One Man Army
Ensiferum
•
February 11, 2015

Having been a fan of ENSIFERUM's music since their early days, I must admit to being one on the ones not entirely blown away by "Unsung Heros", and so it was with mild trepidation that I first pushed play on their sixth full-length album, "One Man Army". Due for release towards the end of this month, this album packs 11 songs with a total play time of just under an hour, with the bonus material comprising almost 15 additional minutes, and is a loud and clear message that ENSIFERUM still have plenty of punch left.
Starting off with "March of War", an epic intro melody sets the scene for the oncoming battle, complete with uplifting flutes and sweet acoustic strains which soon give way to the frantic paced, "Axe of Judgement", a thunderous track that shows ENSIFERUM's full glorious sound, calling to mind the fervour contained in the "Victory Songs" album. This song is sure to be a killer live, redolent as it is with everything from choir passages, shredding guitar parts, and all backed by majestic keyboard sections. "Heathen Horde" carries on in this epic vein albeit with the pace being taken down a notch. Featuring a guest appearance by Heri Joensen of TYR, this is another crushing track with an infectious chorus that you just can't help but sing along to. The title track "One Man Army" has all the frantic passion that made "Deathbringer from the Sky" so electrifying. This song is true ENSIFERUM through and through, and is sure to win over the hearts of many sceptics, myself included. This is followed by the very short "Burden of the Fallen", which melts in with a slow keyboard melody and clean vocals, preparing the listener for the slightly melancholic yet galloping track of "Warrior without a War". Contrasts are rife in this album, as is evidenced by the next track: "Cry for the Earth Bounds" starts off with throaty a cappella chanting that gives way to a mid-paced choir-driven soulful tune that shows that ENSIFERUM can do more than thundering songs. The following track, "Two of Spades", is however a bit more of a mixed bag. What starts out as a super catchy melody that could easily match "Twilight Tavern" in terms of being a sheer awesome drinking ditty takes a very unexpected twist, suddenly morphing into an '80s disco melody that then mingles with an almost western banjo undertow. Even after many listens, I still can't really get used to this convolution, and this track will likely be one that gets extreme reactions one way or the other.
"My Ancestor's Blood" on the other hand is a heavily bass-driven track that makes you just want to bang your head. And here again we see the clever variations from track to track, with things slowing down and becoming more mournful before melding into an atmospheric part that flawlessly joins with the next track "Descendants, Defiance, Domination", almost giving the feeling that the two are really just halves of the same song. Clocking in at over 11 minutes, this is the longest song of the album; the pace gets taken up again fairly quickly through, taking the listener on one last climatic journey of victory and triumph. The final song "Neito Pohjolan" sees the Finnish Folk/Country influences of the band really shine through. However, whilst I don't imply that the song is bad in any way, it doesn't really seem to fit in with the rest particularly well, making it stick out a bit. Nevertheless, I guess a tribute to something closer to home for the band is also understandable and does add a certain facet to the album. The digipack version of "One Man Army" also comes with several bonus tracks, first of which is a hilarious cover of "Rawhide". These bonus tracks are not nearly as refined as the rest of the album, but for that positively ooze reckless fun on the side of the band, almost reminding me of the ridiculously wild and merry chaos that is so trademark of FINNTROLL.
One thing that must be said for ENSIFERUM is that they have chosen the track order exceptionally well, with alterations in tempo and style from one song to the next, ensuring that the album remains fresh and interesting throughout. "One Man Army" also has something to offer everyone newer and older fans alike, and many disappointed by "Unsung Heroes" will likely be pacified by this album which sees ENSIFERUM take a step back in the "From Afar" direction without making an album that sounds like "From Afar"-Version 2.0".
In short, this is a decent release, and with it ENSIFERUM show that they are not ready to relinquish their spot as one of the bands in the forefront of the Folk Metal genre just quite yet. "One Man Army" is definitely a strong come-back for the band, and I for one can't wait to see them on their upcoming European tour!<
8 / 10
Excellent

"One Man Army" Track-listing:
1. March of War
2. Axe of Judgment
3. Heathen Horde
4. One Man Army
5. Burden of the Fallen
6. Warrior without a War
7. Cry for the Earth Bounds
8. Two of Spades
9. My Ancestor's Blood
10. Descendants, Defiance, Domination
11. Neito Pohjolan
12. Rawhide (Bonus Track)
13. Warmetal (Bonus Track)
14. Candour and Lies (Bonus Track)
15. Bonus Track (Bonus Track)
Ensiferum Lineup:
Markus Toivonen - Guitars, Clean Vocals
Sami Hinkka - Bass, Clean Vocals
Petri Lindroos - Guitars, Harsh Vocals
Janne Parviainen - Drums
Emmi Silvennoinen - Keyboards, Backing Vocals
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