In this digital age where attention spans seem to be getting shorter and shorter all the time, there are those who say the "classic" album, where every song is part of a greater whole, is a thing of the past. Don't tell that to Enslaved. The eccentric and eclectic Norsemen have made a career of carefully assembling albums not just one song at a time, but literally one sound at a time.

Axioma Ethica Odini is the peak of their art. It is heavier, more direct and more compact than more recent albums such as Vertebrae and Ruun, yet it contains all the twists and turns that have made Enslaved one of the most innovative metal bands of the last 20 years. Despite its directness, you can find a lot of layering in each tune and the album as a whole flows together very well. That's always been an Enslaved trademark, but this time around, the record is very easy to absorb on first listen. The joy comes in picking up nuances later.

There's no longer any doubt...this band is one of the absolute best and Axioma Ethica Odini for me is the record of the year so far.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2010  Volume 5 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Creaking, groaning sounds like a wooden ship sinking at sea serve as an intro before a powerful blazing fast riff takes over. This song is the most straightforward metal song Enslaved have done in over ten years, with Grutle's harsh vocals painting the way in true Norwegian black metal fashion.  Keyboardist Herbrand adds his clean melodic vocals on the punishing chorus and his rich organ work boosts the heaviness of the track. This is a terrific way to open the album and a real switch from the murkiness of Vertebrae.

Knowing these guys, I'm sure the spelling is intentional and there is a different meaning than the obvious to the title. The song itself continues in the dark and moody vein of "Night Sight,” but the keys are more epic and ominous. Just when I started to get a little weary, the band switched to a killer uptempo mood. It's just a tad too long and the ending is quite abrupt.