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.
Allfadr Odinn
Enslaved Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
þvi at hann er faðir
Allra
Goða
Hann heitir (ok) Valfǫðr
þvi at hans oskasynir
Eru
Allir
Ok
Vingolf
Ok heita þeir þa
Einherjar en Frigg er
Kona
Hans
Ok veit hon orlǫg
Manna hon a þann
Bæ
Er
Fansalir heita þorr
(Er) sterkastr allra goða
Ok
Manna
Hann a þar riki er
Pruðvanga heita en hǫll hans
Heitir
Bilskirnir
Kona hans er Sif hon var
Allra kvenna fegrst
Har
Hennar
Var sem gull
The lyrics to Enslaved's song Allfaðr Oðinn have a very mythological tone to them. The song is about the Norse god Odin, who is known by many names, but the two most important ones are Allfǫðr and Valfǫðr. The former name means "father of all," because Odin is considered the father of all gods. The latter name means "chooser of the slain," because Odin chooses who will die in battle and be taken to Valhalla, the afterlife paradise reserved for warriors who die in battle.
The song talks about how Odin rules over all the gods and how he has two halls, Vingolf and Vallhǫll, where the warriors who die in battle are taken. These warriors are called Einherjar, and they fight and feast in Valhalla until the final battle of Ragnarok. The lyrics also mention Frigg, Odin's wife, who knows the fate of all humans and lives in a hall called Bæ.
Finally, the lyrics mention Thor, the strongest of all gods and the one who rules over mankind. Thor's hall is called Fansalir, and his kingdom is called Prudvanga. Odin's hall is called Bilskirnir, and his wife is named Sif, who is considered the most beautiful of all women and whose hair is said to be made of gold.
Overall, the song is a tribute to the power and mythology of Odin, and it celebrates the Norse belief in the afterlife and the warrior's code.
Line by Line Meaning
Oðinn heitir Allfǫðr
Odin is called Allfather
þvi at hann er faðir
Because he is the father
Allra
Of all
Goða
Gods
Hann heitir (ok) Valfǫðr
He is also called Valfather
þvi at hans oskasynir
Because his desired sons
Eru
Are
Allir
All
þeim skipar hann vallhǫll
For them he prepares Valhalla
Ok
And
Vingolf
Vingolf
Ok heita þeir þa
And they are called
Einherjar en Frigg er
Einherjar, and Frigg is
Kona
His wife
Hans
She
Ok veit hon orlǫg
She knows fate
Manna hon a þann
She has power over that
Bæ
Dwelling
Er
Is
Fansalir heita þorr
The hall is called Fansalir
(Er) sterkastr allra goða
It is the strongest of all the gods
Ok
And
Manna
Of men
Hann a þar riki er
He rules where
Pruðvanga heita en hǫll hans
The hall of his pride is called Prudvangr
Heitir
Is called
Bilskirnir
Bilskirnir
Kona hans er Sif hon var
His wife is Sif, who was
Allra kvenna fegrst
The most beautiful of all women
Har
Her
Hennar
Hair
Var sem gull
Was like gold
Writer(s): Peersen Ivar S
Contributed by Jason M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.