One of the most revered black metal bands to emerge from the fertile Norwegian extreme-music scene in the past two decades, Enslaved was founded in 1991 by principles Ivar Bjørnson (guitar) and Grutle Kjellson (bass, vocals) in when both were still in their teens. Taking their name from a song by black metallers Immortal, Enslaved soon began making waves with their epic length songs and use of viking mythology for inspiration.

As time passed, Enslaved began incorporating more complex progressive elements into their music on such groundbreaking efforts as 1997's Eld and 2000's Mardraum - Beyond the Within. By their eighth album Isa, the group had added a full-time keyboardist and moved to independent metal imprint Candlelight. The label helped the band broaden its global following as it continued it's string of envelope-pushing albums. Since moving to Nuclear Blast for its universally acclaimed 2008 recording Vertebrae, Enslaved has occupied a place alongside Mastodon and Opeth among the leading lights of experimental metal.

For its current tour to promote last year's album RIITIIR, Enslaved brings three celebrated bands from America's metal underground. Little Rock, Ark.-based band Pallbearer became one of the most talked about new doom bands in the country on the strength of their 2012 debut Sorrow and Extinction. Widely hailed as one of the best metal releases of the year, the album dramatically mixes crushing guitar riffs with some of the most introspective and majestic sounds imaginable. Atlanta's latest contribution to the metal world, Royal Thunder earned equally high praise for the southern-tinged doom anthems heard on their album CVI. Bassist/singer Mlny Parsonz has rightfully been praised as one of the best new singers in metal with a voice that recalls the bluesy power of Robert Plant and Ian Gillan while delivering her own distinctive stamp. Austin, Texas, occult rockers Ancient VVisdom open the show, playing songs from their brand new, acoustic-oriented Prosthetic Records release Deathlike.

Enslaved with Pallbearer, Royal Thunder and Ancient VVisdom
Saturday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m. $17
Slim's