Enslaved
Enslaved is a metal band from Bergen, Norway. Their style has changed over … Read Full Bio ↴Enslaved is a metal band from Bergen, Norway. Their style has changed over the years. Originally being an old-school black metal/viking metal act, they now perform a slightly more experimental and progressive form of black metal which has elements of 1970's progressive rock. The name was inspired by an Immortal demo track, Enslaved in Rot.
Enslaved was formed in 1991, by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson. Joined by drummer Trym Torsson, they did their first demo in the summer of 1992. While working with the first full length, there came a call from England, resulting in the two 1993 legendary mini albums; Hordanes Land and Emperor These two mini-albums was released as a split-record "Emperor/Hordanes Land". Due to tragic circumstances, Enslaved’s debut album Vikingligr Veldi was held back until the spring of 1994. Enslaved moved their label base to French Osmose Productions, and Frost were released late in the 1994. Enslaved were now known outside the Black / Extreme circles of Northern Europe. This led to the "Winter War Europe Tour ‘95", and the first Norwegian Black / Extreme tour ever in the US, Canada and Mexico during ’95. The tours were a great success; but Trym Torson moved on to join Emperor as a drummer.
Eld was recorded with drummer Harald Helgeson in 1996, and released the year after. However, working with Harald was no permanent solution, so Dirge Rep (then Gehenna) and R. Kronheim were hired, becoming integral parts during the recording of Blodhemn (’98).
Enslaved released an important milestone in 2000 with Mardraum: Beyond the Within, which marked a turning point for the band; and sent shock waves through the Extreme Metal scene with a revolutionary experimental and innovative approach to their genre. The band kept adding fuel to the fire, and released Monumension in 2001, and again the band was shocked to see the positive response to their "no rules" approach to Extreme Metal. Gigs were still being played in Norway, Europe and the States, in front of a faithful and ever increasing audience.
After returning from the UK in March 2002, R. Kronheim had to leave the band. The band kept on working with new material, in which they now saw a synthesis between the original thesis (the "Blacker" Enslaved) and the anti-thesis forming from Mardraum onwards (the experimental, progressive and gloomier Enslaved) – Below the Lights was recorded in 2002 and released the year after, and presented the perfect blend of power, tradition, progressive elements and dark psychedelia. The process and hard work had taken its toll on drummer Dirge, and he left the band.
A new line-up were put together during and after the recording of Below the Lights, including old-timer Cato Bekkevold (Red Harvest founder), Arve Isdal (aka. Ice Dale) and Herbrand Larsen. With all the changes left behind, Enslaved reached new heights with their live performance, also adding strong visual elements in the shape of video art and more. English market leader Kerrang! rewarded their Inferno 2004 performance with a full house: 5 K!’s.
The new line-up recorded ISA during the autumn of 2004, and was released in Oct/Nov ’04 (Feb ’05 in the US). The album received raving reviews in all territories (except Finland obviously), and put Enslaved at the very forefront of contemporary Extreme Metal. A European Tour with fellow Norsemen Vreid took place in February and March 2005. The tour was rewarded with both great reviews and great turnouts. In absentia, during the tour, Enslaved also received both the Norwegian Grammy and the independent Alarm Price for ISA.
The band released the full length album Ruun in 2006, which received great critics world wide and Enslaved received the Norwegian Grammy (Metal) for the second time in a row. Ruun is an extreme progressive metal record with growl-vocals and quite different from the bands first records.
Enslaved released the album Vertebrae in 2008, which gained wide critical acclaim, including Terrorizer Magazine's album of the year and critic's choice album of the year award for 2008. Many of their techniques on the album, particularly harmonies, have been compared to Pink Floyd
Although the band now records in English, their early songs were mostly recorded in Icelandic or Old Norse, with one track on their first full-length album being performed in ancient Norwegian. Lyrics from Frost to Mardraum were mainly in their native Norwegian. Most of their lyrics relate to Norse mythology or history.
They have also recorded a collaboration with the Norwegian noise duo Fe-Mail, under the name Trinacria.
