Ensiferum

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From left to right:Markus, Janne, Meiju, Sami, Petri
From left to right:
Markus, Janne, Meiju, Sami, Petri
Background information
Origin Helsinki , Finland Flag of Finland
Genre(s) Viking metal
Folk metal
Black metal
Years active 1995 - present
Label(s) Spinefarm
Associated
acts		 Wintersun
Arthemesia
Cadacross
Website http://www.ensiferum.com/
Members
Petri Lindroos
Markus Toivonen
Meiju Enho
Sami Hinkka
Janne Parviainen
Former members
Kimmo Miettinen
Jukka-Pekka Miettinen
Sauli Savolainen
Jari Mäenpää
Oliver Fokin
Henri "Trollhorn" Sorvali

Ensiferum (Latin ensĭfĕrum (neuter adjective) meaning "sword bearing") is a Viking / Folk metal band from Helsinki, Finland. The band label themselves as "Heroic Folk Metal".

Contents

[edit] Musical Characteristics

  • Growling/screaming vocals often mixed with clean vocals for choruses and bridges;
  • Folk melodies played on lead guitar or keyboard overlaying heavier traditional heavy metal backing rythms such as the classic gallop rhythm;
  • Lyrical themes relating to fantastical, archaic, or historic stories usually with heroic sentiment. Lyrics are inspired by literature, films, and poetry, such as the great Finnish epic "Kalevala".

[edit] Band history

Ensiferum was founded in 1995 by Markus Toivonen (guitar), Sauli Savolainen (bass) and Kimmo Miettinen (drums). For the band's name they took the Latin neuter gender adjective ensiferum which means "sword-bearing". In the next year Jari Mäenpää was taken into the band as singer and second guitar-player. In 1997 The first demo containing three songs was released.

In 1998 Sauli and Kimmo left the band and were replaced by Jukka-Pekka Miettinen (Kimmo's little brother, then 14 years old) and Oliver Fokin. In 1999 two more demos were released. In 2000 they contracted with Spinefarm and went into the studio to work on their first album "Ensiferum" which was released in August 2001. In the same year Meiju Enho joined them as a keyboard-player.

In 2003, after the work on the second album, Iron, was done, Jari left the band to be able to concentrate more on his project Wintersun. For the tour with Finntroll Petri Lindroos from Norther replaced Jari at guitar and as singer, and became a member of the band after the tour. In December 2004 Jukka-Pekka left the band and was replaced by Sami Hinkka (Rapture). Oliver also left in 2005 to be replaced by Janne Parviainen.

The new Ensiferum line-up entered the studio later that year to record an EP to be called Dragonheads. It was released in February 2006. As well as the title track it also contained two reworked demo songs, an Amorphis cover and a short rendition of the Kalevala melody as well as a medley of three traditional Finnish songs.

In June 2006 Ensiferum released their live DVD, 10th Anniversary Live. It was recorded in Nosturi, Helsinki, on December 31, 2005.

The recording of the third studio album, took place between November 2006 and early 2007, with the release date set for April 20 2007. It will be called Victory Songs. A single, titled One More Magic Potion, was released on February 7th.

[edit] Current members

[edit] Former members

[edit] Session members

[edit] Touring members

  • Emmi Silvennoinen - Keyboards (2007) (Exsecratus)

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] EPs

[edit] Singles

[edit] Demos

  • Demo (1997)
  • Demo II (1999)
  • Hero in a Dream (1999)

[edit] DVDs

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

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