Enslaved’s new EP Caravans to the Outer Worlds acts as a story addendum to their 2020 album Utgard and continues in the vein of tighter arrangements that still manage to take the listener on a journey.

Made up of two main pieces and two intermezzos that tie them together, twenty minutes of music exploring various elements fans have come to expect from the band. Opening track Caravans to the Outer Worlds is the most aggressive song here, Enslaved tapping more of their early extreme metal roots than we heard on Utgard. An immediate track with a frantic pace that still manages to incorporate some quieter moments. Blending clean and raspy vocals, acoustics, and blasting drums, it’s impressive how they manage to combine all these elements into such a dynamic and cohesive arrangement. The song flows directly into Intermezzo I – Lönnlig. Gudlig, which introduces 70s prog keyboard sounds and a lumbering swing.

Next up, Ruun II – The Epitaph, subtly revisits some melodic themes in the title track of 2006s Ruun. Opening with acoustic guitars, it slowly builds while keeping a mellower approach than its counterpart. A little way in, the drums start to pound in the background while a beautiful clean vocal takes you through the track. You may get lost in this one as there are a lot of layers to pick up on. Again this track flows directly into Intermezzo II – The Navigator, which begins with busy piano parts before settling into a repetitive groove and guitar riff. The song keeps building while spacey synths join to create a cacophony to finish the EP.

Enslaved continue to impress with their effortless combination of extreme metal and prog-rock. This material works well as a continuation of the last album though it can also stand alone. I have to mention the title track again, one of the best songs the band has composed in recent memory and the main attraction here.

Order Caravans to the Outer Worlds by Enslaved HERE