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.
Ridicule Swarm
Enslaved Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pallid it hangs
In awe of amusement
Litany swarm
Bleak I say are the crutches of the assembly
And flies cling to it
More so ever the fingers to animate
Insubordinate, fickle exequies
Putrid core
Naudr........the ligature it can't break
Lagu...........the whispers it can't hear
Insubordinate, fickle exequies
Putrid core
"Er do halt kan do ri
Handlaus gjeta
Er do dauv kan do duga I strid
Blind er betre enn brend å vera
Daud mun ein lite duga"
Slain, and thoughts pour from the gutted mind.
"Ver kappi mot kristni
Ver kappi mot kross
Ver kappi mot Hvitrkristr
VER VANN
VER VANN
VER VANN"
"Er do halt kan do ri
Handlaus gjeta
Er do dauv kan do duga I strid
Blind er betre enn brend å vera
Daud mun ein lite duga"
NAUDR............
The lyrics to Enslaved's "Ridicule Swarm" describe a palpable sense of disgust towards a group or assembly. The singer sees this entity as feeble and weak, represented by the word "pallid," and finds their attempts at amusement to be laughable. The flies that cling to the group are a metaphor for their followers, who are seen as mindlessly attached to the assembly without the ability to think for themselves. The repetition of the word "insubordinate" emphasizes the singer's rejection of this group's authority, while the phrase "putrid core" speaks to the corruption that lies beneath their surface.
The second half of the lyrics are written in Norwegian and are a call to action against the spread of Christianity, urging listeners to be "kappi mot kristni" (champions against Christianity), "kappi mot kross" (champions against the cross), and "kappi mot Hvitrkristr" (champions against White Christ). The repeated refrain "er do halt kan do ri/handlaus gjeta/er do dauv kan do duga i strid/blind er betre enn brend å vera/daud mun ein lite duga" roughly translates to "if you are lame, you can ride/If you are handless, you can fight/If you are deaf, you can do well in battle/Being blind is better than being burned/Death helps little." This is a call to those who feel they lack something, physically or mentally, to still fight against their oppressors, even if it means death.
Overall, "Ridicule Swarm" is a complex song with themes of disillusionment, rebellion, and fighting against authority. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a group that is seen as weak and corrupted, while urging listeners to stand up against religious oppression and fight even when they feel they lack something.
Line by Line Meaning
Pallid it hangs
It hangs there weak and lifeless
In awe of amusement
Entertained by its own ridicule
Litany swarm
A multitude of taunting voices
Bleak I say are the crutches of the assembly
The support of the crowd is empty and hopeless
And flies cling to it
The disgraced thing is contaminated and disgusting
More so ever the fingers to animate
The fingers of those who mock it are eager and energetic
Insubordinate, fickle exequies
Rebellion and uncertainty in the funeral
Putrid core
A corrupted heart
Naudr........the ligature it can't break
Trapped and bound, unable to escape
Lagu...........the whispers it can't hear
Whispered words of help are too quiet to hear
Slain, and thoughts pour from the gutted mind.
Destroyed and broken, the mind can only express despair
"Ver kappi mot kristni
Ver kappi mot kross
Ver kappi mot Hvitrkristr
VER VANN
VER VANN
VER VANN"
Fight against Christianity, fight against the cross, fight against the White Christ, and win, win, win
"Er do halt kan do ri
Handlaus gjeta
Er do dauv kan do duga I strid
Blind er betre enn brend å vera
Daud mun ein lite duga"
If you're lame, you can still ride, if you're handless, you can protect, if you're deaf, you can fight, it's better to be blind than to be burned alive, and death is of little use
NAUDR............
Trapped and bound, unable to escape
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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