The new Ensiferum dresses style in a new guise: Orchestral sounds and high female choirs. Actually not a bad idea, could have been epic, but it appears (here) to not work right. And Wichtigeste: It lacks clearly to the rousing, strong hingeschmetterten melodies that make Ensiferum! By comparison, the intro of the album "Victory Songs" culminated with a gentle melody perfectly in the first song "Blood is the Price of Gloy" in which these same tune was picked up immediately and was smashed with full force in the ears of the listener - simply epic, hard, melodic. And then one more song of this caliber. And then another. Then a funny drinking song, a good ballad, and then again two heavy songs. Has completed all the "Victory Song", which took a little more time and a perfect tension built. Since the band knew apparently exactly what makes their music so well. And "Unsung Heroes"? After the nice, orchestral intro the first song gets going, "In My Sword I Trust". Crisp, melodically, but somehow missing something, there will arise no mood. After a few minutes it is almost boring. "Is this because of me?" I ask myself. "Am I one of those stubborn" age matters! "- Became types?" But two-thirds of the song sets the guitar going on at once. "It's all so yet, extremly hot body!" But after not even a minute she is already back by the song and tilts back into the mediocre chorus. And unfortunately that was already the second best song on the record. Many songs can not decide whether they want to be quiet or powerful and are not whole and mash. The ballads are corny until it stops, the choirs dudeln sometimes too dominant, the fast "Retribution shall be mine" but somehow missing the handle and the 17-minute finale is almost improvised, without any common thread. And that Bamboleo cover is perhaps a nice gag, no more. Except for the really completely successful "Burning Leaves" all songs are most passages as well and come barely above-average level addition. Therefore, three stars from me.
After three excellent and still very good album which is fifth for me, unfortunately, the first misstep of the band.
