10 Best Viking Metal Bands Of All Time

Coming together in Haugesund, Norway in 1991, Enslaved, like so many of the entries on this list, began as a black metal outfit. Their sound was initially dominated by furious, guttural vocals and dark, primal beats. Starting with the release of Monumension (2001), the band moved on from their raw beginnings and began incorporating more progressive sounds into their music. Passages grew more clean, sometimes psychedelic in style. They would also take inspiration from the epic, 10 minute plus length of tracks by prog rock legends such as Rush.

The majority of their lyrics tend to be centred on Ancient Norse deities, Norse themes of civilisation vs nature and Viking customs. Having survived multiple line-up changes, Enslaved are still going strong today. They have released 15 studio albums with the most recent being Utgard (named after a Jotun-owned location in Norse mythology) in October 2020. Of particular note for Viking thrills is 2003's Below the Lights, an experimental masterpiece that fused black, Viking and progressive metal together for a no-holds-barred tour de force mixed with a surprising level of emotional depth.