Enslaved continue exploring the possibilities of their black-metal-turning-prog sound, at times getting even more diverse and colorful. Major key melodies are too cheerful for most extreme metal, but Enslaved make them work stunningly on "Storm Son." That's just the first surprise in store. (Expect sax later on!) Enslaved make complex, artful extreme metal that does much of what we loved about old Opeth, but in a way totally their own. 'E' finds the band tweaking and experimenting just enough to keep things interesting. One complaint--the odd riff that is just a bit too conventional. Still, a strong, engaging and adventurous album.