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.
Wotan
Enslaved Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Vast plains lead to the seashore in the west
A northern wind sweeps over dead bodies
A stranger has entered the domains of the vikings
Die not lying sick, dastardly coward
Draw sword, fight with the war gods
Wotan!
We shall fight until we see Ritrost
We shell fight until Heimdal flows the Gjallarhorm
We shall fight for our domains
We shall fight with the war gods
Wotan!
Die not lying sick, dastardly coward
Draw sword, fight with the war gods
Wotan!
Enslaved's song "Wotan" is a powerful and explosive tribute to the Viking god of the same name. The first verse sets the scene with a bleak and lifeless landscape that leads to the sea, and death seems to be all around. Suddenly, a stranger enters the territory of the Vikings, and the song takes on a more urgent tone. The chorus is a rallying cry to fight alongside the war gods, to die with honor and not as a coward. Wotan is the god of war and wisdom, and the song portrays him as a powerful and inspiring force.
The second verse is an extension of the chorus, with the band declaring that they will fight until they see their home again, until the ancient horn of Heimdal sounds again, and until they've secured their lands. The repetition of the chorus underlines the message: that the Vikings were a fierce and proud people, willing to fight to the death in the name of their gods and their territory.
The song ends with a final plea to Wotan to fight alongside them, to help them find the strength and courage to face their enemies. The lyrics are simple but effective, drawing on the mythology and history of the Vikings to create a powerful piece of music.
Line by Line Meaning
Naked, waste landscape
An empty and barren land devoid of life or resources.
Vast plains lead to the seashore in the west
A large and open area of land that extends to the ocean in the west.
A northern wind sweeps over dead bodies
The cold wind from the north blows over corpses on the battlefield.
A stranger has entered the domains of the vikings
An unknown person has come into the territory controlled by the Vikings.
Die not lying sick, dastardly coward
Do not surrender or die in a dishonorable way.
Draw sword, fight with the war gods
Take up arms and fight alongside the battle gods.
Wotan!
A call to the god Wotan for assistance in battle.
We shall fight until we see Ritrost
We will continue to fight until we achieve victory.
We shell fight until Heimdal flows the Gjallarhorm
We will fight until the sound of the Gjallarhorn, a horn used to announce the arrival of the apocalypse, is heard.
We shall fight for our domains
We will fight to protect our territory and land.
Wotan!
A call to the god Wotan for assistance in battle.
Die not lying sick, dastardly coward
Do not surrender or die in a dishonorable way.
Draw sword, fight with the war gods
Take up arms and fight alongside the battle gods.
Wotan!
A call to the god Wotan for assistance in battle.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Ivar Peersen, Kjetil Grutle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anton Mihstwald
Naked, waste landscape
Vast plains lead to the seashore in the west
A northern wind sweeps over dead bodies
A stranger has entered the domains of the vikings
Die not lying sick, dastardly coward
Draw sword, fight with the war god
Wotan!
We shall fight until we see Bifrost
We shell fight until Heimdal flows the Gjallarhorm
We shall fight for our domains
We shall fight with the war god
Wotan!
Die not lying sick, dastardly coward
Draw sword, fight with the war god
Wotan!
Anton Mihstwald
Naked, waste landscape
Vast plains lead to the seashore in the west
A northern wind sweeps over dead bodies
A stranger has entered the domains of the vikings
Die not lying sick, dastardly coward
Draw sword, fight with the war god
Wotan!
We shall fight until we see Bifrost
We shell fight until Heimdal flows the Gjallarhorm
We shall fight for our domains
We shall fight with the war god
Wotan!
Die not lying sick, dastardly coward
Draw sword, fight with the war god
Wotan!
Richard Rygaard
Causes the hair on my arms to stand up every time I hear it even after 15 years. Great album by a great band! Hail fucking Wotan!
Andrea Fiori
This drumming is not human. Trym is one of the BEST drummers in the whole world
Kodanshi Helcarver
This is why it's my favourite song on this glorious album.
Алексей Сельмов
Очень сильная вещь!
Hrimthur666
Best band ever!
Bruno
I miss the good old days.
Edward Suksikäsi
Hail Odin
TJ Havok
helvetin hyvä ralli... (Great fucking song!)
Ryan Mccausland
Hail odin
From his son in america
Born of viking blood and held captive by the christains