Review of the Album "Two Paths" by Finnish Folk Metal Band Ensiferum

Two Paths is the most recent studio album by Finnish folk metal band Ensiferum and it is one that has a different start to it in comparison to previous releases from this band. The first song is a Finnish song that is sung by new member Netta Skog who is also Finnish and the song starts off with sound effects like you would hear in an adventure type of movie.

The next song called For Those About to Fight for Metal is a song with choirs and a song about warriors that even if they are outnumbered, they will fight until the end with their axes and swords. They will fight for metal or victory, whichever way that a listener will look at the song. Way of the Warrior also has a section from the Kalevala or old Finnish poems. What is in this song is verse 26. Even for those of us that don’t understand Finnish, the song is still good.

Seriously, the amount of talent when it comes to heavy metal in Finland is ridiculously great and I’m saying this in a good way. They can create albums in power metal, folk metal, Gothic rock, and thrash metal and the result is still the same: flawless work!

The song Two Paths in terms of the starting riff kind of resembles the great song White Storm. Two Paths signifies or tries to suggest that there are two paths to take in life. Either we are going to be lead to a path of light or a path of darkness. The song also may bring to our awareness the fact that all of us are mortals and that we will die someday.

The cover for the album has a photo of a very wise Viking wizard or warrior. I can see just by looking at the photo and analyzing it that he has grown older even though he is holding the sword high. Holding the sword high symbolizes courage and bravery. He is older and he knows that his final hour is coming near.

The song Don’t You Say is a song a song about a bard that goes from town to town singing songs and telling the stories of his travels. The original version of the song has clean vocals while the alternate version of it has Petri Lindroos singing it. He (the bard) does not want to hear that it is the same old story or that he arrived too late. For now, his goal is to stay in the village as a member of the community. As it is with this song, the song called God is Dead also has the original version and the alternate version as Markus Toivonen and Petri alternate in the vocal work. The song is a departure from the folk metal we have been accustomed to and sounds like a modern metal kind of song. Ensiferum entered 2018 being one of the best bands from Finland even 23 years after it first formed. Two Paths is another solid album from these Finnish guys.