black metal, [1] progressive rock [2] | |||
| Length | 48:26 | |||
| Label | Nuclear Blast | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Enslaved chronology | ||||
| ||||
Heimdal is the sixteenth studio album by Norwegian extreme metal band Enslaved, released 3 March 2023 by Nuclear Blast. [1]
The album is titled after a character in Norse mythology, whom the band calls "fascinating" and who has appeared in their lyrics several times throughout their career, starting as early as their second demo tape, Yggdrasill, in 1992. [3] The album contains six new songs, plus "Caravans to the Outer Worlds" which had previously appeared on an EP of the same title in 2021. [4] The band structured that stopgap EP as a bridge between their previous full-length album Utgard (2020) and Heimdal, and determined that the song "Caravans to the Outer Worlds" fit into the new album both lyrically and musically. [3]
Upon its release, Heimdal received positive reviews from heavy metal-oriented publications. Kerrang! called the album "stunning" and described it as "a foundation of black metal at its most vast and Pink Floyd at their most spacious." [1] Blabbermouth praised the album and concluded that Enslaved can "still find a way to remain true to their origins while defining extreme metal progression." [5] Distorted Sound noted the album's mix of black metal and progressive rock, and suggested that it may be the best of the band's career. [2]
Rock n' Load, also suggested that Heimdal might be one of Enslaved's best albums, and that it is more engaging than their last several studio albums. [6] MetalSucks called the album "Awe-inspiring, spellbinding, and imaginative," and concluded that "Heimdal reflects total authenticity combined with artistic brilliance." [7] According to Ghost Cult, Heimdal is "a grand vision that Enslaved have executed to perfection, on an album that is up there with their best." [8] A reviewer for No Clean Singing found some of the songwriting to be predictable, but concluded that the album "finds Enslaved once more turning their gaze towards new horizons." [9]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Behind the Mirror" | Ivar Peersen |
| 6:20 |
| 2. | "Congelia" | Peersen |
| 8:01 |
| 3. | "Forest Dweller" | Grutle |
| 5:56 |
| 4. | "Kingdom" | Peersen |
| 5:52 |
| 5. | "The Eternal Sea" | Peersen |
| 7:25 |
| 6. | "Caravans to the Outer Worlds" | Peersen |
| 6:45 |
| 7. | "Heimdal" | Grutle |
| 8:07 |
| Total length: | 48:26 | |||
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [10] | 51 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [11] | 26 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC) [12] | 31 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [13] | 27 |
| UK Album Downloads (OCC) [14] | 30 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) [15] | 10 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [16] | 6 |
Enslaved is a Norwegian extreme metal band formed by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson in Haugesund in 1991. They are currently based in Bergen. The band's lineup has changed many times over the years, and Bjørnson and Kjellson have been the sole constant members. The current lineup also includes lead guitarist Arve Isdal, keyboardist/singer Håkon Vinje, and drummer Iver Sandøy.
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Kjetil Tvedte Grutle, better known as Grutle Kjellson, is a Norwegian musician, best known as the bassist and vocalist of the Norwegian extreme metal band Enslaved. Kjellson and guitarist Ivar Bjørnson are the founding and only constant members of the band, as well as the main songwriters. He has released sixteen studio albums with Enslaved and won five Norwegian Spellemann Awards with the band.
Ivar Skontorp Peersen, best known by his stage name Ivar Bjørnson, is a Norwegian musician and composer. He is a founding member and the main songwriter of the extreme metal band Enslaved, and has previously been a member of the metal band Borknagar and collaborated with Einar Selvik on several albums. Bjørnson has released sixteen studio albums with Enslaved and won five Norwegian Spellemann Awards with the band.
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Arve Isdal, also known as Ice Dale, is a Norwegian musician and producer, best known as lead guitarist for the extreme metal band Enslaved and the hard rock band Audrey Horne. He owns and runs Conclave & Earshot Studio in Bergen together with former-Enslaved band member Herbrand Larsen. In addition to working as a musician and producer, Isdal also teaches music production at Noroff.
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