Checking in from Duper Studios in Bergen, members of Norwegian progressive black metallers ENSLAVED offer the second installment in the seven-part Diary Of Mad Men series shedding insight into the band’s upcoming as-yet-untitled thirteenth studio album, set for an early 2015 release.
“It has been something like 10 months since the first song was written for this album, but it feels like an eternity with all the touring and normal and special shows!” explains ENSLAVED guitarist and composer Ivar Bjørnson. “Now time is back to normal time, and things are going really well from the get-go: Cato (Bekkevold, drummer) laid down something like one-third of the drums for the album just during the first day!”
Drummer Cato Bekkevold adds: “This album is very complex and challenging to record, and I guess the same words will be frequently used both by the critics and the listening audience. But rest assured that it – as always – is 100% pure ENSLAVED.”
Main recordings for the as-yet-untitled 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 & Herbrand Larsen together with Iver Sandøy. Mixing will be done by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden.