Country of origin: Finland
Location: Helsinki
Status: Active
Formed in: 1995
Years active: 1995-present
Genre: Epic Folk Metal
Lyrical themes: Legends, Fantasy, Battles, Sorrow, Heathen Themes
Current label: Metal Blade Records
Ensiferum means "Sword Bearer". 'Ensis' is a third declension noun meaning Sword, and 'Ferum' is from an irregular verb meaning "to carry" (like "ferry"). Markus Toivonen found the word in a Latin dictionary when the band were starting out and decided it was an ideal name.
Ensiferum were founded as a three-piece by Markus Toivonen, Sauli Savolainen and Kimmo Miettinen. They began mostly as a cover band before persuading Jari Mäenpää to join as vocalist and second guitarist a year later.
Frontman Jari Mäenpää quit in 2004 after creating his own project, Wintersun. Studio time for Wintersun recordings clashed with an Ensiferum tour, so Mäenpää quit Ensiferum. Petri Lindroos of Norther was brought in, inititally to cover for live dates, and eventually agreed to join permanently. At this point the band's vocal duties were split as Lindroos performed only the harsh singing while Markus Toivonen and Sami Hinkka took over the clean vocals. Toivonen is now the only founding member left in the band.
Markus Toivonen never played in Scent of Flesh - there are two different persons with the same name.
Petri Lindroos was forced to miss a few tour dates in November 2008 due to illness. Former bassist Jukka-Pekka Miettinen filled in as guitarist while Sami Hinkka took up harsh vocal duties.
Current
Markus Toivonen Guitars, Vocals (backing) (1995-present), Vocals (clean) (2004-present)
See also: ex-Soulstream, Speden Timantit
Sami Hinkka Bass, Vocals (2004-present)
See also: October Falls, ex-Rapture
Petri Lindroos Vocals (harsh), Guitars (2004-present)
See also: ex-Norther
Janne Parviainen Drums (2005-present)
See also: ex-Zwanziger, ex-Valvet, ex-Barathrum, ex-Raskasta Joulua, ex-Waltari, ex-Sinergy
Emmi Silvennoinen Keyboards, Vocals (backing) (2009-present)
See also: ex-Exsecratus
Past
Sauli Savolainen Bass (1995-1998)
Kimmo Miettinen Drums (1995-1998)
See also: ex-Cadacross, ex-Empyrean Bane, Lost Alone, ex-Arthemesia
Jari Mäenpää Vocals, Guitars (1996-2004)
See also: Wintersun, ex-Arthemesia, ex-Immemorial, ex-Lost Alone
Jukka-Pekka Miettinen Bass (1998-2004)
See also: ex-Arthemesia, ex-Empyrean Bane, ex-Mandragora, ex-Alghazanth (live), ex-Turisas (live), ex-Cadacross
Oliver Fokin Drums, Percussion (1998-2005)
See also: ex-Wintersun, ex-Arthemesia, ex-Immemorial
Meiju Enho Keyboards (2001-2007)
See also: ex-Finntroll (live)
Past (Live)
Emmi Silvennoinen Keyboards (2007-2009)
See also: ex-Exsecratus
Jukka-Pekka Miettinen Guitars, Vocals (backing) (2008), Bass, Vocals (backing) (2013)
See also: ex-Arthemesia, ex-Empyrean Bane, ex-Mandragora, ex-Alghazanth (live), ex-Turisas (live), ex-Cadacross
Demo I - Demo 1997
Demo II - Demo 1999
Hero in a Dream - Demo 1999
Ensiferum - Full-length 2001
Tale of Revenge - Single 2004
Iron - Full-length 2004
1997-1999 - Compilation 2005
Dragonheads - EP 2006
10th Anniversary Live - Video 2006
Deathbringer from the Sky - Single 2007
One More Magic Potion - Single 2007
Victory Songs - Full-length 2007
From Afar - Single 2009
From Afar - Full-length 2009
Stone Cold Metal - Single 2010
Burning Leaves - Single 2012
Unsung Heroes - Full-length 2012
Suomi Warmetal - EP 2014
One Man Army - Full-length 2015
Two Decades of Greatest Sword Hits - Compilation 2016
Victory Songs + From Afar - Compilation 2017
Two Paths - Full-length 2017
The Live Path - EP 2017
http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Ensiferum/332 http://www.ensiferum.com/ http://www.facebook.com/Ensiferum http://www.myspace.com/ensiferum http://www.twitter.com/EnsiferumMetal http://www.youtube.com/user/OfficialEnsiferum http://www.youtube.com/user/EnsiferumTV 
