''Caravans to the Outer Worlds'' is the fourth EP by Norwegian

extreme metal Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual tran ...

band Enslaved, released 1 October 2021 by Nuclear Blast.

Background

The EP was constructed as a musical and lyrical bridge between Enslaved's previous studio album, '' Utgard'' (2020), and their next studio album in the future. According to lead songwriter Ivar Bjørnson, "After ''Utgard'', the path ahead cleared itself - and we followed; past, present and future melted together in an EP that marks one giant leap for us. Into…" The EP was arranged in the form of a classical suite, with two long compositions and two intermezzos. The EP's songs were used as the centerpiece for a special concert called ''The Otherworldly Big Band Experience'', in collaboration with progressive rock band Shaman Elephant. The song "Ruun II - The Epitaph" references the band's 2006 album ''

Ruun ''Ruun'' is the ninth full-length album by the Norway, Norwegian black metal band Enslaved (band), Enslaved. It was released on 2 May 2006. It was given Norway's 2006 Spellemannprisen, Spellemann award for best achievement in the "metal" genre. ...

''. The title track "Caravans to the Outer Worlds" reappeared on the band's 2023 studio album ''

Heimdal Heimdal is a borough in the city of Trondheim in the municipality of Trondheim in Trøndelag county, Norway. It covers the western and southwestern parts of the municipality. The village area that is also called Heimdal is located in the southe ...

''.

Critical reception

Upon its release, the EP received generally favorable reviews, but with some critiques of its nature as a brief bridge between other albums. ''Metal Injection'' concluded that the EP is less adventurous than Enslaved's recent studio albums, and is therefore "a little disappointing", but it is still "yet another successful release in their iconic career." ''Metal Rules'' noted that "the EP manages to sound futuristic and ancient simultaneously" and that it "delivers more than many LPs three times its length can." ''Tounela'' magazine concluded that the EP "pushes the limits of their highly innovative metal sound even further, making this treat possibly one of their most dynamic and expansive works to date." In the words of ''Heaviest of Art'', "Enslaved have nothing else to prove and yet here they are, continuing to develop towards a grandeur that is ever so present in their output."

Track listing

Personnel

* Ivar Bjørnson – electric guitars, acoustic guitars, synthesizers, keyboards, sequencer, FX, backing vocals (track 1) *

Grutle Kjellson Kjetil Tvedte Grutle, better known as Grutle Kjellson (born 24 December 1973 in Sveio, Hordaland, Norway), is the bassist and vocalist of the Norwegian progressive black metal band Enslaved. Together with Ivar Bjørnson, they are the founding an ...

– vocals, bass, synthesizer *Iver Sandøy – vocals, drums, percussion, keyboards, FX *Håkon Vinje – keyboards, piano, vocals *

Arve Isdal Arve Isdal (born 28 August 1977, Bergen, Norway), also known as Ice Dale, is a Norwegian musician and producer, best known as lead guitarist for the progressive black metal band Enslaved. Career Isdal was initially influenced by hard rock ba ...

– electric guitars

References

{{Enslaved 2021 albums Enslaved (band) albums Nuclear Blast albums