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.
Blodhemn
Enslaved Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Du drap min son, fjemn eg svergar
Du èydela min veg, og fred med mitt folk
Du sverta mitt namn, dei trudde deg
D trudde min lagnad var spott og spe
Du trudde eg med mitt banes¥r dèydde
Du trudde lyset var din ven,
at du av dt var komen
Du trudde ale ville lystra ddeg
og glèyme valfaders g¥ver
Du glèymde din far sine vise ord
om svik, lagnad og dèd.
Du glèymde di plikt
som ein kjempande mann
og drap din bror i sveven.
Du trudde tid l¦kjar s¥ª
ä¥ ì襥 餫 ë«£¤¤ã ¥è¤¯®ã é¯ ¨ãî
‚£ ¯¤èymde meg og mi heilage plikt,
eg skal drepa eg i vrede.
Blodhemn eg svergar,
Blodhemn har eg alltid sverga.
(Musikk: Ivar Bjèrnson & R. Kronheim)
(English translation: VENGEANCE IN BLOOD)
(Lyrics: Grutle Kjellson)
You killed my son, I am swearing revenge
You destroyd my path, and truce with my peaople
You blackended my name, they believed you
You saw my destiny as mockery
You was me dying with my fatal wound
You thought I would never rise
You thought the light was your friend,
That you sprung from it
You thought everyone would obey your words
And forget the gifts of Valfather.
You forgot your father's wise words
of betrayal, destiny and death
You forgot your duty as a man of strife,
and killed your brother sleeping
You thought time would heal the wounds,
that my people would forgive and pray
You forgot about me and my holy duty
I will kill you with anger
Vengeance in blood I swear
Vengeance in blood I have always sworn
(Music: Ivar Bjèrnson, R. Kronheim)
The song "Blodhemn" by Enslaved speaks of the concept of vengeance in blood. The lyrics are written in Norwegian but have been translated to English for wider understanding. The song explicitly describes the tale of a man's vengeance for his son's death, his ravaged path, and the truce with his people. The perpetrator blackened the singer's name, and the people went ahead and believed the perpetrator's narrative. There is an extreme level of betrayal and loyalty that the song portrays. The act of brother killing brother also shows the level of conflict and discord that the singer is facing.
The song's lyrics reminisce the mythological tales of Norse Gods and their devious and treacherous acts. The singer's deep sense of loyalty highlights that his actions are justified, and he must take revenge for the death of his son. The song is heavily influenced by Viking culture and presents a predominantly darker exploration of the concept of vengeance. The overall tone of the song is dark and heavy, with distorted guitars and tight drums adding to the mood.
Line by Line Meaning
You killed my son, I am swearing revenge
The singer's son was killed by the person addressed in the song, and he is vowing to take revenge.
You destroyd my path, and truce with my peaople
The person addressed in the song ruined the singer's progress and peace treaty with his people.
You blackended my name, they believed you
The person addressed in the song spread lies about the singer, causing people to believe them.
You saw my destiny as mockery
The person addressed in the song viewed the singer's fate with disdain and mockery.
You was me dying with my fatal wound
The person addressed in the song believed that the singer would die from his mortal wound.
You thought I would never rise
The person addressed in the song believed that the singer would never recover from his defeat.
You thought the light was your friend, That you sprung from it
The person addressed in the song believed that he was derived from the light, and that it was always on his side.
You thought everyone would obey your words And forget the gifts of Valfather.
The person addressed in the song believed that people would blindly follow his commands and forget the blessings given to them by Valfather.
You forgot your father's wise words of betrayal, destiny and death
The person addressed in the song ignored the important lessons his father taught him regarding betrayal, fate, and demise.
You forgot your duty as a man of strife, and killed your brother sleeping
The person addressed in the song abandoned his responsibility as a warrior and betrayed his brother by murdering him in his sleep.
You thought time would heal the wounds, that my people would forgive and pray
The person addressed in the song believed that eventually, the people affected by his actions would forgive him and move on.
You forgot about me and my holy duty, I will kill you with anger
The person addressed in the song disregarded the singer's divine obligation to exact revenge, so he is threatening to kill him out of anger.
Vengeance in blood I swear
The singer is vowing to seek revenge through bloodshed.
Vengeance in blood I have always sworn
The singer has always promised to seek revenge through violent means.
Contributed by Samantha S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Epitaphforyesterday
This band never had a problem with the musicality, songwriting.
Considering that, I love how direct and sonically violent this album is/going for the jugular.
Lucifer Rising
Best album cover ever.
One of the best bands ever.
One of the best metal albums ever
RapiDEraZeR
The cover reminds me of Faith + 1.
Sumpfkrebs
@RapiDEraZeR Yeah, me too!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂
Toshiro Mifune
Eld had a much better cover mate.
Satan's Child
Amazing album and this band still goes strong.
Death's Cold Wind Official
Uno de los más grandes clásicos de los 90's!!!
Antti Silvast
Golden age of black metal
L.I.V.V
Golden age of "Viking" Black Metal ;)
beto
When it became interesting.