Finally, the waiting is over! ENSIFERUM have returned with their sophomore album Iron, and even though the road has been rocky and steep, the outcome is more than one dared to hope for. If you have read my review of their self-titled debut album, you know what I am talking about. The first album blew me away, period. Incorporating that special Finnish sound into their blackened folk metal, I could do nothing but surrender and listen in awe of this young troupe of skilled musicians. And now they're back. The recording process of the new album has been very tricky, to say the least, according to the band, and the album has been delayed several times, originally intended for a January 2004 release. And as if that wasn't enough, shortly after completing Iron, vocalist and guitarist Jari Määenpä left the band to concentrate fully on his solo project Wintersun. Bad luck, anyone? Although Iron doesn't reach the same heights as its predecessor (which may have been nigh on impossible), it is still a damn fine album, and more than a worthy step in the musical direction ENSIFERUM have forged.

Opening track Ferrum Aeternum is an instrumental intro, that builds up the mood quite suggestively. Somehow reminiscent of movie soundtracks the likes of Braveheart and Lord Of The Rings, the track sets the tone for the grandeur that is to come. Next up is Iron, title track and first 'real' song of the album. It blazes away furiously, with double-bass drums and glorious guitar leads, and when the vocals of Jari kick in, everyone who ever doubted this band is put in their place. The band couldn't possibly have written a worthier opener for the album! Sword Chant continues the set path, with some very folkish acoustic guitars opening the song, and some very crazy background vocals to accentuate another great tune from these Finnish gentlemen. Towards the end of the song, there are more chanting choirs, before the song picks up speed again, and blazes off. Mourning Heart - Interlude, is just that; an interlude, that paves the way for Tale Of Revenge, the first single off the album, and another favorite. I really don't think words can do this song justice. The tune has this grim feeling written all over it, and is very progressive in the way that it wants to tell a story, interpreted by the harsh vocals of Jari, who really does a top-notch job here. The song is beautiful, heavy and haunting, and even has some very bombastic 'Bal-Sagothic' passages! Lost In Despair comes next, and this is a song that really grows on you. Sung almost entirely in clean vocals (except for a short passage in the chorus), it is a very sad song, and showcases perfectly the melodies that the band has become so good at incorporating in their music. Give it time, and it will grow on you. I did, and I didn't even care for it particularly in the beginning. Now it is one of my favorites, and the album wouldn't be complete without it. On the heels of this cleanly sung, beautiful piece comes Slayer Of Light with its non-stop full-on chugging guitars and bombastic choirs. You got to love the drums in this track, people! If I had to pick one song off the album, it would be this one (or maybe Tale Of Revenge). It's short and sweet, and has an EXCELLENT chorus. Damn, I can't really convey my feelings towards the song here. Just listen do it, dammit! Into Battle has a very epic flavor, beginning with some beautiful snare drums and a lovely guitar soloing away. The song then escalates into a typical ENSIFERUM track, with vocals alternating between harsh and clean passages. Lai Lai Hei is the longest track on the album, clocking in at over seven minutes. Taking its time, it starts off with some very folkish guitars, building up the mood carefully, before the vocals kick in. And, ladies and gentlemen, this song is sung partly in Finnish! I don't understand shit of what Jari's singing, but somehow it fits perfectly anyway. The choruses on this one are made for live play (and chanting). Typical ENSIFERUM and very epic/folky/Finnish. Tears ends the album, and is sung entirely in clean vocals, by a woman, whose voice reminds me a lot of Sabine Edelsbacher of Edenbridge. It's a good way to close an album that has pretty much everything you could want, even though there could have been a little more of it.

So why don't I give Iron 10 out of 10? Simply because I think it is too short. The first album had 11 songs + intro. Iron has 8 songs + intro (I don't count the interlude as a complete song). Also, and I realize I may seem very spoiled here, some tracks are great, but not mind-blowingly great, like ALL the songs on the debut album were. I am sure those songs will grow on me, though. All in all, those are minor quibbles, however. There is really nothing here I can say that is going to change anyone's mind. If you like ENSIFERUM you got to have this. If you like atmospheric, folky black/speed/power metal, you've got to have this. The rest of you should give this album a spin too. Iron is a great album, (even when measured by ENSIFERUM standards), and I cherish it dearly.