Norwegian progressive extreme metallers ENSLAVED and Swedish riff lords GRAND MAGUS are excited to announce that they will return to the UK this September for a co-headline tour. Both bands will play full headlining sets each night.
ENSLAVED will be touring in support of their forthcoming masterpiece ‘In Times’ which is due to be released on the 9th March via Nuclear Blast.
GRAND MAGUS released their sensational album ‘Triumph and Power’ last year via Nuclear Blast and the band are also scheduled for a new release later this year.
ENSLAVED are also set to play Bloodstock Festival in Catton Park, Derbyshire this August alongside SEPULTURA, OVERKILL, SABATON and more. Buy your tickets here: http://bit.ly/Bloodstock2015
“Thurisaz Dreaming”, the lead-off track from In Times, the thirteenth studio album by Norwegian progressive extreme metallers ENSLAVED, is available now for exclusive streaming on the Noisey.com site, here. The album will be released on March 6 (Europe) and March 10, 2015 (N. America), via Nuclear Blast.
In his interview with Noisey.com, ENSLAVED guitarist & composer Ivar Bjørnson states: “When you’re measuring success or fulfilling ambitions from parameters that are just controlled by your own self and your feelings, then it’s pretty hard to be disappointed as long as you work.”
Recorded at Duper Studios and Solslottet Studio in Bergen, Norway with additional recordings sessions in the woods of Valevåg south of Bergen, Conclave & Earshot Studios, and Peersonal Sound Studios, In Times was produced by band members Ivar Bjørnson, Grutle Kjellson & Herbrand Larsen together with Iver Sandøy. Mixing was completed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden. Artwork is by long-time collaborating artist and “sixth ENSLAVED member” Truls Espedal, who has painted all seven album covers since 2001’s Monumension.
Watch Truls’ creative process on the Nuclear Blast YouTube channel, below.
In Times is currently available for pre-order from the new album landing page in an exclusive Mail-Order edition, various vinyl editions, and digi-pak formats: http://www.enslaved.no/.
The track listing for In Times is:
01 – Thurisaz Dreaming
02 – Building With Fire
03 – One Thousand Years Of Rain
04 – Nauthir Bleeding
05 – In Times
06 – Daylight
ENSLAVED return to North America in early March 2015 with YOB and ECSTATIC VISION. Dates are:
3/05/15 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA
3/06/15 El Rey Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
3/07/15 Slim’s – San Francisco, CA
3/09/15 Hawthorne Theater – Portland, OR
3/10/15 Rickshaw Theatre – Vancouver B.C. – CANADA
3/11/15 El Corazon – Seattle, WA
3/13/15 Bar Deluxe – Salt Lake City, UT
3/14/15 Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO
3/16/15 Mill City Nights – Minneapolis, MN
3/17/15 Thalia Hall – Chicago, IL
3/19/15 Opera House – Toronto, ON – CANADA
3/20/15 Les Foufounes Électriques – Montreal, QC – CANADA
3/21/15 Gramercy Theatre – New York, NY
3/22/15 Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA
3/23/15 Baltimore Soundstage – Baltimore, MD
3/24/15 Sinclair – Boston, MA
Pre-sale ticket links are available on the official ENSLAVED Facebook page.
In Times is the follow-up to 2012’s studio release, RIITIIR, which garnered ENSLAVED a seventh nomination for a Spellemann Award (the Norwegian equivalent of the American Grammy) in the category of “Best Metal Album.” ENSLAVED have won a Spellemann Award four consecutive times for the following four studio albums: Axioma Ethica Odini (2010), Vertebrae (2008), Ruun (2006), and Isa (2004).
“In Times” is the title of the thirteenth studio album by Norwegian progressive extreme metallers ENSLAVED. The hand-painted artwork was created by long-time collaborator and the ‘sixth member of ENSLAVED’, Truls Espedal.
The band has just released the first album trailer detailing the development of artwork – watch as Truls walks you through the painting process, here:
Truls Espedal states:
“Working with oil paint and a deadline can be somewhat aggravating, and I learned that red paint takes really really long to dry! But I almost made the deadline finishing three paintings and layout, all the time with IN TIMES on the stereo. I’ve played the album closer to two hundred times by now, and I find it to be more in every way. It sounds potent and fresh, and the tracks are just fucking inspirational.
