Finnish folk metal icons ENSIFERUM today unveil their official new video for “The Howl.” The track is taken from the band’s Winter Storm full-length, out now on Metal Blade Records.
Much of the new material for Winter Storm emerged during the COVID lockdown, when ENSIFERUM’s founding guitarist Markus Toivonen set himself the challenge of finding new ways to make music — eventually composing every song except the rousing and anthemic “Fatherland,” written by bassist Sami Hinkka. The addition of singer/organist Pekka Montin’s crystal-clear melodic high notes provided a tremendous boost on 2020’s Thalassic. But on Winter Storm — a fantasy concept narrative penned by Hinkka — Montin’s super-strong voice finds its optimal place in ENSIFERUM’s sound. Bringing to life such grandiose, heroic material, the singer emerges as one of the greatest vocal discoveries of the decade.
“The Howl” follows the band’s “Fatherland” video which told of a remote tribe who had been fighting against the Winter Storm Vigilantes.
“In ‘The Howl,’” Hinkka elaborates, “we leap ahead many years from the battle of ‘Fatherland.’ The young boy grew up and became a shaman. His people are losing the war and as his last deed he calls the Old Spirits one last time. He sacrifices his mortal form and becomes a spirit wolf and starts his journey to find The One to avenge for his people’s fate. This song is very ENSIFERUM-ish to the core: catchy melodies, powerful harsh vocals and singalong chorus. We’ve already played it on a few gigs; it’s obviously a great live song!”
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