Up to this point, Enslaved had proven to be a pretty decent black metal band. Their music was “okay” but really nothing special, as evidenced by the lack of recognition of albums like “Vikingligr Veldi” and “Frost” before this album “Eld” saw the light of day in 1997.  Some say that “Eld” is the only good Enslaved album, other say that it’s the beginning of the downfall, and although it may stand leagues ahead of the following albums – notably the ridiculous “E” – it’s really very mediocre black metal, and a lot of it seems derivative of AC/DC and Queensrÿche type radio rock. If Enslaved were once a black metal band, that pretense is all but gone on “Eld” as the band openly embraces its post rock roots.

This album is hardly metal – let alone black metal – due to the guitars, keyboards and drums. All three of these instruments are played in a “progressive rock” style. Up to this point, Enslaved had done a good job keeping a black metal-ish sound. “Eld” fails to be metal despite the raucous harsh vocals from Grutle Kjellson. It is very possible to play rock with harsh vocals and Enslaved pulls it off somewhat convincingly here, at least more so than Ulver, Borknagar or post-Somberlain Dissection. I’m not condemning rock music, but we came here for true black metal… not poser cock rock!

One positive point about this “Eld” album is that the lyrics don’t devolve into hollywood “devil worship” nonsense like so many shits bands from Dark Funeral to Watain – Enslaved stay true to the ethos of black metal, Scandinavian folklore, Norse mythology and Paganism. Fuck off with your “Satan,” Biblical bullshit has no place in black metal.

“Eld” is not the best black metal album, that’s a certainty. But they are far, far from the worst in this genre unfortunately dominated by posers (like Infernus of Gorgoroth).

At least Enslaved made an effort to try and expand on the genre’s repertoire, not just rehashing the same music tropes over and over again. Yet, there is better atmospheric and Norse themed black metal than “Eld “out there. Start with Burzum’s “Hvis Lyset Tar Oss,” then move onto Graveland’s “Dawn of Iron Blades” and finally Neraines’ “Yggdrasil,” one of black metal’s few masterpieces of atmosphere.

Wow. These blokes seem to be heavily inspired by Burzum. And not in the “let’s make good music” kind of way, rather the “let’s have lyrics in Norwegian about Vikings” way. And you know what? I’m fine with that. I’d take that over Gorgoroth’s “Hail Satan” poser crap and Watain’s “I waas raped in the ass as a kid (and enjoyed it)” rantings any day.

S o here we have “Frost,” also known as Enslaved’s second album and direct successor to the “Vikingligr Veldi” mixed bag. Caught somewhere between the epic folk-inspired black metal genius of Neraines and Graveland and the unlistenable war metal of Conqueror, this album “Frost” suffers from the all too common disease of not even knowing what it wants to be.

Like the first release, “Frost” retains a large “black metal” vibe. But this is very surface level, and doesn’t do much beyond reproduce the aesthetics. The raw, enchanting quality of Neraines’ “Yggdrasil” or Burzum’s “Hvis Lyset Tar Oss,” for example, is transformed into a tamer, slower and softer piece of atmospheric proto-post black metal.

Not something you’d usually want to brag about.

Then there are the riffs, and the music on “Frost” in general. Simple and dull and repetitive and repetitive and repetitive. For the sake of being repetitive. Yeah, I get that black metal is repetitive, but this is just sad. Especially when the riffs are not interesting or memorable at all. As are the drumming and bass. Dull and duller.

The album just seems to be trying way too hard to be “different” for its own good, like the post rock of Satyricon that just can’t help but let the emo shine through like someone decided to apply “black metal shoe polish” to what is, essentially, Bullet for my Valentine.

Plus, the clean parts are really lacking as well. The “atmosphere” – and I use the term lightly – on “Frost” as no feeling or vibe to it at all. It’s just clean breaks for the sake of clean breaks. You know how when you listen to “Blood Fire Death” or “Hammerheart” you just want to go on a quest or something? Well, the clean breaks on “Frost” make you want to listen to something else. Like “Hammerheart.” There is nothing to them at all really. Just sound.

It would be nice if “Frost” didn’t suck, but unfortunately it does. Props on avoiding the gay “Hail Satan” boilerplate, but that’s about the only positive I can say about this album. Replace with “Following the Voice of Blood” and “Fallen From the Brightest Throne” for true black metal.