Album Review: Ensiferum – Winter Storm (Metal Blade Records)

Ensiferum, the Finnish folk-metal melodeath icons will release their brand-new album, ‘Winter Storm’ on October 11th, 2024, via Metal Blade Records. A fantasy concept narrative written by bassist/vocalist Sami Hinkka, with lyrics based, in part, on his unpublished fantasy book.

Filled with fantastical grandeur and folkish wonder, but still impressively focused on the melodic metal side of things, Ensiferum are back, and back with a mighty bang. Delivering an album of epics that showcase the strength in this band’s writing and how adept they’ve become at delivering the best of what they have to offer. This album is the epitome of an ‘all killer, no filler’ record, where even a dramatic intro like Aurora matters.

All because the melody of it leads wonderfully into the first full track, Winter Storm Vigilantes, and an explosive delivery of unrivalled vitality and catchiness. The energy is high, there’s some serious effective heaviness, and the melodies are stupidly infectious. It is a banging start, exemplified by the brilliant array of vocals on show.

That’s Ensiferum for you though, and while this track has set the bar so high, they have no problem reaching for it over and over again across this album’s length and breadth. Adding layers upon layers of atmosphere that thickens the story-telling aspects of the record with lavish listens like Long Cold Winter of Sorrow and Strife. A track with such a high level of immersion, it’s hard to do anything but sit back and marvel at it. Even though, it’s got plenty of vigorous heaviness too.

It, like so much of this album, showcases a confidence that tells you Ensiferum know they have crafted something outstanding here. Need further proof? How about Fatherland and Scars in My Heart? The former is anthemic heavy fun with a chorus that urges you to fill your lungs with breath so you can sing along loudly with the band. Whereas the latter has a more laborious tempo, is heavily focused on melody, and features the incredible guest vocals of Madeleine Liljestam.

There are two intermission style pieces on the record, and the first of the two, Resistentia is next and showcases a level of earnest vibrancy not heard elsewhere on the album. Whereas the other, Leniret Coram Tempestats is the penultimate track and showcases a sense of wonder that acts as an intro for the dynamic finale of Victorious. Ensiferum closing out the record in spectacular style.

Before all of that though, and sitting in between those two intermission pieces, is The Howl and From Order to Chaos. Two delightful, bot notably diverse listens. Of the two though, it’s likely to be the latter that turns heads. Not just because it is lengthy, but because it is huge in sound too. Ensiferum do epics, but often from a measured stance, this is anything but that and it’s really good.

So is this entire album though, to the point where it does actually leave you wanting just a bit more. Ensiferum have, once again, delivered something impressive and while it’s been a wait for it, it’s been well and truly worth it.

Ensiferum – Winter Storm Track Listing:

1. Aurora
2. Winter Storm Vigilantes
3. Long Cold Winter of Sorrow and Strife
4. Fatherland
5. Scars in My Heart
6. Resistentia
7. The Howl
8. From Order to Chaos
9. Leniret Coram Tempestats
10. Victorious

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