136 days till W:O:A 2023.

There are flutes. There are blast beats. There is a song called Goblin’s Dance.

Yes, this one’s about Ensiferum.

Founded in 1995, these Finnish folk metal warriors have been around for nearly three decades and eight studio albums. I didn’t listen to all of them—just enough to get dangerously into it. Specifically, their 2001 self-titled debut. Which, against all odds, I genuinely enjoyed.

The band’s lineup has seen some turnover over the years, but back then it was Jari Mäenpää on vocals and guitar, alongside Markus Toivonen (the last man standing from the original lineup), Sauli Savolainen on bass, and Kimmo Miettinen on drums. Mäenpää left in 2004 to launch Wintersun—currently best known for Time I, and for making Time II the most delayed album in folk metal history.

Ensiferum’s early work leans harder into melodic death metal than the power-metal-viking-metal mashup they’d eventually evolve into. And frankly? That works for me. There’s grit here. Less polished, more punch.

The album opens (after a questionable intro) with Hero in a Dream—speed metal with actual speed. Token of Time is an immediate standout: fun, riffy, catchy without crossing into full tavern jester mode. Folk elements are sprinkled, not dumped, and the harsh vocals keep things grounded in the metal even when the flute starts flirting.

Guardians of Fate starts with a surprisingly pop-ish intro—light, almost playful—before the drums take over and drag the whole thing into proper speed metal territory. It’s a sharp contrast, but it works. 

Old Man (Väinämöinen Part I) is another personal favourite. It slows things down and leans into bleak, gloomy atmosphere. The drumming’s tight, the growls hit, and everything feels just a little darker than the rest of the record. The 2009 re-release includes the 1997 demo version—rougher, rawer, and honestly even better. The blackish metal roots come through more clearly there, especially in the drumming and shrieking.

Little Dreamer (Väinämöinen Part II) picks things up again with an epic lead melody and power metal swagger. It’s all galloping riffs and soaring energy. 

Abandoned starts with quick drums, then shifts gears into a more melancholic lament with clean vocals—a bit unexpected, but it lands.

Windrider is another standout. Aggressive riffing, sharp vocals, and a perfectly placed folk interlude in the middle that adds drama without turning into parody.

Treacherous Gods goes hard on melody, pairing guitars with bold, very audible keyboards.

Eternal Wait opens with acoustic guitar and leans fully into the folk side. Mäenpää mostly uses clean vocals here, and while it’s a nice change of pace, I’ll be honest—I miss the harshness.

Then Battle Song kicks in, and it’s back to full power mode. A thundering bass run opens it, the drums never let up, and the chorus? Built for shouting along in a festival field at 2am, ideally holding a plastic sword.

| We won this battle with might and fearless hearts

| We came and we fulfilled our prophecy

| So now we shall march back towards our kingdom

| With heads up high and glimmering eyes

| We returned with our glory

It’s Manowar. But with more vowels and fewer gym memberships.

And finally, Goblin’s Dance—a wild ride from blackened intro to flute-induced happiness. It shouldn’t work. It absolutely does.

Ensiferum grew on me.

This isn’t an album that demands emotional labour. It’s upbeat without being cheesy, fun without being stupid, and holds itself together just enough to keep from slipping into farce.

I still haven’t explored the rest of the discography—and honestly, I might not. But this one? This one hit just right. Enough riffs to raise a fist. Enough flute to raise an eyebrow.

Seeing them at Wacken this year?

Yeah. I’m into it. Goblins and all.