Finland's favorite folk metal collective and recent Metal Blade signees, ENSIFERUM, will unleash their sixth studio album this winter. Titled "One Man Army", the predominantly analog-recorded offering was tracked between September and November of this year with award-winning producer Anssi Kippo (Children Of Bodom, Impaled Nazarene, Entwine etc.) at Astia-Studios in Lappeenranta, Finland.
Elaborates ENSIFERUM bassist/vocalist Sammi Hinkka of the sessions, "Recording process was long, hard, rewarding and full of incredible moments. Instruments were actually played and left as they were instead of creating tracks from hundreds of different takes, moving them to the grid and modifying things. Of course computers were used but overall we made everything as analog as possible. Listeners can experience a better sound and natural groove, something that we think most metal albums lack these days. Overall, the album sounds much more like a band playing live rather than 'midi-metal.'"
Commended by Outburn for songs that are consistently "epic" in scope with a "reliance on catchy melodies," ENSIFERUM's "One Man Army" serves as the follow-up to 2012's lauded "Unsung Heroes" full-length and boasts the stunningly detailed, mythological cover craftings of renowned illustrator Gyula Havancsák (Annihilator, Tyr, Elvenking, Stratovarius etc).
"On the new album, we took many things musically to the next level so we decided also to try something new graphics-wise," relays Hinkka. "Gyula Havancsák did a phenomenal job! For the first time it was really nice to be more involved with designing the cover and all details. Our humble gratitude to Gyula for all the patience and really amazing results. We couldn't be more satisfied!"
As a precursor to the release, ENSIFERUM recently unleashed the fittingly-titled "Warmetal" for public consumption. Composed by Demonos Sova of Finnish black metal unit, Barathrum, the track is currently available on the covermount CD of the current issue of Germany's Legacy Magazine in all its battle-ready glory. ENSIFERUM are also the cover stars of their new issue so get it while you can!
ENSIFERUM's "One Man Army" will be released via Metal Blade Records on February 20th, 2015. Further details, including track listing and additional teaser hymns to be unveiled in the coming weeks. In the meantime, 70,000 Tons of Metal voyagers will be able to catch ENSIFERUM live next month before they kick off a massive European trek, wielding their swords alongside Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum. See confirmed dates below.
ENSIFERUM + Insomnium + Omnium Gatherum
10/03/15 DE - Lingen - Alter Schlachthof (ENSIFERUM only) 11/03/15 DE - Bochum - Zeche 12/03/15 DE - Ludwigsburg - Rockfabrik 13/03/15 DE - München - Backstage 14/03/15 CZ - Zlin - Masters of Rock Café 15/03/15 HU - Budapest - Club 202 16/03/15 AT - Wien - Szene 18/03/15 IT - Milan - Live Club 19/03/15 CH - Lausanne - Les Docks 20/03/15 FR - Strasbourg - La Laiterie 21/03/15 CH - Pratteln - Z7 22/03/15 FR - Lyon - Ninkasi Kao 23/03/15 FR - Paris - Le Bataclan 24/03/15 UK - London - O2 Academy Islington 25/03/15 NL - Haarlem - Patronaat 26/03/15 NL - Zwolle - Hedon 27/03/15 BE - Vosselaar - Biebob 28/03/15 DE - Bremen - Tivoli 29/03/15 DE - Hamburg - Grünspan 30/03/15 DK - Copenhagen - Vega 31/03/15 SE - Stockholm - Göta Källare 01/04/15 SE - Gothenburg - Sticky Fingers 02/04/15 NO - Oslo - Inferno Metal Festival
ENSIFERUM is:
Petri Lindroos - Vocals/Guitar Markus Toivonen - Guitar/Vocals Sami Hinkka - Bass/Vocals Janne Parviainen - Drums Emmi Silvennoinen - Keyboards/Backing vocals
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