Review by illusionist for Ensiferum - Ensiferum (2001)

Go on an adventure...

Press play and embark on a journey across torrid seas to ancient unexplored lands. A faraway place with brave men, apocalyptic skies and destinies awaiting us all. This album is pure, wondrous fun - an escape from unmagical day-to-day boring life. It takes you to a place where anything in your imagination is possible and the power of music can conquer all enemies, elements, and personal struggles. This album, my friends, is what I like to call EPIC.

But don't take that to mean it's all glory, sunshine and rainbows. Jari, Markus and Jukka have created a work that is epic in the same way as the best Dark Fantasy novels, with excellent tension, pacing and moments of intimate pain and struggle to make the adventure all the more empowering. 

Highlights: Hero in a Dream, Token of Time, Guardians of Fate, Old Man, Little Dreamer, Treacherous Gods, Eternal Wait 

Weak tracks: Abandoned