So, I went for more as well. I wanted the cover to have more atmosphere, starker contrasts and be more subtle yet dramatic. Ivar and Grutle’s concept allowed me to add new elements and be more experimental, without wanting to leave the familiar. It also allowed for more diversity through the cover, especially the vinyl.
The three paintings for this release range from figurative work to very stylised, almost abstract, expanding upon the front cover.
The process was also a bit different; more dynamic. A lot of the artwork was improvised, which is not typical me. I enjoyed it.
And I feel I’m getting the hang of the oil paint now, so I’m really excited for next time.”
Frontman Grutle Kjellson adds:
“I just love the album cover. I honestly think this is the best artwork I have ever seen. That is of course because Truls has developed the ability to transform me and Ivar’s, often surreal, concepts and ideas into an actual painting. This painting is the perfect projection of our lyrics, it even extends the written words.
This is a picture of mythology, life, death and time. Truls has made a masterpiece, we have made the soundtrack.”
The main recording session for In Times took place at Duper Studios to Solslottet Studio in Bergen, Norway with additional recordings
sessions at Conclave & Earshot Studios (presided over by ENSLAVED members Larsen and Ice Dale), and Ivar Bjørnson’s Peersonal Sound Studios.
Additional experimentation and sonic exploration was conducted deep in the woods of Valevåg south of Bergen where a mobile studio recorded additional sounds.
In Times was produced by band members Ivar Bjørnson, Grutle Kjellson and Herbrand Larsen together with Iver Sandøy.
Mixing was completed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden.
The long ships will return to North America once again when Norwegian-progressive-extreme-metal-Vikings, ENSLAVED, embark on their headlining tour this upcoming March, issues Nuclear Blast! “Some days are greater than others,” commented guitarist Ivar Bjørnson. “Announcing the release of our new album In Times at the same time as a North American tour, both in early March 2015, makes for one hell of an event horizon. We’ve had such great tours in the US and Canada the last years; we simply cannot wait to come back! Ah, this can’t get much better. Hey, wait – masters YOB has accepted our invitation to be special guests, and ECSTATIC VISION is supporting. Now, there’s an amazing package for you (that’s what she said)!”
ENSLAVED, YOB, ECSTATIC VISION
3/05/15 San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick
3/06/15 Los Angeles, CA – El Rey Theatre
3/07/15 San Francisco, CA – Slim’s
3/09/15 Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theater
3/10/15 Vancouver BC – Rickshaw Theatre
3/11/15 Seattle, WA – El Corazon
3/13/15 Salt Lake City, UT – Bar Deluxe
3/14/15 Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall
3/16/15 Minneapolis, MN – Mill City Nights
3/17/15 Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
3/19/15 Toronto, ON – Opera House
3/20/15 Montreal, QC – Les Foufounes Électriques
3/21/15 New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre
3/22/15 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
3/23/15 Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage
3/24/15 Boston, MA – Sinclair
In Times, the thirteenth studio album by ENSLAVED will be released on March 6 (Europe) and March 10, 2015 (N. America), via Nuclear Blast Records. The album was produced by band members Ivar Bjørnson, Grutle Kjellson & Herbrand Larsen together with Iver Sandøy. Mixing was completed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden. Hand-painted artwork was created by long-time collaborating artist and “sixth ENSLAVED member” Truls Espedal.
The track listing for In Times is:
01 – Thurisaz Dreaming
02 – Building With Fire
03 – One Thousand Years Of Rain
04 – Nauthir Bleeding
05 – In Times
06 – Daylight
Main recordings for In Times took place at Duper Studios to Solslottet Studio in Bergen, Norway with additional recordings sessions at Conclave & Earshot Studios (presided over by ENSLAVED members Larsen and Ice Dale), and Ivar Bjørnson’s Peersonal Sound Studios. Additional experimentation and sonic exploration was conducted deep in the woods of Valevåg south of Bergen where a mobile studio recorded additional sounds.
‘In Times’ will be the title of the thirteenth studio album by Norwegian progressive extreme metallers ENSLAVED. Hand-painted artwork is by long-time collaborating artist and “sixth ENSLAVED member” Truls Espedal. The album will be released on March 6 (Europe) and March 10, 2015 (N. America) via Nuclear Blast.
