Band:	Ensiferum
Album:	Victory Songs
Style:	Extreme folk metal
Release date:	April 2007

Disc I [CD]
01. Ad Victoriam
02. Blood Is The Price Of Glory
03. Deathbringer From The Sky
04. Ahti
05. One More Magic Potion
06. Wanderer
07. Raised By The Sword
08. The New Dawn
09. Victory Song
10. Lady In Black [Uriah Heep cover] [Japanese bonus]

Disc II [DVD]
01. Iron Tour
02. Photogallery

Everybody that is interested in this area of metal will know of the whole goings ons with Jari leaving after "Iron" in 2004 and then the anticipation and expectations for "Dragonheads" and this new album with Petri Lindroos taking over to fill in the large abyss Jari left. "Dragonheads" was more of a teaser for this new album than anything else, including just one actual new song - but now after some minor setbacks we finally have the highly awaited new Ensiferum album and this is the real deal.

Short introduction tracks of little relevance seems to be the popular thing nowadays but I cannot complain about the introduction to this album due to it presenting a lovely melody, and also because of its link to the last, and title track "Victory Song" that brings the album around almost into a circle. "Blood Is The Price Of Glory" kicks things off in the right direction sounding aggressive as ever and still keeping the trademark melody in there, but the magic of the album really doesn't start until we get to "Ahti", from here on the band shine so brightly, possibly like they have never done before providing their unique style of folkish metal that uses elements of power metal and entwines them perfectly with traces of black metal going from Markus and Sami's clean, almost sing along vocals to blastbeating and Petri's extreme vocals.

As well as "Ahti", single "One More Magic Potion" and almost ballad like "Wanderer" are real highlights in the album that will still be classics in this bands discography some years down the line. It is clear that the band has not lost any of their wondrous songwriting abilities and are still able to deliver the goods just as well as they always have been able to. This album is pretty much along the same vein as their other two albums; there aren't any major changes at all. Petri fits in like he has been a part of the band all along, and so hopefully band will now have a stable line-up for a good number of years.

Closing the album is the truly epic ten minute, and appropriately named "Victory Song" that really just epitomises the whole album. Galloping horse sounding drums to introduce the song, majestic melodies and a super catchy sing along chorus make this song, like pretty much everything else on this album, something really special and different to listen to. It has been quite some time now since I have been so engrossed in a new album that it makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, it is such a pleasure to listen to and is a real gem of an album. Anyone remotely interested in folk music or power metal should fall in love with this album as soon as they hear it.