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Obtained Enslavement emerged on Stord in 1989 and evolved through several distinct phases, beginning as a death‑metal outfit before transforming into one of Norway’s most idiosyncratic symphonic black metal bands. Their early years were marked by raw, crypt‑born aggression, captured on the demos Obtained Enslavement (1992) and Out of the Crypts (1993), where the band’s fascination with witchcraft, ancient rites, and arcane magic first took shape. This foundation led to their debut full‑length Centuries of Sorrow (1994), a transitional work that still bore death‑metal weight but hinted at the dramatic, melodic direction to come.

The breakthrough arrived with Witchcraft (1997), a landmark of Norwegian symphonic black metal distinguished by its sweeping orchestral arrangements, occult atmosphere, and a sense of theatrical grandeur that set the band apart from their peers. This era showcased their most ambitious songwriting—dense, melodic, and steeped in esoteric mysticism. Soulblight (1998) continued this trajectory with a sharper, more aggressive edge, blending symphonic elements with a colder melodic sensibility.

Their final album, The Shepherd and the Hounds of Hell (2000), marked a shift toward a more streamlined melodic black metal approach while retaining the band’s characteristic occult themes. Shortly after its release, Obtained Enslavement dissolved, leaving behind a compact but influential discography that charted a rare path from death metal roots to ornate, ritualistic black metal. Their legacy endures as one of the more unusual and artistically bold threads within Norway’s 1990s extreme‑metal tapestry.

Obtained Enslavement was formed by Pest, Døden, and Torquemada.

Compilation appearances:
- "Desecration of My Soul" and "As I Slowly Fade" on Stord Rock 94 (independent, CD, 1994)
- "Veils of Wintersorrows" on Century Media, Nuclear Blast, Avantgarde Präsentieren: Ablaze Compilation Heft 19 (Ablaze Magazine, 1998)
- "The Dark Night of Souls" on Deftone 1/99 (Deftone Magazine, 1998)
- "Black Odyssey" on With Us or Against Us Volume 3 (Napalm Records, 1999)
- "Scrolls of the Shadowland" on Ablaze März / April 2000 (Ablaze Magazin, 2000)
- "Ide the Hore" on Mystic Art Vol. 10 (Mystic Art, 2000)
- "Beyond" on Preservation of Death Vol. 4: Nordic Savagery (Noxious Ruin, 2023, cassette)
- "The Seven Witches" on Dark Side of the Sacred Star (Peaceville Records, 2023)

Obtained Enslavement	Demo	1992
Out of the Crypts	Demo	1993
Centuries of Sorrow	Full-length	1994
Witchcraft	Full-length	1997
Soulblight	Full-length	1998
The Shepherd and the Hounds of Hell	Full-length	2000