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Ensiferum - Unsung Heroes



6.9 | 501 votes |
Release date: 24 August 2012
Style: Extreme folk metal

Owners:

392 have it
86 want it


Disc I
01. Symbols
02. In My Sword I Trust
03. Unsung Heroes
04. Burning Leaves
05. Celestial Bond
06. Retribution Shall Be Mine
07. Star Queen (Celestial Bond Part II)
08. Pohjola
09. Last Breath
10. Passion, Proof, Power
11. Bamboleo [Gipsy Kings cover] [deluxe edition bonus]

Disc II [DVD] [deluxe edition bonus]
+ From Symbols To Passion: The Making Of Unsung Heroes
+ Studio Diary: Week 1-7

The biggest letdown of 2012

Staff review by
Baz Anderson
Rating:
5.0
It looks like Ensiferum, it sounds like Ensiferum, but is this actually Ensiferum?

Read more ››
published 27.08.2012 | Comments (65)

Guest review by
bloodyrenn
Rating:
8.5
I, like most Ensiferum fans, was rather disappointed upon initially hearing the band's 2012 effort Unsung Heroes. The album's pacing was much slower than the much-heralded From Afar, the atmosphere rather mellow in comparison to their other works and the sense of composition more subdued and subtle. As most metal listeners know, the first few listens of an album can be deceiving; I mean, after all, how many of us truly wrapped our heads around Opeth's Blackwater Park the first time we listened to it? I don't mind spending some time with the albums I have at my disposal and giving Unsung Heroes a number of listens has proven to be one of the greatest rewards this habit has given me as of late. Unsung Heroes is, for all intents and purposes, quite unsung (no pun intended, of course).

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published 09.08.2013 | Comments (8)

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Comments page 4 / 5

Comments: 124   Visited by: 1492 users
28.08.2012 - 15:44
Rating: 9
AXA
Awesome work really like it \../,
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28.08.2012 - 16:14
Ellrohir
Heaven Knight
That song is the best on the album imo, so...
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My rest seems now calm and deep
Finally I got my dead man sleep


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28.08.2012 - 19:23
Rating: 8
yellosfr
I had no expectation about this album, but I knew that I did not want to listen to an usual linear album.
I got pleased to hear that the guys try to make some efforts in the composition and arrangement of the album.
A good middle range album...
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28.08.2012 - 23:33
Rating: 6
pojechany
It's not bad album at all, but it's not what i expected from such a great band like Ensiferum. Better luck next time.
btw. Bonus song is totally the best music joke I've ever heard.
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01.09.2012 - 21:07
Rating: 8
Yossarian
All right. It had a turn towards a more main-stream sound. I expect that Extreme Folk doesn't become another stupid vogue for non-metalheads that like metal. It has happened first with Rockallica, pardon, I meant Metallica, Gothic metal and so so.

About the album, I have to admit that it's quite good, but lacks everything that Baz said spirit, feeling, energy, anger, craziness...

About the version "bamboleo", puaj. I hated that song before and now. What will become next for the next metal band that approach insane versions: "wacka wacka" "living la vida loca" and "macarena"?
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01.09.2012 - 21:26
MetalSpider
I would rate it 7, but I only gave it one spin so far. It's a good album but none of the songs were immediately memorable to me whereas From Afar had songs that just stuck with me after one listen.

But I will rate it once I've listened to it again.
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Thanks to Corrupt for these banners!
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09.09.2012 - 13:02
Rating: 9
Sentenced Odiin
gothic.moorion@gmail.com
Sweet fuck - ~7 rating? extremely underrated album! i don't get why musical changing brings disappointment.. slower tempo, more clean vocals, but outstandingly more folk part and nice north-like melodies. moreover Passion Proof Power is one of the most complex track in years i have heard..
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Life has given me much, maybe taken more...
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09.09.2012 - 18:27
Rating: 7
JÄY
Metal slave
Written by Sentenced Odiin on 09.09.2012 at 13:02

Sweet fuck - ~7 rating? extremely underrated album! i don't get why musical changing brings disappointment.. slower tempo, more clean vocals, but outstandingly more folk part and nice north-like melodies. moreover Passion Proof Power is one of the most complex track in years i have heard..


slower is ok...so is change in direction... as long as the change isnt a dip in song writing
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12.09.2012 - 15:10
euronymous
Not good album specialy the last two songs they are just really bad...
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14.09.2012 - 02:36
souvenir_s
I really didn't like it
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14.09.2012 - 23:46
Zap
Guest
Written by Yossarian on 01.09.2012 at 21:07

What will become next for the next metal band that approach insane versions: "wacka wacka" "living la vida loca" and "macarena"?

Oh, I do hope so!
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22.09.2012 - 03:28
Rating: 10
Windir
So much shitting about this album... I almost believed it ha ha. WTF! It's just great!
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08.10.2012 - 22:48
Rating: 7
JÄY
Metal slave
Written by Lustful Maid on 08.10.2012 at 22:12

The old man hands are too small for his size, it is not proportional. Normally the hands of a man are almost equal to the size his face.