Current members:
* Ivar Bjørnson - guitar, keyboards (1991-) - (Desekrator, ex-Borknagar, ex-Phobia, Obnoxious, ex-Gorgoroth (as "Daimonion"), live session guitar for Taake)
* Grutle Kjellson - bass, vocals (1991-) - (Desekrator, ex-Phobia, guest for V:28, Insanity)
* Arve Isdal - guitar (2002-) - (Malignant Eternal, Audrey Horne, I)
* Cato Bekkevold - drums (2003-) - (Demonic, ex-Ashes to Ashes , Sirius, ex-Red Harvest, Dunkelheit)
* Hakon Vinje - keyboards, vocals (2017-)
Former members:
* Trym Torson (Kai Johnny Mosaker) - drums (1991-1995) - (Emperor, Zyklon, Imperium, Tartaros, Shadow Season, Paganize)
* Richard Kronheim - guitar (1997-2002) - (ex-Subtitles, ex-St. Satan, ex-Kliftones, ex-Desekrator)
* Per Husebø (aka. Dirge Rep) - drums (1997-2002) - (Gehenna, Orcustus, Gorgoroth, ex-122 Stab Wounds, Desspo Hallelujah, Neetzach, ex-Aura Noir, Secht)
* Harald Magnus "Rivheim" Helgeson - drums (1995-1997) - (Thundra, Zeno Morf, ex-Dwelling Souls, session for Evig Natt)
* Freddy Bolsø - drums (2003) - (ex-Blood Red Throne)
* Herbrand Larsen - keyboards, vocals (2004-2016)
* Øyvind Madsen - keyboards (live only) - (Sulphur, Vulture Industries, live for Black Hole Generator)
Discography:
Full-Length Albums:
1994 - Vikingligr Veldi
1994 - Frost
1997 - Eld
1998 - Blodhemn
2000 - Mardraum: Beyond the Within
2001 - Monumension
2003 - Below the Lights
2004 - Isa
2006 - Ruun
2008 - Vertebrae
2010 - Axioma Ethica Odini
2012 - RIITIIR
2015 - In Times
2017 - E (note that the official title of the album is actually the Elder Futhark rune ᛖ, or Ehwaz, which looks like the roman letter M, but the album title is often written as E for simplicity, including in official sources)
Demos:
1991 - Nema
1992 - Yggdrasill
Splits:
1994 - Emperor/Hordanes Land (split with Emperor)
Live albums:
2009 - Live at the Rock Hard Festival
2017 - Roadburn Live
DVDs:
Enslaved also has two DVD releases, primarily consisting of concert footage.
2003 - Live Retaliation
2005 - Return to Yggdrasill
Trivia:
* Grutle Kjellson and Cato Bekkevold are avid sport fishing enthusiasts; in fact, the two met at a related event.
* The band's song Havenless from Below the Lights was featured in the film "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey".
* The band were also reported to have appeared in an episode of the American cartoon series South Park, but this later transpired to be a practical joke at the expense of the Norwegian press.
Enslaved was formed in 1991, by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson. Joined by drummer Trym Torsson, they did their first demo in the summer of 1992. While working with the first full length, there came a call from England, resulting in the two 1993 legendary mini albums; Hordanes Land and Emperor These two mini-albums was released as a split-record "Emperor/Hordanes Land". Due to tragic circumstances, Enslaved’s debut album Vikingligr Veldi was held back until the spring of 1994. Enslaved moved their label base to French Osmose Productions, and Frost were released late in the 1994. Enslaved were now known outside the Black / Extreme circles of Northern Europe. This led to the "Winter War Europe Tour ‘95", and the first Norwegian Black / Extreme tour ever in the US, Canada and Mexico during ’95. The tours were a great success; but Trym Torson moved on to join Emperor as a drummer.
Eld was recorded with drummer Harald Helgeson in 1996, and released the year after. However, working with Harald was no permanent solution, so Dirge Rep (then Gehenna) and R. Kronheim were hired, becoming integral parts during the recording of Blodhemn (’98).
