ENSIFERUM

Ensiferum is one of Finland’s most internationally recognized metal bands. Their latest and ninth studio album, Winter Storm, was released in October 2024 via Metal Blade Records. Winter Storm continues to explore the realms of melodic death metal fused with folk metal influences, this time adding even more symphonic and epic elements to the signature Ensiferum sound.

The album’s songs were composed by guitarist Markus Toivonen, with lyrics based on an as-yet-unpublished fantasy novel written by bassist Sami Hinkka. Winter Storm was produced by Janne Joutsenniemi, with mixing and mastering handled by Jens Bogren – renowned for his work with the likes of Arch Enemy, Amorphis, and Opeth.

Winter Storm has received praise from both critics and fans alike, and its success has propelled Ensiferum onto an extensive world tour. Since the album’s release, the band has already completed major tours across Finland, Europe, and North America.

Over the years, Ensiferum has firmly established its position on the global metal scene. Their previous album, Thalassic (2020), topped the official Finnish album chart and reached an impressive number 3 spot on the official German chart – a rare feat for any Finnish band.