ENSLAVED
By taking the 80s Viking themes pioneered by Sweden's Bathory and combining them with a brutal black metal approach, Enslaved came to the forefront of the Norwegian Wotanist movement and earned much respect from the Scandinavian extreme metal scene in the process. Formed in 1991 from the ashes of Phobia by Grutle Kjellson (b. Kjetil Grutle, 24 December 1973, Haugesund, Norway; vocals/bass) and Ivar Bjornson (b. Ivar Skontorp Peersen, 27 November 1977, Bergen, Norway; guitar/keyboards), plus the phenomenal drummer Trym Torson (ex-Emperor), Enslaved got their name from Demonaz of Immortal and recorded a demo, Nema. Although its production values were in line with the usual black metal studio techniques, i.e. the tinnier the better, it led to a much better recording, Yggdrasill, which impressed Mayhem guitarist and Deathlike Silence label head Euronymous enough to sign them up. Vikingligr Veldi was duly recorded, but its release was held up by the murder of Euronymous in August 1993 and it required some fancy legal footwork from the Voices Of Wonder label to get it released. It finally appeared in March 1994, as did the Osmose Records label funded recording, Frost. Torson was replaced by Harald Helgeson on the subsequent Eld, which stuck firmly to the band's favoured mythical Norse themes. The follow-up Blodhemn, featuring new drummer Dirge Rep (b. Per Arild Husebo, 18 July 1976, Stavanger, Norway) and second guitarist Roy Kronheim (b. 16 November 1973, Bergen, Norway), was a spoken-word narrative with more subtlety than the black metal fury of before. They remain one of the leading Viking-metal bands currently around.
Listen to ENSLAVED
at Finetune.
Top Tracks
- Heimdalle (Daimoin)
- "The Winter Kingdom" Opus 1: Resound of Gjallarhorn (Daimonion)
- Hal Valr (Daimonion / Grutle)
- Bonus Track
- Allfqor Ooinn (Maimoin)
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