Enslaved, nowadays featuring Cato Bekkevold on drums, have been groundbreaking metal pioneers for almost 20 years. Since their viking-metal inception, the band has been forging a connection between black metal and prog, arriving at an incredible melange of heavy psych and modern metal. Enslaved embodies the experimental, dark and psychedelic aspect of Roadburn.

Enslaved, and various band members, will be doing several special shows during the festival. First off, Enslaved will be playing Roadburn on Thursday, April 15. On behalf of Enslaved Ivar Bjørnson comments:

“This show will pan towards the latter day Enslaved and will consist of a set list specially put together for Roadburn; emphasizing the heavy, the psychedelic and not but least – the visual aspect of what Enslaved is today. Be prepared for a surprise or two!”

Trinacria, a side project by Enslaved members with Iver Sandøy on drums, has been invited personally by Tom Gabriel Warrior to play his Roadburn curated event, Only Death Is Real, on Friday, April 16.

Originally a composition by Ivar Bjørnson (Enslaved), Maja S. K. Ratkje and Hild Sofie Tafjord (both from Fe-mail), Trinacria combines the hard hitting sounds of cutting edge, Norwegian extreme metal with contemporary Norwegian noise, originally commissioned by Rikskonsertene for a concert series. This composition turned into a vital and creative project, completed by Grutle Kjellson, Ice Dale (both from Enslaved), Iver Sandøy (Emmerhoff & T.M.B.) and Espen Lien (Slut Machine).

Dream of An Opium Eater is a special collaboration between ace-metal musicians like Enslaved’s Ivar Bjørnson, drummer Ben Calvert (ex-Killing Joke), Reuben Gotto (Johnny Truant) and Julia Ruzicka from Million Dead. Like in the old days, when a pianist would accompany silent movies, Dream of An Opium Eater create an epic and unsettling soundtrack - composed by Reuben Gotto & Ivar Bjørnson - to a collection of mind-bending horror short-films, projected on a huge screen behind them. Expect some dark, intense, but also swirling takes on psychedelic metal reminiscent of Tool, Voivod and even Joy Division, as icy horror and fright oozes from both the screen and the speakers.

After playing Roskilde Festival (2007), Carling Leeds Festival (2007) and Wacken Open Air (2008), this will be the fourth ever performance from Dream of An Opium Eater, set for Friday, April 16, as part of the Roadburn Festival. Enslaved/Shining will be the main headliner of Roadburn 2010, playing their 90 minute Armageddon Concerto on Saturday, April 17.

Both Enslaved and Shining (featuring Torstein Lofthus on drums) are indisputably two of Norway’s most hard-hitting and progressive bands, constantly pushing musical boundaries on their own. Now both bands will be joining forces again, and impress and shock Roadburn Festival 2010 with a rare performance of the Armageddon Concerto – for the first time ever outside of Scandinavia.