Enslaved are one of my favorite bands. Take that into account. In my mind, they can do no wrong and this re-issue is another example of that. “The Sleeping Gods” and “Thorn” were both originally released (separately) back in 2011. “The Sleeping Gods” was a 5 song EP digitally released for FREE on Scion Audio/Visual. I didn’t hesitate to get it at the time but I did wish it was available on CD.

“Thorn” was a two song, vinyl only single that I did not get at the time. I am not a vinyl person, as I got rid of my turntable years ago. I heard both tracks from this single via YouTube but I wish that it also was available on CD. FINALLY, each are not only available on CD but available together! The two tracks from “Thorn” are Enslaved at their most raw while “The Sleeping Gods” harkens back to when the band sang in Norwegian.

The highlights on this release range from the awesome riff on “Heimvegen” to the tightly arranged instrumental “Nordlys” to the barren metal of “Striker.” It just proves once again that Enslaved can really do anything and pull it off. Fans of Enslaved NEED this release. If you haven’t heard the band before, this might not be the best starting point but once you are into Enslaved, this is a definite destination!

Rating: 9.5/10

Tracklist:

1. Heimvegen
2. Alu Misyrki
3. Synthesis
4. Nordlys
5. The Sleeping Gods
6. Disintegrator
7. Striker

Buy it here: http://enslaved.aisamerch.com/
Website: http://www.enslaved.no