Enslaved - Release New Song 'Spirit Helper'
Enslaved - Release New Song 'Spirit Helper'
Band profile
Enslaved Source
enslaved.no
Posted by
BloodTears July 02, 2026
Video by Kolibri Media. Wildlife and nature footage from Blackfeet ancestral lands courtesy of Fire In The Mountains.
Kevin Kicking Woman (vocals) expressed, "Songs are the Blackfoot way of knowing. Expressing relationship and responsibility, belonging and accountability. The purpose of this song is having the performative expression giving meaning to life. Connecting to the universes through the cosmos, earth beings, water beings and spirit beings. Spirit helper is the physical documentation in this process."
Ivar Bjørnson commented, "Kevin shared a traditional morning prayer song with us - a deeply personal and spiritual piece that he generously entrusted to me and Enslaved as the foundation for a new composition. I immediately recognised the responsibility carried within that gesture. Rather than simply building around Kevin's contribution, it became important for me to allow the music itself to adapt to the pulse, rhythm, and spirit already present within his song. Over the following months, we worked to find a musical language where these worlds could coexist naturally - allowing Enslaved to remain fully itself while honoring the cadence, emotional core, and spiritual energy of Kevin's prayer. The process was guided not only by the collaboration itself, but also by the encouragement, dialogue, and openness shown by the wider community surrounding the project. Gradually, the song revealed its own identity. That process ultimately became 'Spirit Helper.'
"For us, the song represents far more than a collaboration between artists from different backgrounds. It reflects what can happen when people meet openly, listen carefully, and allow themselves to be changed by the encounter. Ultimately, 'Spirit Helper' is a song about connection - between past and present, traditions and people, and the spiritual and human worlds. For Enslaved, it stands as one of the most meaningful musical journeys we have undertaken."
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 Posts: 4344 |
Posts: 4344
When I first heard it, I had nothing but questions. With background on the song, my approach changed and I kinda love it. I've been trying to figure out the measure of the instrumental parts (not that I'm particularly good at that) and failed. They just seem to change it with the structure of the original prayer song. Yet it's easily listenable. I wonder how long it took them to figure this out. As an aside, I really like Ivar's way of sharing the process. It's such a deeply human experience to be given access to something that has profound meaning to someone. I can relate to his feeling of responsibility, there. Seems like they produced something both parties are equally proud of.
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 Posts: 407 |
Posts: 407 Written by corrupt on 02.07.2026 at 12:17 The song is beautiful, especially with this in mind. And what a gorgeous video.
---- "Pay no heed to anyone and do what seems right to yourself." - Franz Kafka, The Trial 2022 List: https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=7001 2021 List: https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=6742
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Posts: 321  |
Posts: 321
Don't get me wrong, I used to love Enslaved (and still do for the most part), but what's this? It feels they are so uninspired the last 10 years they now turn to "collaborations" with a random tear-breaking meaningful story behind it. Norwegian pioneers turned Netflix show.
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 Posts: 9126 |
Posts: 9126
Never thought about imagining an Enslaved / First Nations crossover, yet it it feels so natural - as should be. Thanks to everyone involved in this fantastic song <3 
---- My Author's Blog (in French)  "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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 Posts: 1465 |
Posts: 1465
This is something special, what a fantastic collaboration.
---- The sun shines over The Fool...
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 Posts: 11994 |
Posts: 11994
Well, I think it's really cool that Enslaved do these collaborations. There's not a lot of bands in metal that do these kind of things, to my knowledge. They really are trailblazers in many ways.
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 Posts: 64543 |
Posts: 64543
Sounds as Wardruna but heavyer , I lile norwegian nature in the video, my kind a nature.
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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Posts: 797  |
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Posts: 1831  |
Posts: 1831
Kevin Kicking Woman is the GOAT. He was Montana’s first Native American Teacher of the Year.
---- Need a break from headbanging? Restore your street cred by visiting my hip-hop list! Tha Swagnum Opus: A Selection Of Hip-Hop For The Curious Metalhead
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