Ensiferum – Two Paths (2017)

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Returning after two years since their last release, today we have one of Finland’s finest Folk Metal exports: Ensirefum, and their seventh full-length release “Two Paths”. Delivering over 53 minutes of epic Folk Metal, the band showcases both their maturity and their excellence in this killer release. Filled with epic passages and a cheerful vibe, this album is exactly what fans of the band have been waiting for.

Setting the stage with a grandiose intro track, the album really kicks off with the extreme catchiness of “For those About to Fight for Metal”. In this anthem, the band quickly delivers their signature vocal arrangements paired with intricate guitar work and the perfect tempo to get the listener fired up. This upbeat mood continues as the band ravages through catchy tracks like “Way of the Warrior” and the album titled track.

Keeping things intense, songs like “King of Storms” deliver superbly fast drumming and intense hash vocal, taking care of the fans of more vicious and punishing Folk Metal songs. For those that like more Folky and melodic stuff, “Feast with Valkyries” is definitely one of the highlights in this release, filled with lush instrumentation and the angelic vocals of Netta Skog. The album is very well balanced in the sense that we have quite an epic string of songs with “Don’t you Say”, “I Will Never Kneel” and the Heavy Metal-ish “Gods is Dead”, all of which continue its flow and keep the listener fully engaged.

Just before closing down the release, the mood turns a bit more somber with the melancholic “Hail to the Victor”, a piece filled with soaring vocal arrangements and a very epic vibe, and the mellow outro “Unettomaan Aikaan”. Some of the bonus tracks included feature alternative versions of “God is Dead” and “Don’t you Say”, both of which are as good as the ‘standard’ versions, but with small tweaks.

Overall, Markus Toivonen and company deliver one hell of a release that is fully of classic Ensiferum-styled tracks and will surely keep fans entertained from start to end. We particularly appreciate the diverse elements used in this release, which make the band a bit more versatile and engaging, all while keeping their signature style. If you like Folk Metal, this is definitely one of the must buys of 2017.

Band: Ensiferum Album: Two Paths

Label: Metal Blade Records

Release: September 15th, 2017

Official Site Social Media

Genre: Folk Metal

Country: Finland

Rating: 91/100
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