The Finnish metal band Ensiferum can now be called true veterans of the genre. Ensiferum was founded in 1995 and they are still leaving headbangers with neck pain in 2015, probably even more than ever. The Fins, who describe their metal brand as melodic folk metal, have recorded their strongest album yet. The new album ‘One Man Army’ shows the band increasing their craft at all levels.
The Ensiferum sound is still marked by the combination of death metal influences and harsh vocals with melodies and folk inspirations. In ‘One Man Army’ they have perfected this mix even more. The album kicks off with the 90-second intro ‘March Of War’ before breaking into ‘Ax Of Judgment’, a classic opener with heartbreaking speed, plenty of double bass action, and fast riffs. In true Ensiferum style, they include references to Russian folk music, a chorus, and a pause in the middle of the song that not only flows, but also includes chorus sequences similar to Accept. Most metal fans will rejoice.
‘Heathen Horde’ goes on and brings more traditional metal parts, some guitar melodies even sound like Maiden. Arching above all of this is the extensive use of choir-like gang voices, a recurring theme for the rest of the album. The break in the middle delves into medieval folk music before the band picks up speed. Ensiferum then goes into fifth gear with the title track ‘One Man Army’. Lightning-fast riffs, high-pitched melodies, and again the chorus are the trademarks of this song. The 2-minute ballad ‘Burden Of The Fallen’ provides a welcome break.
The remaining six songs on the album are kept at the same high quality level. Ensiferum ranges from epic song structures (the 11-minute ‘Descendant, Defiance, Domination’) to fast tracks (‘Two Of Spades’) and progressive Maiden-style adventures (‘Warrior Without A War’). It is difficult to choose a highlight of the album. All the songs have their own little treasures to discover. The special edition of ‘One Man Army’ comes with three bonus songs, including a cover of the classic ‘Rawhide’ that really suits the sound of the band.
Ensiferum has not changed its style compared to the previous album. Nor have they rewritten the history of heavy metal. But what they have done is create a unique metal brand that is recognizable and different from most mainstream metal bands these days. It is not the search for a harder, faster and more extreme metal that you find on this album. Instead, you’ll find well-crafted songs that will make for a neck-breaking live performance.
The bottom line is that Ensiferum has released a very strong album that will be on many top 10 charts by the end of the year. Finnish metal veterans have perfected their sound even more. His six full-length album releases have grown stronger from record to record. ‘One Man Army’ is the logical continuation in this row of strong releases. It seems like the band has a lot more to give in the years to come. Watch them live if they play near you.