01. By the Dividing Stream 03:50 02. From Afar 04:51 03. Twilight Tavern 05:38 04. Heathen Throne 11:09 05. Elusive Reaches 03:26 06. Stone Cold Metal 07:25 07. Smoking Ruins 06:40 08. Tumman Virran Taa 00:52 09. The Longest Journey (Heathen Throne Part II) 12:49

When Ensiferum were voted band of the year in the 2008 Terrorizer Readers’ Poll, many – this writer included – were shocked to say the least. For a group with no new releases and less then a handful of UK shows to their name that year, this was a tremendous achievement and a sign that the Finnish sword-bearers clearly were not just a much loved band but one on the cusp of greater success. Naturally, nothing less than a great new album will do if the Finns are to capitalise on the not-inconsiderable buzz now surrounding them.

For better or worse, many artists mark such milestones with some change of musical direction, a more streamlined sound or simply buckling to commercial pressure – not Ensiferum though. Any long time fans will know exactly what they’re getting here: tales of heroism, fantasy and war marked by rousing guitar harmonies, high-speed riffage and catchy- as-hell folk passages that only the most hard-hearted of metalheads will resist making a fool of oneself to on rock club dancefloors (assuming there’s any UK rock club DJs wise enough to play them yet – just sayin’).
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