Steerpike
08-12-2007, 06:26 PM
Back again.
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=531576
Swans – A Study in Evolution
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=532051
DJ Shadow – Hip-Hop of Tomorrow
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=532894
Dungeon – Pure Aussie Metal
Another week of balls-to-the-wall metal.
Biography
Viking metal is an interesting little genre. It’s structure is a little less formal than others, and is primarily based off of the lyrical themes therein. Nevertheless, it has a very devoted following and a colorful line-up of bands. It’s themes of mythology, heroism, and adventure give the genre a broad appeal to metalheads, many of whom already follow a bastardized, modern warrior ethos (even if they’re not particularly good at walking the walk). One name among this scene is Ensiferum.
Ensiferum were first birthed into this world in Helsinki, Finland in the year of 1995. Markus Toivonen was playing guitar in a cover band, but felt he needed heavier music, more heroic themes. Combining his love of melo-death and folk music, he teamed up with Kimmo Miettinen on drums, and bassist Sauli Savolainen. They begun work on rehearsals to tighten up their performances together and started writing their first songs.
In 1996, Jari Maenpaa was brought into the fold, and he proceeded to bring in his already impressive talent and prior experience to move Ensiferum forward.
Unfortunately, they had to go on hiatus for a year in 1997 as Jari was called into military service early in the year. The remaining members took the time to continue rehearsing while Jari came to resent his time in the army. He finally got back in the fall that year and they were able to put out their first three-song demo tape.
In 1998, the group experienced their first line-up change when Kimmo and Sauli both departed for different reasons. Kimmo’s brother Jukka-Pekka took up bass, while Oliver Fokin got behind the drum kit. With the new line-up they prepared a second demo tape, which they rehearsed for in an old bomb shelter. Isn’t Finland just a joyful ray of sunshine?
With the new rehearsal space and line-up, they put out two more demo tapes that year. The second, Hero in a Dream, was the only one they gave a title to. They were courted for a record deal briefly, but it fell through the cracks until 2000 when the group was picked up by Spinefarm Records and work on a debut album began immediately.
While the self-titled debut was being mixed, Ensiferum picked up a fifth member in Meiju Enho on the keyboards. The following 2001 release of the album inspired a wave of critical praise that sparked an immediate impassioned following.
The follow-up album Iron was recorded and produced in 2003 in Copenhagen. The group worked with producer Flemming Rasmussen who collaborated with Metallica on Master of Puppets and Ride the Lightning. Things were going well until one big setback.
Jari was pursuing his sideproject Wintersun when it was discovered that the touring schedule the band’s management had already booked conflicted with the studio bookings Jari had made for himself. Not wanting to give up on Wintersun, Jari and the band amicably decided to part ways.
This of course necessitated a new singer and guitarist. The group began searching for a replacement for the tour and found the right man for the job in Petri Lindroos of Norther. Petri gladly joined the tour, and bonded with the other musicians along the way. So much so that when the tour concluded, Petri signed on as a full-time member of Ensiferum.
One last rotation of the rhythm section later, and the new line-up dove back into the studio. They recorded an EP titled Dragonheads and released their first live recording, a DVD titled 10th Anniversary Live.
At last, in 2007 a new album came out, titled Victory Songs. Despite the dramatic changes since the release of Iron, Victory Songs was hailed as a triumphant effort and one of Ensiferum’s best to date.
So far, the band have achieved a very auspicious career, sacrificing quantity, but certainly not quality. They’ve made it for 12 years already, so what’s to stop them from going strong for another decade?
http://www.ensiferum.com/e_html/e_home.htm
Official Web Site
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=531576
Swans – A Study in Evolution
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=532051
DJ Shadow – Hip-Hop of Tomorrow
http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=532894
Dungeon – Pure Aussie Metal
Another week of balls-to-the-wall metal.
Biography
Viking metal is an interesting little genre. It’s structure is a little less formal than others, and is primarily based off of the lyrical themes therein. Nevertheless, it has a very devoted following and a colorful line-up of bands. It’s themes of mythology, heroism, and adventure give the genre a broad appeal to metalheads, many of whom already follow a bastardized, modern warrior ethos (even if they’re not particularly good at walking the walk). One name among this scene is Ensiferum.
Ensiferum were first birthed into this world in Helsinki, Finland in the year of 1995. Markus Toivonen was playing guitar in a cover band, but felt he needed heavier music, more heroic themes. Combining his love of melo-death and folk music, he teamed up with Kimmo Miettinen on drums, and bassist Sauli Savolainen. They begun work on rehearsals to tighten up their performances together and started writing their first songs.
In 1996, Jari Maenpaa was brought into the fold, and he proceeded to bring in his already impressive talent and prior experience to move Ensiferum forward.
Unfortunately, they had to go on hiatus for a year in 1997 as Jari was called into military service early in the year. The remaining members took the time to continue rehearsing while Jari came to resent his time in the army. He finally got back in the fall that year and they were able to put out their first three-song demo tape.
In 1998, the group experienced their first line-up change when Kimmo and Sauli both departed for different reasons. Kimmo’s brother Jukka-Pekka took up bass, while Oliver Fokin got behind the drum kit. With the new line-up they prepared a second demo tape, which they rehearsed for in an old bomb shelter. Isn’t Finland just a joyful ray of sunshine?
With the new rehearsal space and line-up, they put out two more demo tapes that year. The second, Hero in a Dream, was the only one they gave a title to. They were courted for a record deal briefly, but it fell through the cracks until 2000 when the group was picked up by Spinefarm Records and work on a debut album began immediately.
While the self-titled debut was being mixed, Ensiferum picked up a fifth member in Meiju Enho on the keyboards. The following 2001 release of the album inspired a wave of critical praise that sparked an immediate impassioned following.
The follow-up album Iron was recorded and produced in 2003 in Copenhagen. The group worked with producer Flemming Rasmussen who collaborated with Metallica on Master of Puppets and Ride the Lightning. Things were going well until one big setback.
Jari was pursuing his sideproject Wintersun when it was discovered that the touring schedule the band’s management had already booked conflicted with the studio bookings Jari had made for himself. Not wanting to give up on Wintersun, Jari and the band amicably decided to part ways.
This of course necessitated a new singer and guitarist. The group began searching for a replacement for the tour and found the right man for the job in Petri Lindroos of Norther. Petri gladly joined the tour, and bonded with the other musicians along the way. So much so that when the tour concluded, Petri signed on as a full-time member of Ensiferum.
One last rotation of the rhythm section later, and the new line-up dove back into the studio. They recorded an EP titled Dragonheads and released their first live recording, a DVD titled 10th Anniversary Live.
At last, in 2007 a new album came out, titled Victory Songs. Despite the dramatic changes since the release of Iron, Victory Songs was hailed as a triumphant effort and one of Ensiferum’s best to date.
So far, the band have achieved a very auspicious career, sacrificing quantity, but certainly not quality. They’ve made it for 12 years already, so what’s to stop them from going strong for another decade?
http://www.ensiferum.com/e_html/e_home.htm
Official Web Site