Ensiferum

With One Man Army standing as the band’s most accomplished effort to-date, going into the process of following it up, the members were able to place faith in the intuition of each other, all driven to deliver the best record they could. For Sami Hinkka (bass/vocals), Markus Toivonen (guitar/vocals), Petri Lindroos (vocals/guitar) and Janne Parviainen (drums), this trust has steadily grown and strengthened with every release.

With Two Paths the care and attentiveness the band invests in everything they do shows, they maintain an enviably high standard. It is also a record with energy to spare, practically daring the listener to resist being caught up in its infectious liveliness. Whether it’s the breakneck, ultra-catchy thrashings of "For Those About To Fight For Metal" or "King Of Storms", the crunchy stomp of "I Will Never Kneel" or the surging thunder of the title track, they never fail to grip, and when they slow things down—as on the cinematic "Hail To The Victor"—they somehow manage to sound even bigger. Likewise, the grandiose, heroic themes that have always run through Ensiferum's records!