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.
Clouds
Enslaved Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the gap of creation, the ancient wisdom breathes
Inheritance of fire
Inheritance of frost
Yet it lay there weeping
Afraid to see the light
Inheritance of frost
No one comes to unveil
No one finds the key
Inheritance of fire
Inheritance of frost
Grasp the mighty chaos
Grasp the ancient birth
"Seek deep within, feel the flames
Into the void, never to return
Seek deep within, fertilize
Into the void, rise"
Struggling against the fumes
Poisoning the hearts
Fighting the chains, to penetrate the clouds
Pulsating life in the ancient womb
Encapsulated in forces of old
Waiting to hear the call
To witness the cosmic marriage
Willing to blow; to blow the mocking clouds away
The first two lines of Enslaved's song Clouds set the tone for the rest of the lyrics. In the void of chaos, life endures, while in the gap of creation, ancient wisdom breathes. These lyrics suggest that life exists in disorder and chaos, and that within chaos lies the potential for something greater. The next few stanzas discuss an inheritance - of fire, of frost - but also the fear that comes with it. It is waiting to be discovered, reflected in the lines "no one comes to unveil, no one finds the key." The lyrics suggest that someone has to take the risk of unlocking this inheritance, but no one has yet been brave enough to take that step.
The song then transitions into a call to action - "grasp the mighty chaos, grasp the ancient birth." This seems to suggest that the potential promised by the inheritance can only be realized by embracing and understanding chaos. The lyrics continue with a set of instructions - "seek deep within, feel the flames, into the void, never to return; seek deep within, fertilize, into the void, rise." Again, these lyrics are about taking risks, exploring the unknown, and embracing chaos.
The final stanza is about overcoming obstacles - "struggling against the fumes, poisoning the hearts, fighting the chains, to penetrate the clouds." These lines suggest that the forces of chaos are not easy to understand or control and require effort, focus, and commitment. Ultimately, the song is about the potential for greatness that lies within chaos, but also the challenges and risks associated with unlocking that potential.
Line by Line Meaning
In the void of chaos life endures
Life exists amidst the chaos
In the gap of creation, the ancient wisdom breathes
Wisdom exists in the place between creation
Inheritance of fire
Possessing the power of fire from the past
Inheritance of frost
Possessing the power of frost from the past
Yet it lay there weeping
The power lay there unused and mournful
Afraid to see the light
Fearful of exposing the power to the world
No one comes to unveil
No one has come to uncover the power
No one finds the key
No one has discovered how to unlock the power
Grasp the mighty chaos
Embrace the overwhelming chaos
Grasp the ancient birth
Embrace the ancient power
Seek deep within, feel the flames
Search internally and embrace the fire within
Into the void, never to return
Enter the unknown with no intention of turning back
Seek deep within, fertilize
Search internally and nurture the power within
Into the void, rise
Rise to the challenge of the unknown
Struggling against the fumes
Fighting against the suffocating barriers
Poisoning the hearts
Corrupting the very essence of humanity
Fighting the chains, to penetrate the clouds
Breaking free from limitations to reach greater heights
Pulsating life in the ancient womb
Breathing life into the old power
Encapsulated in forces of old
Trapped within the old powers
Waiting to hear the call
Eagerly waiting for the moment of revelation
To witness the cosmic marriage
To observe the union of cosmic powers
Willing to blow; to blow the mocking clouds away
Ready to take action and remove hindrances to accessing power
Contributed by Liam A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lott Tepo
Esnlaved - Clouds
In the void of chaos
Life endures
In the gap of creation
The ancient wisdom breathes
Inheritance of fire
Inheritance of frost
Yet it lay there weeping
Afraid to see the light
Inheritance of fire
Inheritance of frost
No one comes to unveil
No one finds the key
Inheritance of fire
Inheritance of frost
Grasp the mighty chaos
Grasp the ancient birth
"(Seek deep within) - Feel the flames
(Into the void) - Never to return
(Seek deep within) - Fertilize
(Into the void) - Rise"
Struggling against the fumes
Poisoning the hearts
Fighting the chains to penetrate the clouds
Pulsating life in the ancient womb
Encapsulated in forces of old
Waiting to hear the call
To witness the cosmic marriage
Willing to blow the mocking clouds away.
Dave K
Once this band catches you in the spell...your caught in a dreamstate. Excellent rhythms that drive you on and on. Thanx for enlightening our souls. To Valhalla!
Rusty Shackleford
Enslaved are one of those rare bands that, while changing their style tons over their career, remain just as, if not even more, compelling as they were when they began, which is more than we can say for 'the greats' (Iron Maiden, Metallica et al). Long may they Ruun ;)
MickVon6
One of the best songs they made ever, I think. It just has it all!
Lott Tepo
Esnlaved - Clouds
In the void of chaos
Life endures
In the gap of creation
The ancient wisdom breathes
Inheritance of fire
Inheritance of frost
Yet it lay there weeping
Afraid to see the light
Inheritance of fire
Inheritance of frost
No one comes to unveil
No one finds the key
Inheritance of fire
Inheritance of frost
Grasp the mighty chaos
Grasp the ancient birth
"(Seek deep within) - Feel the flames
(Into the void) - Never to return
(Seek deep within) - Fertilize
(Into the void) - Rise"
Struggling against the fumes
Poisoning the hearts
Fighting the chains to penetrate the clouds
Pulsating life in the ancient womb
Encapsulated in forces of old
Waiting to hear the call
To witness the cosmic marriage
Willing to blow the mocking clouds away.
Hrimthur666
This band progresses constantly, without losing their spirit. I love Enslaved! Old stuff, new stuff, everything! Nowadays many bands say "we try to progress..." Those just try to reach the masses, and lose their origine. Enslaved is different. An honest, strong band, intelligent and sharp mindet! And live they blast your mind away :D
johnnnyh
Absolutely the best album by Enslaved. I never grow tired of this! 10/10
Samuel Easley
I have always thought of them as the Pink Floyd of Black Metal, glad I'm not the only one to make a connection like that.
Filthgrinder 666
I've never been able to get into Enslaved, but this song has me hooked!
neilnegus1
Beautiful. Remember when this album coming out and shocked to what I heard but still bliss
aarongtr180
Best song on the album IMO.