Many metal bands focus on historical themes in their music, but none do it quite as well, and balance it with as much style and talent, as the almighty Enslaved. Their latest concept album, Heimdal, is out March 3 via Nuclear Blast, and dives even further into the themes they are known for exploring.
“Ivar (Bjørnson, songwriter and guitarist) and I figured out the concept of the album, and when we made the ‘historical backdrop,’ we went on and wrote, made demos, and arranged the whole thing,” bassist and vocalist Grutle Kjellson says.. “It was mainly recorded at our drummer Iver Sandøy’s Solslottet Studios, in Duper Studios, Ivar’s home studio, and some additional recordings,both inside and outside, at my place in the countryside. It was finally mixed and mastered in Fascination Street in Örebro, Sweden.”
The record tells the story of Heimdall, in Norse mythology, the watchman of the gods. Also known as the shining god, Heimdall dwelt at the entry to Asgard, where he guarded Bifrost, the rainbow bridge. This is both a new theme for the band and an expansion on familiar territory.
“We’ve always had an urge to explore, develop, and incorporate new ideas into our music, and this album is no exception,” he adds. “We kind of find it pointless to try to recreate something we have done before, but of course, it is inevitable that it somehow becomes a bit similar. It is, after all, made by the same core members.”
“I guess our albums are both recognizable and different from its predecessors, and that’s a good thing,” Kjellson continues. “You don’t wanna stagnate as musicians; you want to make this interesting for yourself! I know our long-term fans really appreciate that approach to make music.”
The theme on this record is a well-known, but largely regarded as mysterious and underexplored, Norse figure.
“One of the most fascinating characters from the mythology (is) Heimdal,” Kjellson adds. “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 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.”
In support of the new record, the band will be touring U.S. and Canada this year, their first appearances on the continent since 2018. That will happen in April, and next, they’ll head back to Europe to tour more.
“It is great to be back on the stage,” Kjell concludes, “performing an energetic show and creating that magical symbiosis and energy exchange that occurs between the performers and the beholders! That’s the reason we still exist as a band.”
Photo courtesy of Roy Bjørge
