ENSLAVED | announce Jo Quail special appearance at London show + release 'Congelia' feat. Jo Quail

One year ago, cosmic pioneers Enslaved released their latest avant-garde creation Heimdal. To celebrate the studio album's first year of existence, the band announced the Heimdal (Deluxe) digital album, which is out today! As well as a UK and European tour with British post-hardcore quartet Svalbard and US metallers Wayfarer this month. 

Also today, Enslaved are thrilled to announce that internationally acclaimed composer and virtuoso cellist Jo Quail will make a special appearance at the first show of the tour, on March 6th at London's Islington Assembly Hall.

To celebrate this news, Enslaved have released an electrifying alternative version of their track 'Congelia', featuring Jo Quail, alongside a beautiful lyric video created by Kolibri Media.

Guitarist Ivar Bjørnson commented,
"London has a very special place in the history of our band, since the very first live shows we ever did outside of our home town(s) - the city has supported us through it all. We have a huge part of our extended family and tribe here; it is always like coming home. Just with better Indian food and worse traffic. This time London seems set on outdoing its welcome of us; Jo Quail will join us on stage to perform 'Congelia' with us! We are so proud and eager to show you how absolutely crushing that sounds. See you very soon. Baah!"

Jo Quail commented,
"I am thrilled to be joining forces with Enslaved once again on stage! It was such a wonderful experience in Bergen last year and I am honoured to be able to do this again in London - I hope you'll enjoy this moment as much as I will."

STREAM HEIMDAL (DELUXE): https://enslaved.bfan.link/heimdal-deluxe.ema
WATCH THE 'CONGELIA - FEAT. JO QUAIL' LYRIC VIDEO BELOW;

Heimdal (Deluxe) includes the studio album in full, as well as alternative versions of two album tracks 'Forest Dweller' and 'Congelia', both with sublime performances from renowned cellist Jo Quail, bonus track 'Gangandi', plus the entirety of 'The Otherworldly Big Band Experience' - Enslaved's stunning 2022 streaming event featuring fellow psychedelic Norwegian prog band Shaman Elephant.

Enslaved's latest studio album Heimdal (released March 2023) is both a departure and a communion with roots forged over three decades ago in the turbulent birth throes of Norway’s black metal scene. It's a record that points towards new beginnings, and a dawn that’s on the other side of the apex of the land. A psychedelic journey through arcane Norse folklore, connecting with one's ancient ancestors and our future selves.

'The Otherworldly Big Band Experience' was an Enslaved show like none other, their biggest, boldest project to date - a colossal, kaleidoscopic stage show featuring a stellar setlist covering their career, both past and present. Including some tracks never previously performed live. 

Enslaved will be touring the UK and Europe this month. The 16-date run will take the band across 10 different countries, with support coming from Svalbard and Wayfarer.

Tickets are on-sale now from https://enslaved.no/

Never faltering, Norway’s iconic Enslaved continue to exist as one of the most original and dependable components in our scene's indestructible backbone. Possessing the reputation as one of the most riveting live acts around, they never fail to offer us talent of the highest calibre, always doing justice to their signature black/progressive sound. Enslaved was formed in 1991 by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson, releasing their first demo Yggdrasill in the summer of 1992, their legendary mini-album Hordanes Land coming out in 1993, and with their debut full-length Vikingligr Veldi arriving in the spring of 1994.

Enslaved are a band in stellar form - a band at its most existentialist and self-conscious, proud Bergeners bearing the torch of their hometown’s extraordinary musical history. Their most recent material shows Enslaved at their most unleashed and thought-through - a lethal combination unfurling a potential that’s easily rekindling the furor of their early works while dancing gracefully through their most ambitious, most haunting and most musical tunes yet. A contradiction? Life itself is a contradiction. And yet we all live to prove it wrong.

Enslaved are:
Ivar Bjørnson | guitars 
Grutle Kjellson | vocals
Arve 'Ice Dale' Isdal | guitar
Håkon Vinje | keyboards, clean vocals
Iver Sandøy | drums

ENSLAVED Announce New Studio Album "Heimdal"

Those few golden, undying hearts are those of secret sons.
And the secrets of the Sun are those of daughters asking to...

