Last month, progressive extreme metal pioneers ENSLAVED officially announced their upcoming studio album, “Mið”, which is scheduled for release on October 30 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Throughout their 35-year career and 17-album discography, the Norwegian pioneers have consistently pushed the boundaries of progressive black metal, blending Old Norse history and ancient traditions with intricate, modern soundscapes. With their latest release, ENSLAVED explore the fundamental concept of the axis — the middle, the origin, and the infinite possibilities contained within the present moment.
Following the momentum of their recent tracks “Solar Will” and “Spirit Helper”, featuring Kevin Kicking Woman, the band have now unveiled another captivating single from the album, “Tales Of Trees”. The song draws inspiration from the beauty and fragility of the natural world, using them as a reflection of the human condition. Combining intricate progressive structures with a searing black metal atmosphere, ENSLAVED create a powerful connection between Mother Nature and the human psyche.
Grutle Kjellson states: “‘Tales Of Trees’ is indeed tales about trees, but perhaps not first and foremost in a botanical sense. Trees can grow, shine, and flourish, but they can also wither and burn. They need to be tended to and looked after in one way or another, and thus serve as a fitting parallel to the human mind, let alone humanity as a whole. Trees as symbols of something more than mere botanical creatures have appeared throughout history, both in mythological tales and in folklore. So, I think this tale is a fitting accompaniment the the heavy and yet dynamic tunes of this composition”.
Ivar Bjørnson adds: “‘Tales Of Trees’ can be both a tribute to our wooden relatives on this planet — who have had rather a lot of patience with us — and a metaphor for so much more. The winding time signatures of folk music and the adventurous spirit of classic prog are natural ingredients in my songwriting, and they feel particularly at home here. There is something about our kinship with trees that is both deeply familiar and wonderfully strange: everyday encounters with something we barely understand. That sense of recognition and mystery is at the heart of this song, opening another path into the world of ‘Mið'”.
To mark the release of “Mið”, ENSLAVED will embark on a European tour in February 2027, co-headlining the trek with Icelandic post-metal outfit SÓLSTAFIR, while Norway’s GAAHLS WYRD will join the lineup as special guests.
ENSLAVED commented: “Europe! In February we are heading out on a co-headlining tour with our good friends in SÓLSTAFIR. There is a kinship here that goes beyond a shared enthusiasm for questionable weather: the belief that music should be allowed to find its own path, even when it refuses to explain where it is going. Bringing ‘Mið’ into that company, and into a room with all of you, feels very right. Making a record is one part of the adventure; discovering what happens to it when we meet you out there is another. That exchange still means everything to us. See you in the flesh!”.
Feb. 04 – DE Berlin, Festsaal
Feb. 05 – DE Leipzig, Felsenkeller
Feb. 06 – DE Hamburg, Fabrik
Feb. 07 – DK Copenhagen, Amager Bio
Feb. 08 – DE Frankfurt, Batschkapp
Feb. 09 – FR Strasbourg, La Laiterie
Feb. 11 – FR Rennes, Antipode
Feb. 12 – FR Clermont-Ferrand, La Cooperative de Mai
Feb. 13 – FR Toulouse, Le Metronum
Feb. 14 – ES Barcelona, Razzmatazz 2
Feb. 16 – FR Paris, Elysee Montmartre
Feb. 17 – UK London, Electric Ballroom
Feb. 18 – BE Liege, OM
Feb. 19 – NL Nijmegen, Doornroosje
Feb. 20 – NL Utrecht, Tivoli Pandora
Feb. 21 – DE Cologne, Live Music Hall
Feb. 23 – CH Solothurn, Kofmehl
Feb. 24 – IT Milan, Magnolia
Feb. 25 – AT Vienna, SIMM City
Feb. 26 – PL Warsaw, Progresja
Feb. 27 – CZ Brno, Fleda
“Mið” track listing:
01. Non-Being
02. I Am Ice (featuring Johan Sara Jr)
03. Solar Will
04. Mountain
05. Spirit Helper (featuring Kevin Kicking Woman)
06. Parting
07. Tales of Trees
08. I Miðju
