Previously having spoken to one Enslaved mastermind Ivar Bjornson at this year’s Bloodstock we were lucky enough to find ourselves with not just one but two members of the influential Norwegian Metal band. Just before their performance in September the dynamic duo were able to have a quick chat about In Times. Hearing the various different methods involved in the entire process of the writing from both Ivar and Grutle along with Enslaved making their Norwegian school debut and of course the announcement that they shall be returning early next year. Listen to the full unedited interview below to hear all things Enslaved.
The last time we saw you, you had just performed at Bloodstock so what have you been up to since?
Ivar : It was a few weeks of getting our luggage back, after Bloodstock. It actually took thirty one days to get my stuff back which was quite surreal, guitars kept coming back and forth between England and France and eventually ended up in Norway! Then we played a school concert.
Grutle : Yeah!
Ivar : Kids from, the smallest ones would have to be three four years old.
Grutle : Kindergarten actually, during the soundcheck.
Wow!
Ivar : yeah it was pretty crazy,
Grutle : We played in Romania, a couple of shows in Norway aince Bloodstock.
So how did you guys do the Kindergarten thing? Trying to get them while they’re young?
Ivar : Hahaha, well it’s normal to have this thing in schools that from this and this age you’re going to be sort of presented with a concert every year. It comes to your school and now they’re really trying to diversify what kind of bands they offer and I guess that this is the first time that the category of Metal actually sort of slipped into the whole program. It’s been interesting, there’s been a bit of controversy in Norway. It’s kind of weird because of this thing, because of all the Black Metal and outspoken Satanic bands out of all the band, the conservative Christian decided they wanted to get Enslaved..
Grutle : It’s a very small party you know? They’re called The Christians.
Ivar : The Political party “The Christians” it’s a catchy name haha!
Grutle : Yes and very conservative biblical philosophy. Sulphur and brimstone, infernal Damnation or something like that. On their website on their first page you know it says it’s not because of the oil that Norway is rich, it’s because of a thousand year long Christian tradition so Jesus’ salvation brought Norway out of the utter darkness from the Viking age and to the top of the world hahaha!
Ivar : They’re THAT crazy. But yeah it was in the newspapers and all of that how you can let a satanic crazy band like this in the schools. It’s a healthy thing I think, when I first saw I thought “this is too easy…”. This has got to be a joke. It was great publicity for that concert and it spawned a healthy debate around the theme I think.
Enslaved’s brand new album In Times is out now via Nuclear Blast and the band will be returning to the UK next year.
