Ensiferum (Finland): Unsung Heroes; Execration (U.S.): The Acceptance of Zero Existence

Ensiferum  (Finland):  Unsung Heroes   (Spinefarm Records)

Ensiferum’s folk viking melodic metal is so contagious that you need exactly one listen to remember it.

The first proper song “In My Sword I Trust” has everyone in Finland singing along already. Finland sent me a Morse code message and said, “It’s about time you understood.”

From that first song, it’s up, up, and away we go into the realm of happy melodies and catchy tunes about swords, kings, heroes, queens and other newsworthy, current political problems of the Middle Ages.

Semi-harsh (but nice) vocals and clean singing are thrown in all over the place. The melodies are sweet and sugary and the beats are friendly to the ear.  The songs from this album make children, teenagers, adults and elderly people happy, so happy, so very happy.

Heavy as a feather, and offensive as a puppy, Ensiferum are shamelessly melodic and catchy. www.ensiferum.com

Execration (U.S.): The Acceptance of Zero Existence   (Comatose Music)

Through their total blasting, Execration sounds like they want to set fire to the idols of death metal like Krisiun and Hate Eternal.

I noticed one interesting about Execration: it sounds like they use the tremolo guitar work, along with the more familiar death metal guitar riffs, so this music has a feel that is more specific to this band. Good.

Next time, though, I do hope the sound quality is better because it sounds a bit muddy, I think. Anyway, go to Execration for frenzy and intensity, and give them a chance. Maybe the next album really will be a homerun. www.reverbnation.com/execrationbrutality