My grandmother was from Finland, and I live right near a Finnish camp, complete with a real Finnish sauna. Music from Finland has come a long way since my grandmothers day. Somehow I don't think she would have liked Ensiferum or their second album, Iron.
Ensiferum is one of the new generation of Finnish heavy metal bands. Wikipedia tells me they describe themselves as "heroic folk metal" and to me they sound a lot like Viking Metal. Ensiferum (which means "sword bearing" in Finnish) blends traditional folk music with heavy metal. They formed in 1995 and hail from Helsinki (Finland's capital city). Iron is the band's second album, released in 2004.
The line up of Ensiferum seems to change a lot, Iron's line up consists of band originator Markus Toivenen on guitar, Jukka-Pekka Meittinen on bass guitar and Oliver Fokin on drums. Also on guitars is Jari Maenpaa and Meju Enho rounds out the bands sound on keyboards.
The particular version of IRON I have includes Bonus tracks which I have included in my review. I would urge anyone purchasing this album to find the version with bonus tracks, they are worth it.
Ferrum Aeternum is more of an overture to this album than a song. It is an instrumental medieval sounding tune with choruses in the background, horns, piano and a melody played on a flute. I am not sure if it is an actual flute or a synthesizer setting, but it sounds like a flute. The overture has a beautiful melody, and has a folk like sound to it.
Iron, the album's title cut, kicks the album up a notch bringing in an onslaught of pounding drums and bass. It is quite epic sounding! Vocals are hard to understand. Although they are sung in English, Ensiferum usually uses the raspy harsh vocal style popular with death metal bands. It takes a bit to get used to and more to actually understand. This song gives off a definite Viking metal vibe though. The song's bridge returns to acoustic guitar with a flute melody overlayed. It is soon joined again by drums and bass that mimic galloping horses. Choruses can be again heard, adding to the epic sounds.
<a>Although it takes many listens to hear the lyrics, a verse from Iron is as follows:
Awoken to heavy galloping / I heard the blasting whiplash
Eyes are filled with lust to kill/ Beware, he's crying out your name
Now the time has come / When the Iron tears the heart
And the trumpets will ring loudly / As the stars are painted with blood
Sword Chant starts with an acoustic introduction that soon is joined by heavy electric guitars. Although I found the guitars to be very heavy sounding, a quick TAB search revealed that Ensiferum uses normal tuning, rather than the drop and double drop tuning sometimes used. Nevertheless, metal heads like myself will appreciate the high gain, high distorted metal power chords. I like Ensiferum because of the blend of various styles. I am quickly bored with the metal bands that start with blast beat drums and lighting speed chords and continue that way for the remainder of the album. Here, the bridge again slows the song down with acoustic strumming and chanting The bridge sounds like Vikings preparing for battle, chanting and singing around the fire in their mead hall.
Morning Heart (Interlude) has a classical / medieval sound to it, using acoustic guitar and what sounds like an organ adding an ethereal sound to it. It reminds me of music from Lord of the Rings when the Elven Seer gives prophecies. You could throw this song on a Celtic Meditation CD and no one would be the wiser. This tune is an instrumental.
Tale of Revenge brings the band solidly back to their brand of heroic metal. Crushing power chords blare over double bass drums. The raspy vocals would give Tom Waits a run for his money. Half way through the "clean" singing starts and actually sound pretty good. One light so cold and pale, sleeping quietly all alone / One life so cold and gray, wandering away from home
Lost in Despair has an acoustic melody that is as slow and desperate as the title implies. There are no heavy metal choruses here, just a melodic and melancholy tune. The lyrics match as well
Take me away / Bury me in the sand
cause after all these years I am still the same
a sad and bitter man
Crush my hope, grow my hate / There's no home for me
Nothing to give, nothing to say/ so tell me it's a dream
The next couple tunes Slayer of Light and Into Battle are full blown fast and furious heavy metal songs with quick riffs and heavy drums and bass lines. Lai Lai Hei is the songs closing tune, another medieval folk tune. The acoustic strumming sounds like a mandolin or a lute.
Tears is the first bonus track on the album. I played it for my girlfriend, and even she really enjoyed the beautiful female vocals that weave a sad love tale. She asked if it was one of my Celtic Meditation CDs or Enya. I told her No, it's Ensiferum a Finnish Death Metal Band.
It is a very sad Celtic style folk song. about a woman going to meet her lover in Elysium.
I've been waiting for so long time
To see the light of golden bright sun
I feel no sorrow in the heart of mine
For the tears of life are now gone
I don't know who the woman is who sings on this song, but she has a beautiful ethereal voice.
The second bonus song may be recognized by Metallica fans, it is Ensiferum's cover of Battery. It's a decent cover, but I prefer the vocals of Hetfield.
Summary
I really love the music coming out of Finland and Ensiferum is an excellent example of why. They don't just come out and play at breakneck speed, they combine genuine melodies and tales from fantasy and ancient legends with folk and metal music. That is why I give Ensiferum - Iron Five stars.
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