I have been a diehard Enslaved fan ever since their stylistic shift from straight black metal to their more modern progressive viking metal sound of the later half of their career. I am fully aware that this is an unconventional view given the band’s rabid fanbase and their constant insistence that everything pre-Eld was their high high water mark. I, like many others was utterly floored by their most recent full length Axioma Ethica Odini, and have been salivating over every little piece of music they have released since. Their newest E.P, a two song sampler known simply as Thorn, is a fascinating pair of tracks that showcase yet another drastic shift in the band’s musical direction, one I hope will be at least partially representative of their next full length release.

The first song “Disintegrator” is as of the most recent listening the stronger of the two. I say “as of this listening” because both pieces are quite excellent, and represent two distinctive writing approaches, so I must allow room for that opinion to change. Kicking off with some digitally altered spoke words, the song moves along at a constant mid tempo pace with dissonant guitars backed by tastefully atmospheric keyboard melodies. There is a certain hypnotic repetition to the song in the riff department, an almost viking meets doom metal approach with pounding, rhythmic percussion that focuses not on blistering speed but slow building momentum with prominent use of toms and cymbals. The vocals, compliments of bassist/composer Grutle Kjellson, are ferocious shrieks, reminiscent of the style found in the band’s early work, and they work very well even in the context of the remarkably different material.

The second and oddly titled track “Striker” begins with a soft, brief synth passage followed immediately by the introduction of a pulsing, almost trance inducing rhythm that never changes for the entire song’s duration. We are again treated to Kjellson’s marvelously tortured voice, and truth be told, I can’t understand a word of it. With that said, there is really no need to, as the vocals act as another piece of the musical puzzle, and feel like more of an instrument and a vehicle to convey a kind of otherworldly, ancient menace. Approximately half way through the song a strange, haunting wind instrument briefly takes over the guitar melody, and for a while we are left with a moody, melancholic passage to muse over. The guitar soon kicks in alongside said wind instrument, and layered vocals of tortured screams and distant whispers provide a chaotic prelude to an abrupt conclusion.

Production wise, this is one raw pair of songs. Everything sounds heavily atmospheric, with the mix reminding the listener of the early days of vintage Norwegian black metal, a scene the band is quite familiar with. Thorn represents a potent mixture of the band’s more intricate progressive sound and their older, rawer, pure roots. If this release is any indication of a future, more ominous musical vision, then I can’t wait for it to come to fruition. It will be a dark day.