Bergen visionaries Enslaved are proud to announce their 16th studio album, Heimdal, set to be released on March 3rd 2023, via Nuclear Blast Records. Today's news is accompanied by the release of a blistering new single, titled 'Congelia', alongside an emotive, environmental video.

Enslaved's Ivar Bjørnson & Grutle Kjellson commented,

"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."

You can pre-order Heimdal here: https://enslaved.bfan.link/heimdal.ema
Listen to 'Congelia' here: https://enslaved.bfan.link/congelia.ema
Watch the 'Congelia' video below


Heimdal, is both a departure and a communion with roots forged over three decades ago in the turbulent birth throes of Norway’s black metal scene. The record is named after Heimdal, arguably the most mysterious entity in Nordic mythology.

The record features psychedelic track 'Caravans To The Outer Worlds' from last year's EP of the same name. Album bonus versions contain an extra track, 'Gangandi', alongside a Blu-Ray copy of 2021's stunning Otherworldly Big Band Experience streamed event - the band's boldest project to date, featuring fellow Norwegian prog band Shaman Elephant. The kaleidoscopic stage show features a stellar setlist, covering Enslaved's career, both past and present.

Heimdal formats

  • CD

  • Limited edition digipack CD (inc. Bonus Track) + Blu-Ray*

  • 2LP vinyl gatefold - black

  • 2LP vinyl gatefold - white + black marble (Nuclear Blast Excl.)

  • 2LP vinyl gatefold - white + green marble (Nuclear Blast + Selected Retailers)

  • 2LP vinyl gatefold - blue + white marble (UK Retail + EMP)

  • 2LP vinyl gatefold - white (USA Revolver Excl.)

  • 2LP vinyl gatefold (inc. Bonus Track) + Blu-Ray - crystal clear w/ black marble (Nuclear Blast Excl.)*

  • 2LP vinyl gatefold (inc. Bonus Track) + Blu-Ray - clear w/ black + gold marble (Band Excl.)*

Heimdal was produced by Enslaved's own Ivar Bjørnson, Iver Sandøy and Grutle Kjellson. Mixing was handled by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, and the final treatment was mastered by Tony Lindgren. The concept and lyrics for Heimdal was, as always, developed by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson in tandem.

The album was recorded primarily at Solslottet Studios in Bergen, which is owned by Iver Sandøy. Solslottet is a satellite of the well-known Duper Studios, where the drums were recorded and engineered by Iver himself, with assistance from Vegard Lemme. The main guitars, bass, pianos, organs, and vocals were also recorded at Solslottet. Arve 'Ice Dale' Isdal recorded his guitar leads at his own Earshot & Conclave Studios. The final touches and a few experimental ideas were added at the Overlook Hotel using Solslottet’s mobile studio rig. All music for Heimdal was written and demoed at Ivar Bjørnson’s own Crow’s Nest studio.

Never faltering, Norway’s iconic Enslaved continue to exist as one of the most original and dependable components in our scene's indestructible backbone. Possessing the reputation as one of the most riveting live acts around, they never fail to offer us talent of the highest calibre, always doing justice to their signature black/progressive sound. Enslaved was formed in 1991 by Ivar Bjørnson and Grutle Kjellson, releasing their first demo Yggdrasill in the summer of 1992, their legendary mini-album Hordanes Land coming out in 1993, and with their debut full-length Vikingligr Veldi arriving in the spring of 1994.

Enslaved in 2022 are a band in stellar form - a band at its most existentialist and self-conscious, proud Bergeners bearing the torch of their hometown’s extraordinary musical history. Their most recent material shows Enslaved at their most unleashed and thought-through - a lethal combination unfurling a potential that’s easily rekindling the furor of their early works while dancing gracefully through their most ambitious, most haunting and most musical tunes yet. A contradiction? Life itself is a contradiction. And yet we all live to prove it wrong.

Enslaved are:
Ivar Bjørnson | guitars
Grutle Kjellson | vocals
Arve 'Ice Dale' Isdal | guitar
Håkon Vinje | keyboards, clean vocals
Iver Sandøy | drums