Ensiferum Winter Storm

Since their first demo in 1997, the Finnish folk metal melodeath sensation has maintained a prolific release rhythm, gradually growing in stature until their eighth album, Thalassic, crowned their rise in 2020.

Much of the new material was written during the lockdown era, when Ensiferum founding guitarist Markus Toivonen challenged himself to find new ways of making music - and ended up composing every song except the stirring, anthemic Fatherland, written by bassist Sami Hinkka. The addition of the crystal clear, melodic high notes of singer/organist Pekka Montin gave Thalassic a huge boost. But on Winter Storm - a fantasy concept story written by Sami - Pekka's super-strong voice finds its optimal place in Ensiferum's sound. Breathing life into such grandiose, heroic material, the singer proves himself to be one of the decade's greatest vocal discoveries.
Source: Metal Blade Records