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.

Gylfaginning
Enslaved Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lyrics: Grutle Kjellson 1994
He wandered on fine old paths
He wandered alone high ridges
He wandered towards the heart of
Midgard
He wandered until he saw a mountain
Over a bridge wet with drew he walked
Through the golden gate of Asgard

He saw the vigorous gardens of gods
Crowned around the Father of All's High
Castle
"O'Father of All, I Ganglere ask:
How have we all come to existence and
Where do we end?
Answer, O'High, even High and Third
What
Is mankind and the Race of Gods faith?"
Gylfaginning, deception for he who was
Wrongly taught, but
Not for the one who knows

Gylfaginning, Grimnes' revelation.
Music: Ivar Bjørnson 1994

Overall Meaning

Enslaved's Gylfaginning is a song that tells the story of a wanderer who is on a quest for knowledge. He walks on old and fine paths, towards the heart of Midgard, until he sees a mountain. To get to the mountain, he crosses a bridge wet with dew and walks through the golden gate of Asgard. There, he sees the beautiful vigorous gardens of the gods, crowned around the Father of All's High Castle. He then proceeds to ask the Father of All, known as Ganglere, how humanity and the race of gods came to existence and where they end. The wanderer requests an answer from the High Father, even High and Third, which is a representation of the highest possible answer he could receive.

The title of the song, Gylfaginning, refers to a book within the Prose Edda, written by the Icelandic scholar and historian, Snorri Sturluson. The book serves as a guide to understanding Norse mythology, and the term "Gylfaginning" translates to "the tricking of Gylfi," who was a king that wanted to learn about the gods of Asgard. The lyrics suggest that although some may see the book as deception, those who know the truth will understand that it is actually Grimnes' revelation.

Line by Line Meaning

He wandered on fine old paths
He walked on well-trodden ancient routes

He wandered alone high ridges
He climbed alone to great heights

He wandered towards the heart of Midgard
He journeyed towards the center of the world

He wandered until he saw a mountain
He traveled until he spotted a peak

Over a bridge wet with drew he walked
He crossed a moist bridge while walking

Through the golden gate of Asgard
He entered Asgard through its magnificent portal

He saw the vigorous gardens of gods
He beheld the lively gardens of divine beings

Crowned around the Father of All's High Castle
Placed around the King of All's lofty fortress

"O'Father of All, I Ganglere ask:
"Oh Father of All, I Ganglere inquire:

How have we all come to existence and
How did we all come to be and

Where do we end?
Where is our final destination?