Today, Norwegian progressive trailblazers Enslaved are honoured to reveal 'Spirit Helper', a unique and deeply powerful collaboration with Kevin Kicking Woman, an Elder of the Blackfeet Nation.
'Spirit Helper' has arisen partly from a relationship with Fire In The Mountains, which takes place each year within the Blackfeet Nation, Montana. Enslaved will be returning to the festival later this month to perform. Ivar Bjørnson from Enslaved and Kevin Kicking Woman explain the concept behind 'Spirit Helper' and the lengthy process behind it.
Listen to 'Spirit Helper' here: https://enslaved.bfan.link/spirit-helper
Watch the video for 'Spirit Helper' Below:
The 'Spirit Helper' artwork was created by Nicholas Rink, who explains the meaning and symbolism behind it:
"I see the light blue wave at the bottom as a representation of the ocean between us, but also the background vibration of existence connecting us all and giving birth to existence, life, and of course the song itself.
The red line I imagine connecting us across the globe, representing our shared humanity and brother/sisterhood - the living breathing life in us all. The yellow spiral represents the song moving amongst all of these things.
The "Stars" were part of Ivar's original conception and I see them come to represent the power and source of the song. The black circle with the lightning bolt represents Kevin's singing and the spiritual power it carries, and the rainbow of triangles is representative of the musicians.
I wanted to include them symbolically and thought the traditional "triangle man" was a cool way. It took me a bit to decide how I wanted to use it but eventually it came to me to pay homage to Dark side of the Moon by Pink Floyd and included the rainbow colors in a unique way.
All of this is on an old map of Norway that my grandma had saved out of an old National Geographic magazine. I like using maps because LAND is so important in shaping us, our humanity, and how we express ourselves."
Enslaved live in 2026
23-26 Jul 26 US - Montana, Blackfeet Nation @ Fire In The Mountains
18 Sep 26 NO - Sortland @ Sortland Jazzfestival 2026
31 Oct 26 NO - Oslo @ Oslo Spektrum w/ Dimmu Borgir & Satyricon
Tickets available here: Tour - Enslaved
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
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