Enslaved - Monumension

Monumension, released in 2001, is widely regarded as the album where Enslaved introduced prominent progressive rock elements into their Viking black metal sound. It features more experimental song structures and psychedelic influences than their earlier, more straightforward black metal releases.

Monumension was released by French label Osmose Productions, which handled several of Enslaved's albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The band later moved to other labels including Nuclear Blast for subsequent releases.

Monumension is seen as the bridge between Enslaved's early raw black metal period and the fully realized progressive metal era that followed on albums like Below the Lights (2003). It contains both aggressive black metal passages and experimental, atmospheric sections that point toward their future direction.

Monumension features lyrics rooted in Norse mythology and esoteric themes, continuing Enslaved's longstanding interest in Viking-age subjects. The album also introduced more introspective and experimental lyrical directions compared to the band's earlier work.