Enslaved have recently released their second music video for the single ‘Forest Dweller,’ from their upcoming and highly anticipated new album ‘Heimdal’ due for release via Nuclear Blast Records on March 3rd, 2023.
Enslaved is a progressive Norwegian black metal band formed in June 1991 in Haugesund, Norway. The band was formed by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson and is considered one of the pioneering bands in the Viking metal subgenre.
Over the years, the band has undergone several line-up changes and evolved their sound, incorporating elements of progressive rock, death metal, and folk music. As a result, enslaved has an impressive discography that includes sixteen studio albums to date, counting their upcoming new album, ‘Heimdal.’
The band’s early work was heavily influenced by traditional black metal and Viking mythology, but they soon expanded their sound to include progressive rock and experimental elements. Their 1998 album, ‘Blodhemn,’ marked a turning point in their sound, incorporating more clean vocals and symphonic elements.
Most recently, Revolver Magazine, the world-renowned publication covering music, culture, and lifestyle, has teamed up with the Enslaved to bring fans an exclusive white 2LP vinyl variant of the band’s recent album, ‘Heimdal.’ This special edition of the record is limited to 200 copies worldwide.
The limited edition vinyl boasts a white double-LP configuration and a deluxe matte finish jacket. The vinyl itself is strengthened to avoid warping and breakage, while the artwork is enhanced with spot-varnish printing. This release also features a special message of gratitude written in runes by Enslaved founding member Ivar Bjørnson.
This exclusive release, available only through Revolver Magazine, brings together two influential forces in the world of progressive music, offering fans a chance to own a true collector’s item. “This release is about celebrating the band’s powerful, unique music and its devoted fans,” says Revolver Magazine editor-in-chief Christopher Krovatin. “Enslaved is one of the most important and influential acts in metal history, and I’m proud to bring this special record to life.”
The limited edition vinyl variant of Enslaved’s ‘Heimdal’ is available now exclusively through Revolver Magazine’s online shop. Fans can also purchase a digital version of the album, as well as a variety of Enslaved merchandise, directly through us. With only 200 copies of this special release, this is sure to be a sought-after collector’s item.
Enslaved premiered on November 18th, 2022, the music video for their single ‘Congelia,’ from their upcoming album ‘Heimdal.’ The powerful and visually stunning video captures the beauty of the Norwegian countryside while exploring the relationship between humanity and nature.
The video is the first from Enslaved’s upcoming album ‘Heimdal,’ and serves as an introduction to the band’s exploration of progressive metal. Guitarist Ivar Bjørnson said of the new video, “For this video, we wanted to pay homage to the stunning beauty and power of our homeland. The video really captures the spirit of the song, and we’re really proud of how it turned out.”
More recently, Enslaved have released their second music video for the single ‘Forest Dweller,’ from their upcoming and highly anticipated new album ‘Heimdal.’ The video, much like the previous ‘Congelia,’ captures the beauty and power of nature while also exploring the relationship between humanity and the environment in a conceptual video that they describe as “one of the most fascinating characters of [Norse] mythology.”
In Norse mythology, Heimdall is a Norse god in mythology. He is the guardian of Asgard, the home of the gods, and is responsible for protecting it from the giants. Heimdall is known for his keen senses and ability to hear the grass grow and see for hundreds of miles. He is also depicted as having a horn, Gjallarhorn, which he will blow to announce the start of Ragnarok, the end of the world. Heimdall is one of the Aesir gods and is associated with dawn, light, and a glowing sword.
Regarding the song, Grutle Kjellson commented. “I spent quite some time to get into some of the other songs of the album, but this one seemed somehow logical, well logical by Enslaved standards that is. I had an idea for a lyric, and Ivar’s amazing and diverse riffs on this one made it easy to pan out the scripture. I made a rough plan on what to sing over it, and we actually ended up using some parts of those recordings on the album!”
“The song sort of showcases our representative samples of inspiration: Led Zep, Genesis, Destruction, Iron Maiden and David Bowie, to mention a schizophrenic tapestry of influences. It mirrors in the lyrics as well, which deals about both darkness and light in connection to the nature of Heimdal.”
The video, which begins with a majestic and ethereal view of a forest and its wildlife – deer, birds, and foxes roam in the early morning light. Then, the band appears and weaves their way through the trees, the instruments creating a sonic landscape that enhances the visual beauty. The video culminates in a powerful performance of the song at the edge of a cliff, with the band silhouetted against the sky.
The video was filmed in the forests of Norway, and captures the unique beauty of the country’s wilderness. ‘Forest Dweller’ is a song about the power of nature and its connection to humanity – which is something the band wanted to visually represent. The video was directed and edited by David Hall, who said, “We wanted to capture the beauty and power of the natural world, and show how it’s intertwined with our lives.”
Over the years, Enslaved has been recognized as one of the most innovative and influential bands in the Viking, black metal genre and have received widespread critical acclaim for their unique approach to progressive metal.
Speaking on the upcoming release of the band’s sixteenth studio album, both Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson said that “It’s quite weird, yet pretty awesome that we are now talking about the release of our 16th album; yes our 16th full-length album release. That’s not too shabby for a couple of scallywags from rural western Norway, is it? If you count our stint in the short lived Phobia-act, we have been playing together for no less than 32 years!
In all these years, Norse mythology has been our umbilical cord to the realms of mysticism and philosophy, and our gateway to the realms of deep psychology and the esoteric worlds beyond. One of the most fascinating characters of our mythology is Heimdal, and he has been lurking around in our minds like an enigma for three decades now. His first appearance was in a song called ‘Heimdallr’ on our demo tape ‘Yggdrasill’ back in 1992, and he’s had both minor and more significant roles in our lyrical universe over the years.
This time we have decided to dedicate an entire body of work to this most enigmatic of characters and richest of archetypes – we give you ‘Heimdal.’ We have reached deeper and scouted further ahead than ever before – the past, present and future sound of the band comes together in songs born from sheer inspiration – it is the common force of a close-nit group of friends and musicians.”
Enslaved has maintained a strong following throughout their career and has performed at major festivals such as Wacken Open Air, Inferno Festival, and Beyond the Gates Festival. They have also toured extensively throughout Europe and North America and have collaborated with several notable musicians and bands in the metal scene.
In conclusion, Enslaved is a highly influential and innovative band that has been pushing the boundaries of Viking and black metal for over three decades. Enslaved has established themselves as one of the most respected and well-regarded metal bands of all time with their unique approach to viking metal and progressive metal.
