Church of Metal

From Afar is the fourth studio album by the Finnish folk metal band Ensiferum, as well as the first to feature keyboardist Emmi Silvennoinen. It was released on September 9, 2009 on Spinefarm Records.

In a hurry to hear this album? Listen to Ensiferum From Afar mp3s.

Ensiferum From Afar

Ensiferum – From Afar (2009)

1. By the Dividing Stream 3:50
2. From Afar 4:51
3. Twilight Tavern 5:38
4. Heathen Throne 11:09
5. Elusive Reaches 3:26
6. Stone Cold Metal 7:25
7. Smoking Ruins 6:40
8. Tumman virran taa 0:52
9. The Longest Journey (Heathen Throne Part II) 12:49

This album will blow you away if you have not heard this before, if you have, you know what it is! Uplifting power metal from another great Finnish metal band, Ensiferum.

Back in 2008 Alestorm released this little gem of an EP, Leviathan.

Three of the songs on this EP are also on Black Sails At Midnight, all except the German song.

In an effort to complete the Alestorm discography before they release their 2011 album, Back Through Time in June 2011, I am going to post all of the Alestorm albums I have so when the new pirate metal album sets sail it will be finished!

People often use the term “epic” to describe music, but this EP really is. These four songs feel so big and epic as you listen to them!

Alestorm Leviathan

Alestorm – Leviathan (2008)

1. Leviathan 6:04
2. Wolves Of The Sea 3:32
3. Weiber Und Wein 3:42
4. Heavy Metal Pirates 4:22

Captain Morgan and his wild crew are once again up to no good on the high seas. Hidden within Alestorm’s captured loot lies a very prized gem: “Leviathan”, offers 4 tracks of unique Scottish Pirate Metal that will undoubtedly convince landsmen of the joys of pillaging with a good dose of keyboard melodies, sing-along growls and a mug full of rum. A jolly good time and happy plundering are guaranteed, so let the raid begin! A must-have for pirates and any others willing to sail the Seven Seas!

Alestorm has done it again with their studio album, Black Sails At Midnight.

Wikipedia had this to say “Black Sails at Midnight is the second studio album by the Scottish power/Pirate Metal band Alestorm.

As with their first album, all the drums tracks were recorded by session drummer Migo Wagner but touring drummer Ian Wilson added additional percussion.

The album features string and brass arrangements and folk instruments as opposed to the more heavy metal instrumentation of Captain Morgan’s Revenge.”

Alestorm Black Sails At Midnight

Alestorm – Black Sails At Midnight

1. The Quest 4:56
2. Leviathan 5:56
3. That Famous Ol’ Spiced 4:45
4. Keelhauled 3:42
5. To The End Of Our Days 6:22
6. Black Sails At Midnight 3:31
7. No Quarter 3:02
8. Pirate Song 4:02
9. Chronicles Of Vengeance 6:24
10. Wolves Of The Sea 3:33

Black Sails at Midnight is everything Captain Morgan’s Revenge was and more. The song writing, musicianship and lyrics are all good.

Have ye ever heard of Pirate Metal? Well if you have not until today, you shall be introduced to a great band and an awesome pirate theme.

Allow me to introduce you to your new favorite band, Alestorm.

Captain Morgan’s Revenge is the debut album by the Scottish power/folk metal band Alestorm, released in 2008 by Napalm Records.

Alestorm - Captain Morgan's Revenge

Alestorm – Captain Morgan’s Revenge (2008)

1. Over The Seas 3:55
2. Captain Morgan`S Revenge 6:42
3. The Huntmaster 4:59
4. Nancy The Tavern Wench 4:52
5. Death Before The Mast 3:17
6. Terror On The High Seas 3:51
7. Set Sail And Conquer 4:38
8. Of Treasure 2:58
9. Wenches & Mead 3:42
10. Flower Of Scotland 2:37

“Pirates! The “Alestorm” is on the high seas and its crew, four madmen, are ready to enslave you with their own brand of Scottish Pirate Metal! With their canons fully loaded and their rum induced songs about booty raids, treasures, and women, Alestorm delivers jolly drunken Battle Metal full of energy, power, and good humour. Join the crew and let the raid begin!”

