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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
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│ + Ensiferum - One Man Army + │
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│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Mar-20-2015 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2015 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........15 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.ensiferum.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Ensiferum Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : One Man Army Label : Metal Blade ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Whenever a band starts to go through the ║ │
│║ inevitable "coming of age" process after ║ │
│║ becoming establish, youthful exuberance is ║ │
│║ usually replaced with experimentation. The ║ │
│║ alternative is to continue repeating oneself and ║ │
│║ cleaving to the expectations of one's audience, ║ │
│║ which is the safer road, whereas the ║ │
│║ experimental route is a bit adventurous, though ║ │
│║ also a double-edged sword. Ensiferum found ║ │
│║ itself in the odd predicament of scoring an ║ │
│║ impressive deathblow to all the naysayers with ║ │
│║ From Afar, which brought in some external ideas ║ │
│║ while still keeping the energy factor at the ║ │
│║ forefront, followed by a self-inflicted wound of ║ │
│║ moderation in Unsung Heroes. Suffice to say, as ║ │
│║ with any other honorable sword-bearing warrior, ║ │
│║ the only road after an obvious misfire is the ║ │
│║ one of atonement and redemption, which usually ║ │
│║ comes by sticking closer to what one knows, ║ │
│║ though in the case of One Man Army, not ║ │
│║ completely so. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ It wouldn't be much of a stretch to give this ║ │
│║ album a sub-title of "From Afar 2" given its ║ │
│║ heavy similarities to their impressive 2009 ║ │
│║ opus, which is sure to please most of the band's ║ │
│║ core audience that simultaneously accepted Petri ║ │
│║ Lindroos as a worthy, albeit obviously inferior ║ │
│║ replacement to the one man choir Jari MΣenpΣΣ. ║ │
│║ It differs a little in that the emphasis is ║ │
│║ further placed on keyboards and choruses, ║ │
│║ resulting in a metal album with guitars that are ║ │
│║ busy and also thrashing at times, yet are not ║ │
│║ the principle focus. In a sense, this approach ║ │
│║ could be likened to the character of ║ │
│║ Equilibrium, though with a slightly less power ║ │
│║ metal oriented approach and a humbler ║ │
│║ arrangement that focuses a bit more on folksy ║ │
│║ instrumentation and not quite as much on ║ │
│║ bombastic orchestral elements. The only area ║ │
│║ where this album trips up a bit in terms of ║ │
│║ arrangement is the drum production, which is ║ │
│║ just a tad over-processed and steals some of the ║ │
│║ remaining thunder from the guitars and bass, ║ │
│║ though thankfully falls short of hijacking the ║ │
│║ entire arrangement. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The variety factor that Ensiferum has touted for ║ │
│║ a while is in full swing here, resulting in an ║ │
│║ album that is epic in all senses, but also not a ║ │
│║ one-dimensional speed fest or a slowed down, ║ │
│║ plodding affair like the first couple of Tyr ║ │
│║ albums. On the thrashing side of the equation, ║ │
│║ obviously recalling elements of Iron is the ║ │
│║ riveting, riff-happy title song "One Man Army" ║ │
│║ and the speedy yet a bit more mixed affair of ║ │
│║ "Axe Of Judgment". The use of theatrically ║ │
│║ tinged interludes such as the opening "March Of ║ │
│║ War" and the serene and nostalgic prelude to ║ │
│║ "Warrior Without A War" ditty in "Burden Of The ║ │
│║ Fallen" turns the clock back a bit further to ║ │
│║ the formative years when Jari was still leading ║ │
│║ the charge, definitely a welcome addition to the ║ │
│║ fold. Nothing on here quite reaches the same ║ │
│║ caliber of "Lai Lai Hei" or "Old Man", but the ║ │
│║ closing epic "Descendants, Defiance, Domination" ║ │
│║ (itself a part of the continuing series "Heathen ║ │
│║ Throne") gets pretty close, and also showcases ║ │
│║ more of a catchy, fanfare-like approach to ║ │
│║ constructing a varied epic composition. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ There are few things to complain about with an ║ │
│║ album like this if the goal is recapturing an ║ │
│║ existing formula, though this album does want ║ │
│║ for a bit more power at times. Apart from a ║ │
│║ comical disco break at the center of a Celtic- ║ │
│║ infused drinking song of sorts in "Two Of ║ │
│║ Spades", this is about as predictable as they ║ │
│║ come, but in a good way, if that makes any ║ │
│║ sense. There is something to be said for ║ │
│║ sticking with what works, and although One Man ║ │
│║ Army is just a tad too safe at times for its own ║ │
│║ name, it definitely shows a band that is ║ │
│║ hungrier and ready for battle, in stark contrast ║ │
│║ to the haggard, just barely cutting it character ║ │
│║ of Unsung Heroes. For all this albums wanting ║ │
│║ for a few more twists, maybe a few more ║ │
│║ technical additives and guitar solos, it claims ║ │
│║ the battlefield, and definitely makes its ║ │
│║ ancestors proud. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - March Of War [01:32] │
│ 02 - Axe Of Judgement [04:33] │
│ 03 - Heathen Horde [04:13] │
│ 04 - One Man Army [04:26] │
│ 05 - Burden Of The Fallen [01:50] │
│ 06 - Warrior Without A War [05:24] │
│ 07 - Cry For The Earth Bounds [07:32] │
│ 08 - Two Of Spades [03:39] │
│ 09 - My Ancestors Blood [04:31] │
│ 10 - Descendants, Defiance, Domination [11:21] │
│ 11 - Neito Pohjolan [04:11] │
│ 12 - Rawhide (Bonus Track) [02:35] │
│ 13 - Warmetal (Bonus Track) [02:54] │
│ 14 - Candour And Lies (Bonus Track) [04:11] │
│ 15 - Bonus Song (Bonus Track) [04:29] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [67:21 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│■ ■│
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