Enslaved released an important milestone in 2000 with Mardraum: Beyond the Within, which marked a turning point for the band; and sent shock waves through the Extreme Metal scene with a revolutionary experimental and innovative approach to their genre. The band kept adding fuel to the fire, and released Monumension in 2001, and again the band was shocked to see the positive response to their "no rules" approach to Extreme Metal. Gigs were still being played in Norway, Europe and the States, in front of a faithful and ever increasing audience.
After returning from the UK in March 2002, R. Kronheim had to leave the band. The band kept on working with new material, in which they now saw a synthesis between the original thesis (the "Blacker" Enslaved) and the anti-thesis forming from Mardraum onwards (the experimental, progressive and gloomier Enslaved) – Below the Lights was recorded in 2002 and released the year after, and presented the perfect blend of power, tradition, progressive elements and dark psychedelia. The process and hard work had taken its toll on drummer Dirge, and he left the band.
A new line-up were put together during and after the recording of Below the Lights, including old-timer Cato Bekkevold (Red Harvest founder), Arve Isdal (aka. Ice Dale) and Herbrand Larsen. With all the changes left behind, Enslaved reached new heights with their live performance, also adding strong visual elements in the shape of video art and more. English market leader Kerrang! rewarded their Inferno 2004 performance with a full house: 5 K!’s.
The new line-up recorded ISA during the autumn of 2004, and was released in Oct/Nov ’04 (Feb ’05 in the US). The album received raving reviews in all territories (except Finland obviously), and put Enslaved at the very forefront of contemporary Extreme Metal. A European Tour with fellow Norsemen Vreid took place in February and March 2005. The tour was rewarded with both great reviews and great turnouts. In absentia, during the tour, Enslaved also received both the Norwegian Grammy and the independent Alarm Price for ISA.
The band released the full length album Ruun in 2006, which received great critics world wide and Enslaved received the Norwegian Grammy (Metal) for the second time in a row. Ruun is an extreme progressive metal record with growl-vocals and quite different from the bands first records.
Enslaved released the album Vertebrae in 2008, which gained wide critical acclaim, including Terrorizer Magazine's album of the year and critic's choice album of the year award for 2008. Many of their techniques on the album, particularly harmonies, have been compared to Pink Floyd
Although the band now records in English, their early songs were mostly recorded in Icelandic or Old Norse, with one track on their first full-length album being performed in ancient Norwegian. Lyrics from Frost to Mardraum were mainly in their native Norwegian. Most of their lyrics relate to Norse mythology or history.
They have also recorded a collaboration with the Norwegian noise duo Fe-Mail, under the name Trinacria.
Current members:
* Ivar Bjørnson - guitar, keyboards (1991-) - (Desekrator, ex-Borknagar, ex-Phobia, Obnoxious, ex-Gorgoroth (as "Daimonion"), live session guitar for Taake)
* Grutle Kjellson - bass, vocals (1991-) - (Desekrator, ex-Phobia, guest for V:28, Insanity)
* Arve Isdal - guitar (2002-) - (Malignant Eternal, Audrey Horne, I)
* Cato Bekkevold - drums (2003-) - (Demonic, ex-Ashes to Ashes , Sirius, ex-Red Harvest, Dunkelheit)
* Hakon Vinje - keyboards, vocals (2017-)
Former members:
* Trym Torson (Kai Johnny Mosaker) - drums (1991-1995) - (Emperor, Zyklon, Imperium, Tartaros, Shadow Season, Paganize)
* Richard Kronheim - guitar (1997-2002) - (ex-Subtitles, ex-St. Satan, ex-Kliftones, ex-Desekrator)
* Per Husebø (aka. Dirge Rep) - drums (1997-2002) - (Gehenna, Orcustus, Gorgoroth, ex-122 Stab Wounds, Desspo Hallelujah, Neetzach, ex-Aura Noir, Secht)
* Harald Magnus "Rivheim" Helgeson - drums (1995-1997) - (Thundra, Zeno Morf, ex-Dwelling Souls, session for Evig Natt)
* Freddy Bolsø - drums (2003) - (ex-Blood Red Throne)
* Herbrand Larsen - keyboards, vocals (2004-2016)
* Øyvind Madsen - keyboards (live only) - (Sulphur, Vulture Industries, live for Black Hole Generator)
Discography:
Full-Length Albums:
1994 - Vikingligr Veldi
1994 - Frost
1997 - Eld
1998 - Blodhemn
2000 - Mardraum: Beyond the Within
2001 - Monumension
2003 - Below the Lights
2004 - Isa
2006 - Ruun
2008 - Vertebrae
2010 - Axioma Ethica Odini
2012 - RIITIIR
2015 - In Times
2017 - E (note that the official title of the album is actually the Elder Futhark rune ᛖ, or Ehwaz, which looks like the roman letter M, but the album title is often written as E for simplicity, including in official sources)
Demos:
1991 - Nema
1992 - Yggdrasill
Splits:
1994 - Emperor/Hordanes Land (split with Emperor)
Live albums:
2009 - Live at the Rock Hard Festival
2017 - Roadburn Live
DVDs:
Enslaved also has two DVD releases, primarily consisting of concert footage.
