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.
Heimvegen
Enslaved Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Korleis det sag ut her inne
Stemmene mine snakka ikkie same sprak
Som Ƃøkene er skrevne pa
Eg drøymide da framleis i fargar
Men Ƃrutne av ei anna sol
Ƃlodet og auget auget og Ƃlodet
Om ein skulle teikne eit kart
Som syna vegen
Matte ein valgt fra kvar
Minna sprang ut
Den rastlause ser augneƂlikk
Skrika overdøyver tida
Den tause ser ei levetid
Ein del og det heile
Heimvegen
Soga om no
Heimvegen
Attende til attende
Heimvegen
Soga om no
Heimvegen
Attende til attende
Ein la ut, men visste ikke
At det var ei reise
Longt fra heimen
I take, regn og storm
Da ein tone steig fra det indre
Vart ein Ƃratt vakne
Men trengde ikke snu
Haldt fram, haldt oppe
At det som har vore er evig
Er løgnas eiga løgn
Orda kann endras sa lenge
Minna er til
Me veit sa mykie meir no
Tapa er Ƃal pa hogdene
Der me kryssa over
Pa vegen heim
Der me kryssa over
Pa vegen heim
Heimvegen
Soga om no
Heimvegen
Attende til attende
Heimvegen
Soga om no
Heimvegen
Attende til attende
Heimvegen
Soga om no
Heimvegen
Attende til attende
Heimvegen
Soga om no
Heimvegen
Attende til attende
The lyrics in Enslaved's song "Heimvegen" speak of memories and the longing for one's home. The singer remembers moments that they cannot forget and struggles to describe them accurately - their memories speak a different language than the books they are written in. The singer dreams of colors, but they are faded by a different sun, which makes them remember their past differently. Yet, the memories they hold within them are still vivid - blood and eyes burning, as if they are trying to draw a map that shows the way home.
The singer talks about being on a journey, presumably away from home, where they encounter difficult weather conditions, yet they continue onward. They hear a sound from within them that awakens them to the realization that what once was cannot be eternal. Words may change, but memories remain. The singer reflects on how much more they now know and how much they have lost along the way, referring to their losses as casualties of war. Eventually, they cross over back to the road toward their home.
The song is a powerful depiction of the inner journey we all take to reconcile ourselves with our past and to find our way back to where we truly belong. It speaks of the struggle to hold onto the memories that make us who we are, despite their fading and changing nature in our minds.
Line by Line Meaning
Det var stunder eg ikkie hugsa
There were moments I don't remember
Korleis det sag ut her inne
What it looked like in here
Stemmene mine snakka ikkie same sprak
My voices didn't speak the same language
Som Ƃøkene er skrevne pa
As the books are written
Eg drøymide da framleis i fargar
I still dreamed in colors
Men Ƃrutne av ei anna sol
But broken by another sun
I meg rann og Ƃrann det
In me it flowed and burned
Ƃlodet og auget auget og Ƃlodet
Blood and eyes, eyes and blood
Om ein skulle teikne eit kart
If one were to draw a map
Som syna vegen
That showed the way
Matte ein valgt fra kvar
One would have to choose from each
Minna sprang ut
Memories sprang out
Den rastlause ser augneƂlikk
The restless sees moments
Skrika overdøyver tida
Screams drown out time
Den tause ser ei levetid
The silent sees a lifetime
Ein del og det heile
A part and the whole
Heimvegen
The way home
Soga om no
The story of now
Attende til attende
Back to back
Ein la ut, men visste ikke
One set out, but didn't know
At det var ei reise
That it was a journey
Longt fra heimen
Far from home
I take, regn og storm
In snow, rain, and storm
Da ein tone steig fra det indre
When a tone rose from within
Vart ein Ƃratt vakne
One was suddenly awake
Men trengde ikke snu
But didn't need to turn back
Haldt fram, haldt oppe
Kept going, kept up
At det som har vore er evig
That what has been is everlasting
Er løgnas eiga løgn
Is a lie's own lie
Orda kann endras sa lenge
Words can change as long
Minna er til
Memories persist
Me veit sa mykie meir no
We know so much more now
Tapa er Ƃal pa hogdene
Loss is paid on the hills
Der me kryssa over
Where we crossed over
Pa vegen heim
On the way home
Contributed by Isaiah W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sankhara
I would be happy just about this part 1. But we're getting 12 of these? This is like Christmas! <3
Thanks for producing this, for adding English subs (please continue to do so) & all hail Enslaved!
TV Haugaland
Glad you like it!
BigMuff75
Its actually 12 christmasses at once. Highly appreciated!
Jeroen van Brussel
Enslaved's Yggdrasil, Hordanes Land, Vikingligr Veldi, Frost an Eld were at the forefront of my journey into black metal 30 years ago and hold a very special place in my heart. This series is brilliant and I'm watching it for the second time now, picking up on things again that I missed the first time. Thanks for keeping this online and with subtitles!
TV Haugaland
Thank you so much, Jeroen! Glad you liked it!
Nicholas Franco
This is amazing. Thanks for the subtitles - Enslaved is one of my favorite bands of all time and its an absolute pleasure to take this deep dive into the band's history. Excellent job!
TV Haugaland
Thank you very much Nicholas, glad you like it!
Dan O'Bannon
I have traveled the world to see this band. Every single show was worth those hours on the plane.
Süveges András
I really love their early stuff like Vikingligr Veldi and Frost. When I was around 16 years old I used to listen them every day. Wow, I am so old, I still have some tapes (cassettes) from this time... Anyways, love to see them again in this documentary, great job! Greetings from Hungary!
TV Haugaland
Cool, Süveges! Thanks for watching!