Iron is the second full-length album by Viking/folk metal band Ensiferum. This is the last album featuring Jari Mäenpää before he formed Wintersun the same year.

Ensiferum – what name would suit a band playing battle metal better, than a name that in Latin means “the Swordbearer”?

The band’s career fully took flight in 2000 after Spinefarm Records released their self titled debut album “Ensiferum”, and their busy touring made them a household favourite all over Finland. Their second album “Iron” took Ensiferum one step further, all the way to Copenhagen’s Sweet Silence Studios.

There in Denmark, during the Fall of 2003, their second album was recorded within the capable hands of producer Flemming Rasmussen, who in the past had recorded such masterpieces as Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” and “Ride the Lightning”.

Ensiferum - Iron (2004)

Ensiferum – Iron (2004)

1. Ferrum Aeternum 3:28
2. Iron 3:53
3. Sword Chant 4:44
4. Mourning Heart – Interlude 1:23
5. Tale Of Revenge 4:30
6. Lost In Despair 5:37
7. Slayer Of Light 3:10
8. Into Battle 5:52
9. Lai Lai Hei 7:15
10. Tears 3:20
11. Battery 10:43

“Iron” was a great success and grew the band’s popularity to whole new heights. The album also got the band some extensive touring abroad, but these metallic recordings and gigs finally took such a toll on the band that the year 2004 saw three band members depart: drummer Oliver Fokin, bassist Jukka-Pekka Miettinen and vocalist Jari Mäenpää (later known for his work on Wintersun). This was not the end of the world for the kind of warriors that Ensiferum and its mastermind Markus are, they just took along new, excellent members to replace these sudden gaps in their lineup. Aboard stepped bassist / vocalist Sami Hinkka, drummer Janne Parviainen (also known for his work on Waltari and Barathrum), and vocalist / guitarist Petri Lindroos.

“Astronomy is the fourth studio album by Swedish power metal band Dragonland, released in Europe on November 13, 2006 and in North America on November 28, 2006.

Hail! Hope you ready for some power metal this morning?

While their third album Starfall focused heavily on keyboards and had a more upbeat lyrical tone, according to guitarist Olof Mörck, Astronomy is “gloomier, more stygian and packed with crunching guitars; both furiously fast and bone-grindingly heavy.”

Dragonland - Astronomy (2006)

1. “Supernova” – 5:09 (Featuring Elize Ryd of Amaranthe)
2. “Cassiopeia” – 4:06 (Featuring Elize Ryd of Amaranthe)(Solo by Marios Ilipoulos of Nightrage)
3. “Contact” – 4:25
4. “Astronomy” – 3:20 (Featuring Jake E of Dreamland/Amaranthe)
5. “Antimatter” – 3:00 (Featuring Jimmie Strimmel of Nightrage/Dead by April)
6. “The Book of Shadows Part IV: The Scrolls of Geometria Divina” – 4:04
7. “Beethoven’s Nightmare” – 6:11
8. “Too Late for Sorrow” – 3:36 (Featuring Elize Ryd of Amaranthe & Jake E of Dreamland/Amaranthe)
9. “Direction: Perfection” – 4:29 (Featuring Jimmie Strimmel of Nightrage/Dead by April)
10. “The Old House on the Hill Chapter I: A Death in the Family” – 4:30
11. “The Old House on the Hill Chapter II: The Thing in the Cellar” – 3:08
12. “The Old House on the Hill Chapter III: The Ring of Edward Waldon” – 6:18

download Dragonland – Astronomy (2006) mp3s

Japanese Bonus Tracks:

13. “Intuition” (TNT Cover) – 4:15
14. “The Last Word” – 4:12

Inspiring power metal to get the day going from Dragonland.

Here is another band I like, but honestly do not know much about, Falchion. I looked them up on wikipedia, and this is all there was:

“Falchion was a Finnish heavy metal band formed in 2002. Their debut album, Legacy of Heathens, was released in 2005″ But it did not mention the second album, ….