2003 - Live Retaliation
2005 - Return to Yggdrasill
Trivia:
* Grutle Kjellson and Cato Bekkevold are avid sport fishing enthusiasts; in fact, the two met at a related event.
* The band's song Havenless from Below the Lights was featured in the film "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey".
* The band were also reported to have appeared in an episode of the American cartoon series South Park, but this later transpired to be a practical joke at the expense of the Norwegian press.
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Enslaved Lyrics
01.As Fire Swept Clean The Earth I close my eyes As Fire Swept Clean the Earth Nothing left…
02.The Dead Stare The Juggler stares To quench the thirst Upon the brow Within…
07 Api-Vat You lie there sleeping Growing in my mind A voice from ete…
793 Strokes from oars could be heard, Beautiful ships gushed th…
793 (Slaget om Lindisfarne) Åretak hørtes, vakre langskip fosset frem Som en vind fra no…
A Darker Place Behind the walls Below the lights If you came upon a doo…
Aeges Draum På sytti og tusen favnars djup Slår ein puls jamnare Og hø…
Alfablot Bring forth your sacrifice The winter can last for long Sh…
Álfablót Bring forth your sacrifice The winter can last for long Show…
Allfadr Odinn Oðinn heitir Allfǫðr þvi at hann er faðir Allra Goða Hann he…
Allfǫðr Oðinn Oðinn heitir Allfǫðr þvi at hann er faðir allra goða han…
Alu Misyrki A broken sword Sacrifice… A step closer Golden walls… To ple…
Ansuz Astral Tekst: Ivar Bjèrnson] ANSUZ, ANSUZ! - Skipet fa fr¥ kai …
Api-vat You lie there sleeping Growing in my mind A voice from etern…
As Fire Swept Clean The I close my eyes As Fire Swept Clean the Earth Nothing left…
Ascension Staring across the void, - seeing eye to eye in…
Axioma "Mind not the worshippers of punishment, Un-growers and res…
Blodhemn (Tekst: Grutle Kjellson) Du drap min son, fjemn eg sverga…
Blood Of Kvasir A war ruled in ancient times Between the holy races, the…
Bounded By Allegiance Brought here by sorrow Raised in depths of fear Consuming s…
Brisinghamen Einsam ho gret, den vakraste av alle Fanga og låst I…
Building With Fire Facing fear, facing birth The emptiness, the void, the drea…
Center Feel nothing Oxen and primate as one Pushing what already …
Clouds In the void of chaos life endures In the gap of…
Convoys to Nothingness Faces, eyes, noise Floating patterns of no coherency, none …
Darker Place Behind the walls Below the lights If you came upon a doo…
Dauden Sognafjorden ligge mørke og blanke Møddlo viddle fjeddl Br…
Daudningekvida Som eit åpent sår Kven kunne halde ut Hvis eg fylgjer deg,…
Daylight The mind and the flesh The atom space The deity and mankin…
Death in the Eyes of Dawn The creation I can't remember Unsecure I roam in fear The …
Det Endelege Riket Det endelege blå Fremand og løfterikt I det urgamle raude …
Disintegrator Separate The frenzied infant From its mother Her bosom bleed…
Eit Auga Til Mimir (Tekst: R. Kronheim, Grutle Kjellson, Dirge Rep) Utgards …
Eld [Fire] [Lyrics by Grutle Kjellson 1996] [Music by Ivar B…
Enemy I It was here I was born While the stars held their…
Entrance I am not in there I am not taking any part…
Entroper I am the creator of true will Long have I suffered Long…
Essence The question is this By will alone Does my heart carry the…
