8 tracks. 196 segments. One of atmospheric doom metal's most compelling returns — broken down to its harmonic DNA.
Enshine is a band I discovered late in my metal days, but damn are they anything but a one-hit wonder on my playlist.
It was the summer of 2016 and I was on the road for a three-hour trip to Boston for a work conference. I distinctly remember waiting as the gas pump finished its job — I opened up my Bandcamp app and discovered Enshine as a recommended artist after a recent purchase of a friend's metal album. Their album Singularity was featured, released a year prior, and that big spiraling galaxy caught my attention immediately. No more than a few minutes later, I was launched on a sonic journey deep into that same starry mass for the next hour, as I traversed the rainy roadways of I-95. The opening track, Dual Existence, hit with a wall of stunning layered tracks that washed over me in doomy, moody waves. When the album was over, I craved more. Origins was next on the list — their 2013 release carried the same hypnotic pull but a different sonic journey altogether. Immersed, the least-metal track on the entire album, kicked on right as I was sinking into the tunnel systems of downtown Boston, the moody synth percussion and deep bass ringing in my car as the tunnel lights wiped through the rain-soaked windows.
Enshine holds a special place in my heart. It's one of the reasons why I wanted to spotlight them in this week's Weekly Parse. It's now nearly ten years since I made that journey from NY to Boston, and the Swedish/French duo's latest release, Elevation, has been on heavy rotation since its release at the beginning of the year.
In January, Jari and Sebastian graced us with their doom presence and returned to form after a long hiatus from their Enshine work. After years of pursuing their various solo projects, it feels like both returned to the studio reenergized and as a result have delivered a sensational album that cruises from first to eighth track with barely a stutter. Shimmering begins with excellent harmonies, high leads supported by a tight bass line and percussion that is in the pocket, wrapping up with a beautiful sonic solo that pierces through the latter half of the song. Heartbliss continues the melancholy journey, sprinkled with a delicate keyboard melody over Sebastian's powerful and emotional growls. Another great solo on this track, as well. Other standouts on the album include Distant Glow and Soar to Fall, both featured below in our Leyline analysis — the first being a bit of a departure compositionally from the traditional doom metal groove but fitting comfortably into the mold towards its later half. Soar to Fall dominates in doomy tones and incredibly tight leads from Jari that hide intricately inside the layered rhythms.
All in all, an excellent return by one of my favorite bands of the last decade. I hope they continue to bless us with more gloomy, well-orchestrated, atmospheric sonic landscapes for many years to come! Check this album out if you have not had the chance to and give them some love on socials — these guys deserve a ton of recognition.
Shimmering, Distant Glow, and Soar to Fall are the standout tracks for this release.