Enslaved was formed by Ivar Bj_rnson and Grutle Kjellson in 1991, & are based in Bergen, Norway. Ivar & Grutle had previously played together in the death metal band, Phobia. Taking a different route to many of the extreme metal Norwegian bands of the early 90's, Enslaved embraced their Viking history & culture, composing ferocious epics of extreme metal combined with hypnotic riffs & repetitious structures; Enslaved even becoming signed to Euronymous' Deathlike Silence label early in their career.
'Yggdrasill' was the band's second demo (following 1991's feet-finding 'Nema'), showing a young band with great passion & creativity. The songs were understandably raw & contained some traits of the Norwegian wave of black metal sweeping the region at the time, along with their own individual touch. Although more focused on Viking/Norwegian lore than anything satanic, Enslaved's signature sound still captured the magic of the genre with long, hypnotic compositions losing the listener within their vast sonic landscapes.
Over the years, the band has integrated strong elements of progressive music into their compositions & Enslaved has gone on to worldwide notoriety for their stunning live shows & accomplished blend of atmospherics & sumptuous, powerful riffs, receiving numerous accolades along the way, including Norwegian Grammys.
