Enslaved was formed in 1991 in Haugesund (Norway) by Grutle Kjellson (bass, vocals) and Ivar Bjørnson (guitar, keyboards). Previously they played in a death metal band called Phobia but were bored with the death metal scene and the other members and then formed a new band which name was suggested by Immortal's Demonaz in reference to the Immortal title Enslaved in Rot . Initially, the band was influenced by first and second wave black metal bands. She was part of the Norwegian black metal movement with bands like Burzum, Darkthrone and Mayhem, but unlike them she didn't deal with the topic of Satanism (which is why she was always left out, according to Bjørnson), but wrote songs about the sagas and myths their ancestors, the belief in Odin and the Aesir.Therefore, the band is considered one of the founders of Viking Metal.Although the Swedish band Bathory already used the theme of the Vikings in their lyrics, they did not use this term for their music.Furthermore Enslaved avoided the use of pseudonyms typical of Black Metal, incorporated many folkloric elements into their songs from the second demo Yggdrasill and combined raspy screaming vocals with anthemic male choirs.