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.

Blood Of Kvasir
Enslaved Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

A war ruled in ancient times
Between the holy races, the vanirs and the Ases
When peace came, the deities united
>From a bowl filled with spit rose Kvasir
"Wise he becomes, he drinks the holy mead,
the blood of Kvasir, but not he who drinks
from the spilled mead that dripped
from the falcon"

Kvasir the father of poets
by dwarfhands he died
>From the blood of Kvasir they made the meads of poets, the
holy drink
Fjalar and Galar once murdered Gilling the Giant, the father
of Suttung
Enraged, Suttung demanded justice to be fulfilled
The blood of Kvasir became the mead of Suttung
Grimne flew out from Valhalla
In the shape of the falcon
To the Home of Giants and to Nitberg
Bauge was deceived, and Gunnlod betrayed
Out from Nitberg the falcon flew
Finally Kvasir should return to Asgard
But, when the mead disappeared, Suttung became furious
Out, in the shape of the eagle he followed
Sadly, Grimne had to spill from his valuable treasure
Which led to the making of the false poets
The falcon flew home to his domains

And Sutting flew into the flames of Tjalve
Music by Ivar Bjørnson & Grutle Kjellson 1996

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Enslaved's song "Blood of Kvasir" tell the story of an ancient war between two holy races, the vanirs and the Ases, which was eventually resolved by the creation of a wise man named Kvasir. Kvasir was created from a bowl of spit and became known for his wisdom and intelligence. He discovered a drink that could make others as wise as he was, by mixing his own blood with mead. However, only those who drank the right mead, made from Kvasir's blood, could become wise - those who drank from the wrong bowl became false poets.

Later in the song, we hear the story of how Suttung, a giant whose father was murdered, demanded justice in the form of the mead of poets. This mead was made from the blood of Kvasir and had been stolen by two dwarves, Fjalar and Galar. Suttung eventually got his hands on the mead and Grimne, a god, had to trick Suttung in order to bring the mead back to Asgard. Ultimately, this resulted in the creation of false poets, who drank from the wrong mead and did not possess the same level of wisdom as those who drank from Kvasir's blood.

The story of "Blood of Kvasir" is rooted in Norse mythology and represents the importance of wisdom and intelligence in the culture of the time. Through the discovery of the mead of poets, Kvasir is seen as a symbol of knowledge that can be obtained through sacrifice- in this case, the mixing of blood with mead.

Line by Line Meaning

A war ruled in ancient times
There was a war in ancient times

Between the holy races, the vanirs and the Ases
The war was between the vanirs and the Ases who are holy races

When peace came, the deities united
The deities united when peace was established

>From a bowl filled with spit rose Kvasir
Kvasir was created from a bowl filled with spit

"Wise he becomes, he drinks the holy mead, the blood of Kvasir, but not he who drinks from the spilled mead that dripped from the falcon"
Drinking the holy mead from Kvasir's blood makes one wise, but the spilled mead from the falcon does not have the same effect

Kvasir the father of poets by dwarfhands he died
Kvasir, who was the father of poets, was killed by dwarves

>From the blood of Kvasir they made the meads of poets, the holy drink
The mead of poets, which is a holy drink, was made from Kvasir's blood

Fjalar and Galar once murdered Gilling the Giant, the father of Suttung
Fjalar and Galar killed Gilling the Giant, who was Suttung's father

Enraged, Suttung demanded justice to be fulfilled
Suttung was angry and demanded justice

The blood of Kvasir became the mead of Suttung
Kvasir's blood was used to make Suttung's mead

Grimne flew out from Valhalla In the shape of the falcon To the Home of Giants and to Nitberg
Grimne, in the form of a falcon, flew from Valhalla to the Home of Giants and to Nitberg

Bauge was deceived, and Gunnlod betrayed Out from Nitberg the falcon flew
Bauge was tricked and Gunnlod was unfaithful, and so the falcon flew out from Nitberg

Finally Kvasir should return to Asgard But, when the mead disappeared, Suttung became furious Out, in the shape of the eagle he followed
Kvasir was supposed to return to Asgard, but when the mead disappeared, Suttung became angry and followed the falcon in the form of an eagle

Sadly, Grimne had to spill from his valuable treasure Which led to the making of the false poets
Unfortunately, Grimne had to give away some of his valuable treasure, which resulted in the creation of false poets

The falcon flew home to his domains And Sutting flew into the flames of Tjalve
The falcon returned home, while Suttung flew into the flames of Tjalve

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS