Enslaved is a Norwegian extreme metal band formed by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson in Haugesund in 1991. The band is currently based in Bergen. Its lineup has changed numerous times, with Bjørnson and Kjellson remaining the only constant members. The current lineup also includes lead guitarist Arve Isdal, keyboardist and vocalist Håkon Vinje, and drummer Iver Sandøy.
Enslaved draws inspiration from Norwegian Viking cultural and religious heritage, and many of its lyrics concern Norse mythology. The band initially played black metal, but its musical style has evolved over time to incorporate progressive elements. In 2014, members of Enslaved were commissioned by the Norwegian government to create a piece commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Norwegian Constitution. The project later resulted in the studio album "Skuggsjá", released in 2016. Enslaved has released sixteen studio albums, the most recent being "Heimdal" in 2023.
Enslaved was formed in 1991 by Bjørnson and Kjellson, who were teenagers at the time. The band's name was inspired by the Immortal demo track "Enslaved in Rot". Before forming Enslaved, Bjørnson and Kjellson played in the death metal band Phobia. The band initially followed the emerging Norwegian black metal scene, but began incorporating song structures that were unusual for the genre by 1993. Several early compositions exceeded ten minutes in length, and the band's debut album, "Vikingligr Veldi", contains only one track shorter than ten minutes. Enslaved rejected the black metal label and instead used the term "extreme metal" to describe its music.
Following several early lineup changes, Bjørnson and Kjellson remained the band's only founding members. By 2004, the lineup consisted of Bjørnson, Kjellson, guitarist Arve "Ice Dale" Isdal, drummer Cato Bekkevold, and keyboardist and vocalist Herbrand Larsen. The albums "Isa" (2004) and "Ruun" (2006) incorporated changes in musical style, including pronounced dynamic contrasts. Bjørnson has described "Isa" as a turning point for the band. In 2007, Bjørnson, Kjellson, and Isdal collaborated with the Norwegian noise duo Fe-Mail under the name Trinacria. Enslaved also performed at Wacken Open Air in August 2007.
Enslaved released its tenth studio album, "Vertebrae", in September 2008 through Nuclear Blast. Terrorizer named it its album of the year for 2008. Following extensive touring in Europe, the band toured North America with Opeth in May 2009. "Vertebrae" marked a change in the band's musical approach and incorporated a wider range of sounds. Critics also noted influences beyond black metal, including comparisons with the music of Pink Floyd.
The band's eleventh studio album, "Axioma Ethica Odini", was released on 27 September 2010 in Europe and on 28 September in North America. In 2011, Enslaved released two EPs. "The Sleeping Gods", produced in partnership with Scion Audio/Visual, was released as a free download on 10 May and contained five original tracks. "Thorn" was released on 27 August through Soulseller Records as part of an agreement dating from the previous decade. The EP was issued on seven-inch vinyl in a limited edition of 1,000 copies and featured a more atmospheric style. Later that year, Enslaved began its 20th anniversary tour in North America with Alcest and Junius. In July 2012, Pictonian Records released "Önd - A Tribute", a tribute album featuring recordings by twenty bands.
Enslaved's twelfth studio album, "RIITIIR", was released on 28 September 2012 in Europe and on 9 October in North America. The album received positive reviews from music critics. In 2013, the band contributed to the book "Tenk som en rockestjerne" ("Think Like a Rockstar") by Ståle Økland. Enslaved released its thirteenth studio album, "In Times", on 10 March 2015 through Nuclear Blast. The album was also positively received by music critics.
In 2016, Enslaved marked its 25th anniversary with a series of concerts and merchandise releases. The band also toured Europe with Ne Obliviscaris and Oceans of Slumber. In November 2016, it released "The Sleeping Gods - Thorn", a compilation of material originally issued on the two 2011 EPs "The Sleeping Gods" and "Thorn". In December 2016, Larsen left the band after twelve years. He was replaced by Håkon Vinje, who had previously performed with the Norwegian band Seven Impale, including as an opening act for Enslaved in Bergen.
In May 2017, Enslaved released its first live album, "Roadburn Live", recorded during the band's performance at Roadburn Festival in 2015. The band's fourteenth studio album, "E", was released on 13 October 2017. In June 2018, Bekkevold left the band and was replaced by Iver Sandøy, who had previously participated in Trinacria and worked as a co-producer on several Enslaved albums.
The band's fifteenth studio album, "Utgard", was initially scheduled for release in spring 2020 but was delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and was eventually released in October 2020. The four-track EP "Caravans to the Outer Worlds" followed in October 2021. Enslaved described the EP as a musical link between "Utgard" and its subsequent studio album. The band's sixteenth studio album, "Heimdal", was released on 3 March 2023. Later that spring, Enslaved toured with Insomnium and Black Anvil.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enslaved_(band)
Studio albums
Vikingligr Veldi (1994)
Frost (1994)
Eld (1997)
Blodhemn (1998)
Mardraum (2000)
Monumension (2001)
Below the Lights (2003)
Isa (2004)
Ruun (2006)
Vertebrae (2008)
Axioma Ethica Odini (2010)
Riitiir (2012)
In Times (2015)
E (2017)
Utgard (2020)
Heimdal (2023)
Mið (2026)
Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.
User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License and may also be available under the GNU FDL.
…shrink me down again