Checking in once again from the studio, members of the Norwegian extreme progressive outfit ENSLAVED offer a fourth installment in the seven-part “Diary of Mad Men” series, giving fans an insight into the band’s forthcoming as-yet-untitled thirteenth studio album, set for an early 2015 release.
“Wow, time flies when you’re having a magical time,” states ENSLAVED guitarist & composer Ivar Bjørnson. “Already Friday, and Cato [Bekkevold, drummer] is doing his last tracking already. It will be a lot more quiet around the studio from now on. Doing stuff live has the benefit of several things being done at the same time, so Grutle [Kjellson, bassist & vocalist] is beginning to move on to some double bass (!) additions and we’re getting Ice Dale’s guitars over from his studio and added to the main sessions. This is shaping up big time. Tomorrow is a day off, kind of. Me, Cato, and Iver [Sandøy, co-producer] are using the up-and-running studio to record drums for another project – more on that another time.”
ENSLAVED bassist & vocalist Grutle Kjellson adds: “It is always a bit difficult - and that’s the beauty of it - to exactly pinpoint the direction of a new album before the final mix is done! However, I feel that this one will be quite the darker effort compared to our latest releases. It is leaning towards both our heavier albums and the darker side of ‘70s Rock, long and interesting songs with a laser-sharp edge. I hope and believe our fans will embrace it.”
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 & HerbrandLarsen 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«.
In other news, ENSLAVED have been confirmed to play a second show at Roadburn 2015 on Saturday, April 11, in addition to their special 'House of Northern Gods' performance on Friday, April 10 2015.
“The Friday show during Roadburn 2015 will indeed be a special one”, says Ivar Bjørnson. “We have named the concert "House of Northern Gods" and it will consist of a walk-through of an imaginary, magical house. It is a mental construction that could represent the mythological Valhalla with its inhabitants - or in Jung's school of psychology: the archetypical roles of the human psyche. This will be the foundation for the set-list and the framework around the concert; there's a stem of thematic songs from »Allfadr Odinn« (the Paternal archetype) on »Hordanes Land« in 1993 up to »Materal« (the Maternal archetype) from 2012's »RIITIIR« where various characters/ roles in the House of Northern Gods are represented and materialized into music. These are the songs that will make up the Friday show at Roadburn 2015!”
“As if it wasn't a big enough honour to play one show at Roadburn 2015, we get to play a second show Saturday!”, continues Bjørnson, “We are already hard at work with planning to turn these into the most spectacular two ENSLAVED-shows possible, as we know that this double-Roadburn-whammy is not likely to happen again (we've heard of lightening striking twice, but thrice?). This second show will be one of the first European shows where we present our new album, that will be released something like a month prior to Roadburn 2015. We don't like to brag; but be prepared for something monumental! We will al
