Photo by Svetlana Goncharova
Finnish folk metal powerhouse ENSIFERUM unleashed their album, Winter Storm, which was released on October 18th via Metal Blade Records.
Having made their mark since 1997, ENSIFERUM’s journey to prominence culminated with their eighth album, Thalassic, in 2020, which garnered international acclaim and topped charts in various countries. The pandemic-induced hiatus led to the longest gap between albums for the band, with Winter Storm taking four years to craft.
During the lockdown period, guitarist Markus Toivonen took on the challenge of creating new music, resulting in most tracks for Winter Storm being penned by him, except for the captivating anthem “Fatherland” by bassist Sami Hinkka. The album’s fantasy-themed narrative, conceptualized by Hinkka, showcases the vocal prowess of singer/organist Pekka Montin, who elevates the grandiose storytelling with his powerful voice.
Hinkka describes Winter Storm as more of a musical journey, drawing inspiration from his unpublished fantasy book. The track “Long Cold Winter Of Sorrow And Strife” sets a vivid scene of a desolate winter landscape, following the tale of a character from the Winter Storm Vigilantes who embarks on a transformative journey after being exiled and rescued.
Winter Storm, produced by Janne Joutsenniemi and mixed/mastered by Jens Bogren, features guest artists like Lassi Logrén and Mikko Mustonen, along with Madeleine Liljestam from Eleine. The album will be available in various formats, including CD, special edition box set, digital, and vinyl in multiple striking color variants.
As fans await the release of Winter Storm, ENSIFERUM’s latest offering promises to immerse listeners in a saga of epic proportions, combining rich storytelling with powerful melodies and a signature folk metal sound.
ENSIFERUM:
Petri Lindroos – vocals, guitars
Markus Toivonen – guitars, vocals
Sami Hinkka – bass, vocals
Janne Parviainen – drums
Pekka Montin – keyboards, vocals
ENSIFERUM Live w/ Swallow The Sun:
12/05/2024 Finlandia-klubi – Lahti, FI
12/06/2024 Rytmikorjaamo – Seinäjoki, FI
12/07/2024 Tullisali – Oulu, FI
12/11/2024 Lutakko – Jyväskylä, FI
12/12/2024 Pakkahuone – Tampere, FI
12/13/2024 Teatro – Turku, FI
12/14/2024 Kulttuuritalo – Helsinki, FI
Paganfest 2025 w/ Alestorm, Týr, Heidevolk, Elvenking:
1/08/2025 Grosse Freiheit – Hamburg, DE
1/09/2025 Oosterpoort – Groningen, NL
1/10/2025 Filharmonie – Stuttgart, DE
1/11/2025 Turbinenhalle – Oberhausen, DE
1/12/2025 Huxley’s – Berlin, DE
1/13/2025 Congress Centre – Roskilde, DK
1/14/2025 Aladin – Bremen, DE
1/16/2025 O2 Academy – Birmingham, UK
1/17/2025 O2 Academy – Edinburgh, UK
1/18/2025 O2 Victoria Warehouse – Manchester, UK
1/19/2025 O2 Academy Brixton – London, UK
1/20/2025 Ancienne Belgique – Brussels, BE
1/21/2025 Schlachthof – Wiesbaden, DE
1/22/2025 Zenith – Paris, FR
1/23/2025 Z7 Konzertfabrik – Pratteln, CH
1/24/2025 Eventzentrum – Geiselwind, DE
1/25/2025 Backstage – Munich, DE
1/26/2025 OM – Liege, BE
1/28/2025 Alcatraz – Milan, IT
1/29/2025 Transbordeur – Lyon, FR
1/30/2025 Salle Metropole – Lausanne, CH
1/31/2025 Halle Verrière – Meisenthal, FR
2/01/2025 Felsenkeller – Leipzig, DE
2/02/2025 013 Poppodium – Tilburg, NL
2/03/2025 Capitol – Hannover, DE
2/05/2025 Studio – Krakow, PL
2/06/2025 Progresja – Warsaw, PL
2/07/2025 Hala Datart – Zlín, CZ
2/08/2025 Barba Negra – Budapest, HU
2/09/2025 Tvornica – Zagreb, HR
CONNECT WITH ENSIFERUM:
METAL BLADE RECORDS:
Earsplit PR | Liz Ciavarella-Brenner:
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