ENSLAVED guitarist & composer Ivar Bjørnson shares the following about the band’s latest creation: “I was so deep into the songs and ideas for such a long time (or have my head so far up my own a**, if you prefer more direct language) that it is hard to have any ‘opinions’ about them that is anything else than the high-flying mumbo-jumbo of the introvert song-smith. The songs are extensions of my inner and outer life, the thoughts I am aware of having, as well as those that lie too deep to register in everyday consciousness. The songs are the resounds of grandiose altered states and mundane tiny micro-events. In addition, they are, of course, also the result of inspiration from other music and art. I do think this new album is the most consistent body of work we have so far: It incorporates our ‘blacker’ past with our influences from prog rock, our present sense of absolute freedom, and the joy of being in this band, if that makes any sense… Ha, ha, ha. It is higher in energy, more aggressive, yet more beautiful and subtle. It simply sounds inspired.”
The track listing for ‘In Times’ is:
01 – Thurisaz Dreaming
02 – Building With Fire
03 – One Thousand Years Of Rain
04 – Nauthir Bleeding
05 – In Times
06 – Daylight
The new album’s total running time is fifty-three minutes.
Main recordings for In Times took place at Duper Studios to Solslottet Studio in Bergen, Norway with additional recordings sessions at Conclave & Earshot Studios (presided over by ENSLAVED members Larsen and Ice Dale), and Ivar Bjørnson’s Peersonal Sound Studios. Additional experimentation and sonic exploration was conducted deep in the woods of Valevåg south of Bergen where a mobile studio recorded additional sounds.
‘In Times’ was produced by band members Ivar Bjørnson, Grutle Kjellson & Herbrand Larsen together with Iver Sandøy. Mixing was completed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden.
Checking in from Solslottet Studio in Bergen, members of Norwegian progressive extreme metallers ENSLAVED offer the last installment in their seven-part “Diary of Mad Men” series shedding insight into the band’s upcoming as-yet-untitled thirteenth studio album, set for an early 2015 release.
“… Then it was time for me to do some howling, cursing, screaming and singing again,” contributes ENSLAVED bassist & vocalist Grutle Kjellson. “We moved a few meters from Duper to co-producer Iver Sandøy’s own Solslottet Studios and rigged up what we usually do with a set of three microphones: A Shure SM 7B for growls and screams, a RFT CM-7151 (commonly known as “The Leipzig bottle”) for chants & whispering etc., and a Neumann UM-57 for clean vocals. We were fortunately lucky with the energy, atmosphere, and my vocal shape the first day, so we were able to lay down my vocal tracks for half of the songs the first day… that is, with the exception some dubbing I usually do on Herbrand [Larsen]’s vocals. It was also time to lay down some tracks with both the Moog Taurus pedals and with one of ENSLAVED treasures that has been with us since 1991 (!): Ivar [Bjørnson]’s Roland SH-1. A great day at work and an ever-growing confidence that this album will destroy everything we have done prior to this.”
Keyboard player & clean vocalist Herbrand Larsen adds: “This album will be rawer and more direct… more in your face!”
Main recordings for the new album are taking place at Duper and Solslottet Studios in Bergen, Norway with additional recordings done at Conclave & Earshot Studios (presided over by ENSLAVED members Larsen and Ice Dale) and Ivar Bjørnson’s Peersonal Sound Studios.
Additional experimentation and sonic exploration will be conducted deep in the woods of Valevåg south of Bergen where the band took a mobile studio to record the infamous ‘Thorn’ 7” single in 2012.
Album number thirteen is being produced by band members Ivar Bjørnson, Grutle Kjellson & Herbrand Larsen together with Iver Sandøy. Mixing will be done by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden.
Artwork will be illustrated by long-time collaborating artist and “sixth ENSLAVED member” Truls Espedal, who has painted all seven album covers since 2001’s “Monumension”.
2012’s studio release, “RIITIIR”, garnered ENSLAVED a seventh nomination for a Spellemann Award (the Norwegian equivalent of the American Grammy) in the category of “Best Metal Album.” They have won a Spellemann Award four consecutive times for the following four studio albums: “Axioma Ethica Odini”(2010), “Vertebrae” (2008), “Ruun” (2006), and “Isa” (2004).
THE ROCK ALCHEMIST – Italian Rock Band from Turin with a strong sonic identity that blends modern rock with progressive, hard, alternative, and pop elements!
Kimmo Kuusniemi’s SARCOFAGUS return with a Historic 2010 Concert Video Premiere on YouTube! Click image to watch the video
Metal Shock Finland (World Assault ) 