Their follow up album Chronicles of the Dead was released in 2008.

“The vocalist and lead guitarist Juho Kauppinen and drummer Matti Johansson perform with the Finnish folk metal group Korpiklaani, as the accordion player and drummer, respectively. The band split up in 2009.”

The album I am listening to as I type this is Chronicles of the Dead and it is melodic death metal. I really like the vocals, however there are no clean vocals on this one. I never discuss production or technical ability, I just post good stuff so enjoy.

Falchion Chronicles of the Dead

1. Primitive Again
2. Chronicles Of The Dead
3. Shadows In The Wasteland
4. Kingdom Of Dust
5. Desert Breeze
6. Shades Of Gray
7. Dying Dreams
8. Mayhem Machine
9. Evolution In Reverse

Falchion Chronicles of the Dead is a combination of many types of metal including melodic death and power metal.

Heading Northe is the fourth studio album from the band Stormwarrior. It was released in 2008.

The band Stormwarrior, hailing from Northern Germany, was founded in 1998 by Lars Ramcke (Vocals/ Guitar) and Andrè Schumann (Drums) and in the same year added Scott Bölter (Guitar) and Tim Zienert (Bass).

Here is a good German power metal album by speed metal band Stormwarrior.

If you’ve been wanting a good power metal album with viking theme these guys are good musicians and this album is full of metal mp3s to download.

Stormwarrior - Heading Northe

Heading Northe (2008)

1. And the Horde Calleth for Oden
2. Heading Northe
3. Metal Legacy
4. The Holy Cross
5. Iron Gods
6. Ragnarök
7. The Revenge of Asa Lande
8. Remember the Oathe
9. Lion of the Northe
10. Into the Battle
11. And the Valkyries Ride

Stormwarrior is a speed metal band from Germany that was formed in 1998 by vocalist and guitar player Lars Ramcke and drummer Andre Schumann, adding later in the same year guitarist Scott Bolter and bass player Tim Zienert. The members of Stormwarrior draw their musical influences from the 80′s heavy metal scene including such fellow German bands as Helloween and Running Wild.

Alright, I know I listen to brutal death metal, hardcore, sludge, funeral doom, etc… but man do I have a special place in my heart for a good power metal album! And that is exactly what I have in store for you today. Get ready for some double bass, screaming guitar solos, and encouraging power metal vocals, we are going to listen to Firewind’s Between Heaven and Hell today.

When I was younger all I wanted to hear was brutal metal, whether it was some gore related death or early thrash – but now, perhaps I am a bit older, but power metal has grown on me to the point I listen to it every day now. However, I also listen to brutal death daily!

Firewind Between heaven and hell

Firewind – Between Heaven and Hell (2002)

1. Between Heaven and Hell
2. Warrior
3. Words of Conflict
4. Destination Forever
5. Oceans
6. Tomorrow Can Wait
7. Pictured Life
8. Firewind Raging
9. I Will Fight Alone
10. Northern Sky
11. Fire
12. Who Am I

The opening track to this album, is also the title track, and was the first song by this band I had ever heard “Between Heaven and Hell” will let you know exactly what is coming from this power metal band, Firewind.

For the past few days I have been on a power metal kick. While I, of course, have played other genres of music over the past week or so, I find myself coming back to some power metal songs time and time again when listening and downloading mp3s.

This brings me to this morning’s metal music update: Saint Deamon – In Shadows Lost From The Brave

Power metal from Sweden featuring Jan Grefstad of Highland Glory.

download Saint Deamon – In Shadows Lost From The Brave mp3s

1. Exodus (Intro) [Instrumental]
2. My Judas
3. In Shadows Lost from the Brave
4. My Heart
5. The Burden
6. No Mans Land
7. Ride Forever
8. Black Symphony
9. Deamons
10. The Brave Never Bleeds
11. My Sorrow
12. Run for Your Life
13. My Heart [Bonus Video]

Sweden sure does put out some good metal that is for sure. In all genres, from black metal to beautiful power metal, amazing work guys keep it up. We here in America love your music.