Review ENSLAVED “Mið”

Enslaved are a bit like a tree. With every passing year, another ring forms while the roots remain strong, feeding everything that grows above them. Applied to Enslaved, the idea fits surprisingly well. The band has never abandoned its black metal roots, but with every album, another musical ring is added, making each new record difficult to predict. Mið is no exception. If anything, it continues that tradition of keeping the listener on their toes.

Mið is the Norwegian band’s seventeenth studio album, and the title translates roughly as “center” or “middle.” It’s a fitting name. Going back to the tree metaphor, the center of the trunk is where the energy moves through the entire structure. The same can be said for Mið. Enslaved’s blackened core supplies the energy, but the band lets it flow into a much broader musical landscape across the album’s eight tracks.

Enslaved have never been strangers to guest musicians, but Mið takes that idea in an interesting direction. Johan Sara Jr. and Kevin Kicking Woman come from very different musical and cultural backgrounds, and their contributions add another layer to an album that is already built around the idea of connection.

“Non-Being” opens the record with a restrained, atmospheric introduction before the harsh attack of “I Am Ice” cuts through it. The latter is a vicious metal track that brings Enslaved closer to their black metal roots, helped by the piercing vocals. But this is still Enslaved, so even at full speed the band finds room for a few twists and turns. Progressive passages keep the song moving, while the contribution from Sámi yoik singer Johan Sara Jr. gives the track an entirely different dimension.

“Solar Will” follows, putting the sun and its dual nature at the center of the song: destructive force on one hand, life-giving energy on the other. Massive guitar riffs, piercing vocals and cinematic melodies come together to create a track with plenty of weight and atmosphere. It’s heavy, but never content to simply stay in one place.

Nature has always been an important part of Enslaved’s musical world, and “Mountain” continues that thread. The song begins with quiet soundscapes that, with your eyes closed, can almost evoke the stillness and scale of the natural world. But Enslaved don’t leave it there. Almost imperceptibly, the intensity begins to build until the track shifts into a pounding metal passage around its midpoint. The sheer scale of the mountains seems to find its musical counterpart in the second half, making “Mountain” one of the more intriguing moments on Mið.

With “Spirit Helper,” Enslaved take their approach to another level. Kevin Kicking Woman appears on the track, but his contribution feels like much more than a guest vocal. The song seems to have been built around his presence, creating a mysterious sense of balance and ritual. A dominant rhythmic pulse gives the track a tribal character that remains intact even as the music grows heavier. “Spirit Helper” stands apart from the rest of the album without feeling out of place, and it says a lot about the musical range Enslaved are willing to explore.

The atmospheric side of the band returns with “Parting.” At more than eight minutes, the track moves between heavy riff passages and almost weightless moments. There is plenty of space in the arrangement, allowing the song to breathe rather than constantly pushing forward. Enslaved use that space to build evolving soundscapes, showing just how much attention they put into composition and dynamics.

“Tales of Trees” begins with a drum roll before developing into a relatively straightforward track that still has plenty of finesse. The longer you spend with Mið, the more the album’s central idea starts to make sense. Each song feels like another ring added to the musical tree, revealing another part of Enslaved’s identity without cutting them off from their roots.

That idea carries through to “I Miðju.” After the long journey through Enslaved’s shifting soundscapes, the listener finally arrives at the center. The track carries a melancholic atmosphere throughout, gradually building into an epic conclusion. Mythology and nature provide the framework, while Enslaved fill that framework with their familiar blend of darkness, melody and progressive ambition. It feels less like a conventional finale and more like reaching the destination the album has been pointing toward all along.

After seventeen albums, Enslaved show no signs of running out of ideas. Mið brings together musical vision, mythology, tradition and plenty of craftsmanship without sacrificing the band’s willingness to explore. Their black metal roots are still firmly in place, but the branches keep spreading in different directions.

And that may be the most impressive thing about Enslaved at this stage of their career: they know where they came from without being afraid to keep moving forward. Mið is another ring in that tree—and one worth spending some time with.