Ethica Odini Reckless men - So righteous, so clean Towards the light -…
Fenris Forget all laws, all order and peace Chaos is everything; no…
Fire The call of the Gjallarhorn Return to the ring of our…
Fires In The Dark ór Ymis holdi var jörð of sköpuð, en ór sveita sær, björg ór…
For Lenge Siden [A Long Time Ago] [Lyrics by Grutle Kjellson 1995] [Musi…
Forsaken Forsaken Entombed in monumental self-moral Embracing the abs…
Fusion of Sense and Earth Cosmos trembled When it came to be Fusion of sense and earth…
Giants No distance, no time Endless void, absence of life Chaos d…
Glemt (Forgotten) (Lyrics and Music by Ivar Bjornson) The si…
Ground The defining sound Fangs into flesh Panic and spit Deat…
Gylfaginning Lyrics: Grutle Kjellson 1994 He wandered on fine old paths H…
Havenless "Dei for ifra nord Mot ei anna tid Bak lÃ¥g brende ord Framf…
Heimdallr Heimdall is the name of an Old Norse God; he is…
Heimvegen Det var stunder eg ikkie hugsa Korleis det sag ut her…
Heir to the Cosmic Seed Behold the great evening star As she once again gives birth…
Hiindsiight I saw a man-shape Within the bone-dome Went to ask who ’twas…
Hollow Inside Hollow inside - I didn't sleep too well last night Step…
Homebound When gold blinds I will see beyond the false torches The how…
Hordalendingen [The Man From Hordaland] [Lyrics by Grutle Kjellson 1995]…
I Lenker Til Ragnarok (Loke - del II) (##-Volusp¥) (Tekst: Grutle Kjellson) E…
In Times Dagaz! There is no end Around and further Into the dist…
Intro (Audhumla; Birth Of The Worlds)…
Isa Been standing here for ages Watching the valleys blossom and…
Isöders dronning På balkongen skuer hun og lengter Isøders Dronning Alene og …
Jotunblod Bottomless abyss, ginnungagap Darkness without end before th…
Krigaren Eg Ikkje Kjende Eg for ut i strid Då dei framande kom Eg sloss for…
Kvasirs Blod A war ruled in ancient times Between the holy races, the…
Lifandi Lif Undir Hamri Par sem fleiri stjórna Frá óveðri, snjóklæddum Fjallartoppum…
Lifandi liv undir hamri Windswept landscape, desolated mountain plateaus The Deepest…
Lightening I crossed the borders The pain won't go away For this tr…
Loke Lyrics: Grutle Kjellson 1994 Laughter echoes through the nig…
Lunar Force Farewell my brother Farewell my foe May death embrace you …
Mardraum Faal I flammar Fanga under is Mara rir evig Nightmare Fall…
Materal See her cruel beauty Hostile to the constants Ever changing …
Midgards Eldar Lurinn ltur Heimfarinn til okkur Gus ttingar Migars eldar, o…
Miðgarðs eldar Lúðurinn lætur Heimfarinn til okkur Guðs ættingar miðgarðs…
Nauthir Bleeding I kept the sounds to myself And then I saw how I…
Neogenesis Navigation by the fires of dead worlds Towards the shores of…
New Dawn In the radiant night Beneath the fertile soil In every hea…
Nidingaslakt [Tekst: Grutle Kjellson] Horna gjallar, vinden bles Trom…
Night Sight I can see through the veil Seeing all I need to Nothing…
Night-Sight I can see through the veil Seeing all I need see Nothing…
Niunda Heim Allfǫðr lifir um allar aldir ok stjornar ǫllu riki sinu ok r…
One Thousand Years Of Rain The age of the wolf is the age of the…
Ormgard Ein jotne skrik i lengsel Aesar druknar i banesår I sterke…
Ormgard II Buskapen åt hyrden Og svalt smilande i hjel Beitet fann dei …
Path to Vanir Awaiting my death Gasping for air The relief emerge The mist…
