At the end of 2016, just months before the release of Enslaved’s latest effort – 2017’s E, keyboardist Herbrand Larsen quit. It didn’t take these Norwegian progressive black metallers that long to find his replacement as Håkon Vinje has been with the group for over a year now. However, lineup changes are never easy and after fifteen years, drummer Cato Bekkevold has decided to part ways from the group. It appears the split is amicable as his reasons are due to wanting to spend time with his daughter as well as having difficulty with the physical demands of metal drumming at his age. The drummer will have his final performance this Saturday (23rd) at Hellfest.
The band shared the following statement and video of Bekkevold:
“Friends, as many of you have realized by now; there will be some regrouping within the Enslaved-ranks. So, we’ll just let Mr. Bækkevold speak up (you all know he loves to go on and on and on anyway….)”
This Fall, the group are teaming up with High on Fire to embark on a European/UK tour. Check out the dates below:
09/30 Poznan, POL @ U Bazyla
10/01 Warsaw, POL @ Proxima
10/02 Leipzig, GER @ Ut Connewitz
10/03 Esch, LUX @ Kulturfabrik
10/04 Breda, NET @ Mezz Jupiler Zaal
10/08 Manchester, UK @ Academy 2
10/09 Dublin, IRE @ Tivoli
10/10 Belfast, UK @ Limelight 2
10/12 Birmingham, UK @ The Mill
10/14 Bristol, UK @ SWX
10/15 London, UK @ The Dome
10/16 Paris, FRA @ La Machine Du Moulin Rouge