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Finland’s favorite folk metal collective and recent Metal Blade signees, Ensiferum, will unleash their sixth studio album this winter. Titled One Man Army, the predominantly analog-recorded offering was tracked between September and November of this year with award-winning producer Anssi Kippo (Children Of Bodom, Impaled Nazarene, Entwine, etc.) at Astia-Studios in Lappeenranta, Finland.
Elaborates Ensiferum bassist/vocalist Sammi Hinkka of the sessions
[The] recording process was long, hard, rewarding, and full of incredible moments. Instruments were actually played and left as they were instead of creating tracks from hundreds of different takes, moving them to the grid and modifying things. Of course, computers were used but overall we made everything as analog as possible. Listeners can experience a better sound and natural groove, something that we think most metal albums lack these days. Overall, the album sounds much more like a band playing live rather than ‘midi-metal.’
One Man Army serves as the follow-up to 2012’s lauded Unsung Heroes full-length and boasts the stunningly detailed, mythological cover craftings of renowned illustrator Gyula Havancsák (Annihilator, Tyr, Elvenking, Stratovarius, etc).
Hinkka on the cover art:
On the new album, we took many things musically to the next level so we decided also to try something new graphics-wise. Gyula Havancsák did a phenomenal job! For the first time it was really nice to be more involved with designing the cover and all details. Our humble gratitude to Gyula for all the patience and really amazing results. We couldn’t be more satisfied!
Ensiferum’s One Man Army will be released via Metal Blade Records on February 24, 2015. Further details, including track listing and additional teaser hymns to be unveiled in the coming weeks. In the meantime, 70,000 Tons of Metal voyagers will be able to catch Ensiferum live next month before they kick off a massive European trek, wielding their swords alongside Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum. See confirmed dates below.
Ensiferum Tour Dates:
1/22-1/26/2015 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise – Miami, FL
2/27/2015 Pakkahuone – Tampere, FI
2/28/2015 Rytmikorjaamo – Seianajoki, FI
3/06/2015 Lutakko – Jyvaskyla, FI
3/07/2015 Nosturi – Helsinki, FI
w/ Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum
3/11/2015 Zeche – Bochum, DE
3/12/2015 Rockfabrik – Ludwigsburg, DE
3/13/2015 Backstage – München, DE
3/14/2015 Masters of Rock Café – Zlin, CZ
3/15/2015 Club 202 – Budapest, HU
3/16/2015 Szene – Wien, AT
3/18/2015 Live Club – Milan, IT
3/19/2015 Les Docks – Lausanne, CH
3/20/2015 La Laiterie – Strasbourg, FR
3/21/2015 Z7 – Pratteln, CH
3/22/2015 Ninkasi Kao – Lyon, FR
3/23/2015 Le Bataclan – Paris, FR
3/24/2015 O2 Academy Islington- London, UK
3/25/2015 Patronaat – Haarlem, NL
3/26/2015 Hedon – Zwolle, NL
3/27/2015 Biebob – Vosselaar, BE
3/28/2015 Tivoli – Bremen, DE
3/29/2015 Grünspan – Hamburg, DE
3/30/2015 Vega – Copenhagen, DK
3/31/2015 Göta Källare – Stockholm, SE
4/01/2015 Sticky Fingers – Gothenburg, SE
4/02/2015 Inferno Metal Festival – Oslo, NO
End Tour
8/13/2015 Rockstadt Extremefest – Rasnov, DE
6/19/2015 – 6/21/2015 Hellfest – Clisson, FR
7/30/2015 – 8/1/2015 Wacken Open Air – Wacken, DE
8/06/2015 – 8/8/2015 Party San Open Air – Schlotheim, DE
8/09/2015 Bloodstock Open Air – Walton-On-Trent, GB
8/13/2015 – 8/15/2015 Summer Breeze – Dinkelsbühl, DE
8/13/2015 Rockstadt Extremefest – Rasnov, RO
Rock Hard \m/
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