Queen of Night Across the scorched fields of fathers land In each step an…
Raidho This journey without movement Heading out for no-man's land…
Reflection Clinging to life in the reflection of the self Breathing th…
Return to Yggdrasil A new sound heard throughout the land From which the spirit…
Ridicule Swarm [Music: Ivar Peersen - Lyrics: Per Arild Husebr] Pallid it …
Riitiir Your arms, life and death Ride the chariot, the wheel of…
Roots of the Mountain Approaching life From the seeds of time Cosmic pulse Aeons o…
Ruun Have you ever seen beyond the reach? Have you ever felt…
Sacred Horse Through air Along the path I laid Saw it race by Memories i…
Sequence Genome of the secret being Residing in the shadow-half Hidde…
Sigmundskvadet Í Føroyum búðu høvdingar tveir, Tróndur og Sigmundur itu tei…
Singular Born into oblivion Without the fear -of existing all alone…
Slaget 1 Skogen Bortenfor Aaltonen päästä mut ulos!!! Aaltonen päästä mut ulos!!!! Aal…
Slaget i skogen bortenfor Strokes from oars could be heard, beautiful ships gushed thr…
Smirr He sees his world through the crystal state of departure The…
Stjerneheimen Eg helsar stova med høgsinn Der ho byr meg inn i…
Storm of Memories In the land described as the beyond In lack of better…
Storre Enn Tid The rooster fell dead in the dust Before the break of…
Suttungs Mjod 104) Jotungubben eg fann er no attende komen der få ting …
Suttungs mjød Jotungubben eg fann Er no attende komen Der få ting eg teian…
Svarte Vidder Tekst: Ivar Bjørnson 1992 Ravnane flyr, den Enøyde ser Inn I…
The Beacon To war! Let the havoc be revenged March! Against the lo…
The Cromlech Gate "Fear not dear kinsmen, cause you Savior I am. I'll bring…
The Crossing I no longer struggle No longer see Nothing remains, burning …
The Dead Stare The Juggler stares To quench the thirst Upon the brow Within…
The Sleep: Floating Diversity The battle's now past The war of all was within itself Pain…
The Sleeping Gods Vekk dei frende: Slepp dei fram Vekk dei opp fra skoddeheime…
The Voice I hear their poisonous words again As they call out for…
The Watcher Darkness... Fear... Life... Cold... Left alone with no…
Thoughts Like Hammers Celestial buried mind resting Resting without peace still Do…
Thurisaz Dreaming Circling high above the earth Drew a letter; thought a spea…
Tides of Chaos I've got this twisted core I've got this noose around my…
To the Coast To the coast, but not across Static sanctuary Longing fo…
Urtical Gods [Lyrics: Dirge Rep] Activate the aggression that exposes …
Veilburner Finding the truth doesn’t mean there’s an answer Who would h…
Vertebrae "Abandoning the powers that gave them sight Summoned to the…
Vetrarnótt A dark, chilling winters night Unsilently awoken by song and…
Violet Dawning I am part of the darkness Used to watch from afar Sensing…
Violet Drawning I am a part of the darkness Used to watch from…
Vision: Sphere of the Elements Betrayed by disillusion Enslaved by insanity Enslaved by com…
Waruun See them as they rise From ancient sands - constructs They…
What Else Is There It was me on that road But you couldn't see me Too…
Wotan Naked, waste landscape Vast plains lead to the seashore in t…
Yggdrasil Lyrics: From Nàvamàl I know that I hung In the windcold tree…
Æges Draum Seventy and thousand feet below A pulse is beating more even…