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.

Enemy I
Enslaved Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It was here I was born
While the stars held their breaths
After ages of pseudo-presence

I climbed the final steps
Up from deep beneath the shores
Eieth no longer sleeping gal

Thus alive and the stillness
Only to be broken by whispers
Towards the moon

Bloodred from the Unborn Ones cries
That will not be silenced or rest
Forever more and awaken not

To paint in blanks or wither
Beauty blinding no more
Than the whole is less now

We see clearly what was not there
The prey become predator
Slaughtering not raging blindly

Through tunnels of sorrow and lust
For solitude and peace of mind
Says it is time to unmask and face

Behind lines - that is Enemy I

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Enslaved's song "Enemy I" are open to interpretation, but they seem to describe a protagonist who is reborn after an indefinite period of time. The first stanza suggests that the singer has been "pseudo-present" for ages, possibly alluding to some kind of state of limbo or purgatory. The second stanza contains the imagery of climbing out of the deep oceanic depths, possibly symbolizing a personal journey towards the surface or enlightenment. The phrase "Eieth no longer sleeping gal" is difficult to decipher, but it could be referencing a mythical entity or a place of power.

The third stanza turns ominous as the singer is disturbed by whispers towards the moon. This transition is marked by the phrase "Bloodred from the Unborn Ones cries", which suggests that the singer's awakening has not come without pain. The "Unborn Ones" could refer to the unborn aspects of the self that have been silenced or forgotten. The phrase "To paint in blanks or wither / Beauty blinding no more / Than the whole is less now" seems to suggest that the singer has become disillusioned with the world or with their own idealism.

The final stanza introduces the idea of the Enemy I, which could be interpreted as the self that the singer must defeat in order to find peace or enlightenment. The language here becomes more aggressive as the singer becomes the "predator" of their own weaknesses. The final line "Behind lines - that is Enemy I" could refer to the walls or defenses that the singer has constructed within themselves as their greatest foe.

Line by Line Meaning

It was here I was born
This is where my journey began

While the stars held their breaths
At a time of great significance

After ages of pseudo-presence
After years of false existence

I climbed the final steps
I rose to the top

Up from deep beneath the shores
From the depths of the ocean

Eieth no longer sleeping gal
A place that has awakened

Thus alive and the stillness
Breathing new life into the silence

Only to be broken by whispers
Disturbed by subtle sounds

Towards the moon
Reaching for something greater

Bloodred from the Unborn Ones cries
Stained with the screams never heard

That will not be silenced or rest
Forever echoing in the night