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.
Dauden
Enslaved Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Møddlo viddle fjeddl
Braott so lyse so lyse fjorden opp
Frao himmedl høyre ein tordenskreddl
Eit dimt lys so bli klarare mot land
Lyset vise veg
Pao gravferdsdagen e da dar baoten vi sigla
Dao e da likferd
Feigdaklokkene kime, dao veit ein ke so venta
Dauden e komen, kem e da han ska henta?
Lagnadstundi e komen, dauden ha sendt bod
No ska livet enda, no e da tid for sorg
Uglao site å remje pao take
Dao veit ein da ekje noken veg tebake
Feigdi ha varsla at ho inkån skal henta
Eg veit kem, men lyte berre venta
Dinna dagen so addle frykta
Frao dinna dagen kan ingen flykta
Ao jord e ein komen te jord skal ein bli
Kroppen e daue, men sjeli e fri
Dagen dan e komenm da e dommedagen min
Livet mitt ha enda, eg ha visna inn
Eg kjempa ti eg daua, men kampen blei for hard
No e mi tid ute, eg ha faddle i dag
Feigdaklokkene kime, dao veit ein ke so venta
Dauden e komen, da e meg han ska henta
The above lyrics are from the Norwegian black metal band Enslaved's song "Dauden" which translates to "Death" in English. The song is a haunting proclamation of impending death and the inevitability of mortality. The lyrics describe the Sognafjorden, a fjord in Norway, as dark and still, until lightning strikes and illuminates the surroundings. The light guides the way towards a funeral procession, a somber event for which a boat sails towards the burial site, accompanied by the toll of church bells.
The song also speaks to the idea of fate and destiny, with the concept of "Feigdaklokkene", or "death bells", ringing out and signaling the end of one's life. The lyrics speak of the acceptance of death, as the singer acknowledges the end of their life and the impending arrival of death. The song's emotional impact is amplified by the contrast between the slow, atmospheric passages and the faster, more aggressive black metal sections.
Overall, "Dauden" is a powerful and introspective exploration of death and the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Sognafjorden ligge mørke og blanke
The dark and still Sognafjorden lies before me
Møddlo viddle fjeddl
The quiet water reflects the sky
Braott so lyse so lyse fjorden opp
Suddenly, lightning illuminates the fjord
Frao himmedl høyre ein tordenskreddl
Thunder echoes from the heavens
Eit dimt lys so bli klarare mot land
A dim light grows brighter towards the shore
Lyset vise veg
The light shows the way
Pao gravferdsdagen e da dar baoten vi sigla
On the day of the funeral, we sail in the boat
Dao e da likferd
This is the funeral procession
Feigdaklokkene kime, dao veit ein ke so venta
The death bells toll, signaling the arrival of death
Dauden e komen, kem e da han ska henta?
Death has arrived, who will he take?
Lagnadstundi e kommen, dauden ha sendt bod
The appointed time has come, death has delivered his message
No ska livet enda, no e da tid for sorg
Life is ending, and it is a time for mourning
Uglao site å remje pao take
The owls hoot on the roof
Dao veit ein da ekje noken veg tebake
There is no way back
Feigdi ha varsla at ho inkån skal henta
Death has announced that he will take someone
Eg veit kem, men lyte berre venta
I know who, but I must wait
Dinna dagen so addle frykta
The feared day has arrived
Frao dinna dagen kan ingen flykta
From this day, there is no escape
Ao jord e ein komen te jord skal ein bli
From the earth we came, to the earth we will return
Kroppen e daue, men sjeli e fri
The body is dead, but the soul is free
Dagen dan e komenm da e dommedagen min
My doomsday has arrived
Livet mitt ha enda, eg ha visna inn
My life has ended, I have withered away
Eg kjempa ti eg daua, men kampen blei for hard
I fought until death, but the battle was too difficult
No e mi tid ute, eg ha faddle i dag
My time has run out, I have passed away today
Feigdaklokkene kime, dao veit ein ke so venta
The death bells toll, signaling the arrival of death
Dauden e komen, da e meg han ska henta
Death has arrived, and he is coming for me
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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