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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
great stuff, November 25, 2007
Well I would have to say that I didn't know if I would like the band without Jari in it. It seems like a lot of people are saying that, but anyway, I would have to say that I actually like this CD more than Iron. This CD gets me more pumped up than Iron does, and I think there is a lot more catchy songs in these Victory Songs. I loved the songs Iron, Sword Chant, Into the Battle, and the intro on the CD Iron. This one I love the intro again, Deathbringer from the sky, ahti, one more magic potion, wanderer and raised by the sword. I mean I could listen to these songs over and over for hours. I really like both CD's, but I think this one is catchier and more intense
I have read a review posted about Victory Songs that I didn't really agree with at all. It was said in the review that Victory Songs didn't have as much of the folk in it as the CD's with Jari. If you read the lyrics they both talk about battles, but Victory songs seem to have more the finnish folklore in it! I mean, Ahti is a Finnish mythological God, that seems pretty folk to me. . . Victory songs has lyrics about battles, dragons, wiches/trolls/spirits, and gods. Perhaps Jari did a better job of mixing it up with his chanting and clean/harsh vocals like in sword chant and lai lai hei, and they had female vocals in Tears, which was pretty cool, but that is just a part of the folk aspect. Perhaps I'm not understanding what Jari writes in how it relates to folklore. . . I don't know, but I understand it better in Victory Songs if that is the case.
I also love how there is less singing in this CD than in Iron, not to dis Jari's singing. I like Jari's vocals in Wintersun a ton, but I like the vocalist for Victory Songs slightly better because it sounds like it fits the music better to me. Especially in Ahti when the singer has his deep scream, that was fricken awesome! Sometimes Jari's vocals completely took me out of the music that I was engrossed in, instead of adding to the dimension I was thinking in. If you understand my meaning, kinda like reading a book that your really into then having someone ask you a question, completely takes you out of the book. yeah, maybe a bad illustration, whatever.
On a downside however, this CD is way less technical in the guitars. and I mean WAY less technical. There isn't as many beat changes, crazy beautiful shredding, etc. This saddens me greatly, but the keyboards made up for it a thousand fold. I don't remember hearing much of any keyboards in Iron other than the intro that was catchy or interesting, so thats a great plus to Victory Songs. I would have to say the intro's to both CD's are fantastic.
Well anyway, great band, really gets you pumped up and completely engulfs your imagination while still being intense and beautiful, not many bands can do that for me, not even Amon Amarth. I say get all their stuff, cause it all sounds different to me, especially with the guitarist/singer change.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best folk metal since Fintroll, October 5, 2007
If Black Metal and Power Metal were to ever have a child (gods forbid save this exception) it would be Ensiferum.
Ensiferum uses the melodies and choral arrangements without sacrificing the thrash and black elements.
Nothing is more evident than in their new album Victory Songs. With tracks such as the Wanderer and Victory Songs we see the professional and creative side of folk metal. With Ahti and Raised by the Sword we see the more hard-hitting skills that Ensiferum still possess.
The album is an awesome listen and I personally can listen to it all the way through without ever getting bored. Whether you are looking for original muscianiship or creative lyrics or both, consider this a perfect buy.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Representation of the Genre, October 5, 2007
I've been curious about this band for a while and finally ran across one of their CD's in a shop in Las Vegas. The sound samples I'd heard on the net were from this album and I'm not sorry I bought it.
The music is definitely Viking metal and very well done. At first, I was wondering where all the clean vocals were supposed to be, as I was expecting more of them, but they finally showed more prominent later on. The harsh vocals are fine, but I would have liked a little more variety. However, that is not enough to knock down the five stars.
Another thing I really like about this album is that there are actually a few guitar solos! I find in so many bands today that real guitar solos are almost non-existent. The trend seems to be "anti-guitar" in that the instrument is always there, but is relegated to riffing.
This is a really great album and especially comes into its own toward the end with the more symphonic tracks. Highly recommended.
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