Ensiferum

Ensiferum | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 6, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Fontana International
• ASIN: B001675SRG
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,565 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #60 in Music > World Music > Europe > Scandinavia > Finland

Track Listings

1. Intro

2. Hero in a Dream

3. Token of Time

4. Guardians of Fate

5. Old Man (Väinämöinen)

6. Little Dreamer (Väinämöinen Part II)

7. Abandoned

8. Windrider

9. Treacherous Gods

10. Eternal Wait

11. Battle Song

12. Goblins' Dance

Editorial Reviews

2008 reissue of Ensiferum's 2001 self titled debut album which was mixed by Tuomo Valtonen in his studio. Tuomo Valtonen made the record ballsy, as he always does. At similar times Ensiferum had a new addition to it's line-up: a keyboard player. Meiju Enho joined Ensiferum and so the band became five-membered. Ensiferum (Latin ensiferum - meaning "sword bearing") is a Viking / Folk Metal band from Helsinki, Finland. The band label themselves as "Heroic Folk Metal". 12 tracks.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Viking metal is meant to be fun!, August 1, 2006

By 

Richard Terry (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ensiferum (Audio CD)

Ensiferum's debut is a gem among the viking metal genre. Another wonderful band has been unleashed from the Scandinavian country of Finland. Jari Mäenpää uses inspiring vocals and masterful shredding ability on lead guitar to create a fun mix of folk music with melodic death metal. Mäenpää and his bandmates really do think they are vikings, as evident in the album booklet. These metalheads pose with swords, robes, and viking war paint. The music is of the highest quality.

The track, 'Hero in a Dream' is a fierce opener (after the intro) with wonderful melodic riffs. Jari's vocals might remind the listener of Alexi Lahio. 'Token of Time' is probably the shortest song present, but this is one of my favorites. 'Little Dreamer' (Väinämöinen part II) is breathtaking and has a great folk breakdown with clean vocals. 'Treacherous Gods' is another great song that is folkish and complex. The album closes with a fun song, 'Goblin's Dance' that is complete with flutes and a very addicting chorus.

Ensiferum's first full length album is one that will stand the test of time. Viking metal is on the rise today and Ensiferum have established themselves in the genre. I know many people who do not even like screaming vocals in metal, but love this band. Unfortunately, Ensiferum parted ways with Jari Mäenpää shortly after the recording of their second full length, 'Iron.' Mäenpää has since started his own project, Wintersun. Norther vocalist Petri Lindroos is now the current singer. Fans of viking/folk/melodic death should definately purchase this album. This is a perfect example of how metal is very fun. \M/

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic., July 28, 2006

By 

Shadowgraphs - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ensiferum (Audio CD)

I am quite honestly at a loss of words to describe this CD. Ummm... very rooted in Scandinavian folk music... but also very loud and amplified. There's kind of a gloomy vibe that I get from this, but it's also satisfactory in some kind of perverse way. "Eternal Wait" is by far the best song on here; in fact, it's the reason why I listened to the whole CD in the first place. That said, it's totally possible to listen to the whole thing without skipping tracks if one can resist the urge to hear "Eternal Wait," which appears towards the end of the CD.

If you're looking for some kind of really "extreme" metal, look somewhere else. Same goes for those who are looking for a nice collection of folk songs from the north country. But if you want an exciting and invigorating synthesis of the two, look no further.

Good luck finding this in stores if you live in the States. If you actually DO, buy it. It's mighty rare.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What Metal should sound like, May 30, 2006

By 

Gim "-Gim" (petoskey, Mi) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ensiferum (Audio CD)

Ok, i just recently got turned on to this band, but I am already deeply, deeply in musical love with this band. The Thunderous rhythem of the combined with powerful, "chant-like" choruses make the hair on my neck tingle with excitment. This is a wierd sub-genre called "viking metal" or "folk metal" and rightfully so. The style of music paints pictures of hordes of vikings seiging forward over the land. This is just perfect music for anyone with even remote intrest in warfare or medieval themed things.