I noticed this too...surprising from such an established artist
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25.10.2012 - 16:06
Rating: 7
Sword_Chant
Not up to par with their other releases, but 'In My Sword I Trust', 'Passion Proof Power' and 'Bamboleo' are enjoyable tracks.
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27.10.2012 - 13:31
Rating: 8
Vikcen
Metálico
This album is the light version of Ensiferum, and I'm sure it will appeal to many people, after all it is good music that transmit good feeling, but in my opinion they give a small step back with this, we want more songs in the line of Retribution Shall Be Mine ! , which is awesome. Well, there are great songs like that, or In My Sword I Trust (both the best songs of the album for me) and others like Burning Leaves or Pohjola that still i like, but overall i feel the album as a small disapointment.
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28.10.2012 - 21:20
Rating: 10
patrickmetal12
It took me an entire year to get into From Afar.
not as long with Unsung Heroes. clearly it is not the same 'ol ensiferum we are used to. but (again, going to the ageless argument over a band's transition and evolution) they don't need to sound like the OLD ensfierum. they are changing, as well as every other band out there. i am sure that if they were making the same music as from their first album, many people would still complain that its "more of the same".
Passion Proof Power is AMAZING. the final bit of the song is full of Northern power, trademark of Ensiferum \m/
I urge everyone to give the album a chance, for it is unlike their other works. Might take time to fully appreciate it; but i can assure that, if you give the album an opportunity, you wont be disappointed! \m/ cheers
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28.10.2012 - 21:25
Rating: 10
patrickmetal12
"So often it is the case that a band that defines a genre ends up becoming imprisoned by the template they themselves pioneered. It can be extremely difficult to break free. Change too much and your fans will turn on you. Fail to evolve and your fans will get sick of you"

"Some may feel that Heroes is too drastic a departure from Victory Songs and From Afar. While not as thrashy and straight-forward as those, this makes up for it with sheer beauty and a cinematic feel to the entire album. It's hard to imagine that Ensiferum could out-epic themselves, but they did just that by crafting amazingly deep folk songs."
From a review on stereokiller
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29.10.2012 - 08:14
Rating: 7
JÄY
Metal slave
Written by patrickmetal12 on 28.10.2012 at 21:25

"So often it is the case that a band that defines a genre ends up becoming imprisoned by the template they themselves pioneered. It can be extremely difficult to break free. Change too much and your fans will turn on you. Fail to evolve and your fans will get sick of you"

"Some may feel that Heroes is too drastic a departure from Victory Songs and From Afar. While not as thrashy and straight-forward as those, this makes up for it with sheer beauty and a cinematic feel to the entire album. It's hard to imagine that Ensiferum could out-epic themselves, but they did just that by crafting amazingly deep folk songs."
From a review on stereokiller


I know Im in the minority, here, but I don't car if a band repeats themselves over and over again as long as the quality is top-notch.

Song-writing took a dip with this one....
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29.10.2012 - 20:05
Rating: 10
patrickmetal12
Written by JÄY on 29.10.2012 at 08:14

Written by patrickmetal12 on 28.10.2012 at 21:25

"So often it is the case that a band that defines a genre ends up becoming imprisoned by the template they themselves pioneered. It can be extremely difficult to break free. Change too much and your fans will turn on you. Fail to evolve and your fans will get sick of you"

"Some may feel that Heroes is too drastic a departure from Victory Songs and From Afar. While not as thrashy and straight-forward as those, this makes up for it with sheer beauty and a cinematic feel to the entire album. It's hard to imagine that Ensiferum could out-epic themselves, but they did just that by crafting amazingly deep folk songs."
From a review on stereokiller


I know Im in the minority, here, but I don't car if a band repeats themselves over and over again as long as the quality is top-notch.

Song-writing took a dip with this one....


I would not have minded another album containing songs like Slayer of Light and Blood is the Price of Glory...
Maybe some of the songs (the slower ones) don't have such a strong impact on the listener, yet they still made (at least) 4 great songs in Unsung Heroes.
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31.10.2012 - 12:52
Rating: 8
I know this album has gotten a lot of criticism and everyone is entitled to their opinion of course, but i can honestly say that I think this is the band's most mature and best work. I know everyone is gonna jump on me over it but...thats what i think anyway. lol
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22.11.2012 - 20:25
Rating: 9
Stoyz
Not the best, sure. But not the least. It's epic and a little less viking than the other albums, but I like epic things!
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28.04.2013 - 03:47
HyperDrifter
I keep trying to like this album, but after many repeat listens, I just can't...disappointed for sure.

EDIT: I disagree with myself, actually really enjoying it now (took some time for it to grow on me). Burning Leaves is a great song.
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23.03.2014 - 03:31
Rating: 9
Listened to it on the release date and just gave it another spin. From 5 to 9 for me. Although there are some things that bug me on the first half of Last Breath and Passion Proof Power.
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31.03.2014 - 19:28
Rating: 8
Vikcen
Metálico
The biggest letdown of 2012? Quite exaggerated in my oppinion, sure there were worse letdown for this year (like The Industrialist from Fear Factory, or Steve Harris with its British Lion) at least this is still a good metal álbum.
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09.06.2014 - 06:41
Rating: 7
Rsrdaman
Definitely Ensiferum's worst, but does that mean it's bad? Hell no. Unsung Heroes is pretty good, "Last Breath" and "In My Sword I trust" shining here. Both becoming some of my favorite Ensiferum tracks. The 7.1 rating this has is pretty funny, Obviously has been hate-rated, doesn't deserve that low a rating at all. Just because a band changes it's sound a bit and slows its music slightly doesn't mean its garbage.
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21.09.2014 - 01:55
Rating: 6
musicalkaratekid
It has a few special moments like "Retribution shall be Mine" and "Pohjola", but ultimately for me it's also a rather average effort for Ensiferum.
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10.10.2014 - 14:16
Rating: 6
marshalldml
I think the only reason someone may like this is that it's Ensiferum so we have to give it a lot more spins to force ourselves to like it.
if it's some new band we never heard of we'll just throw it away after first listen....it's just boring.
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12.01.2019 - 18:37
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Song whit female vocals was amazing, decent album, somehow band dont change, example CoB old is awesome, new bad, here we cant judge and deal up band in 2 parts. All is awesome, and amazing, seems believe is what is key factor.
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I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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07.02.2020 - 03:02
ickoriss
Probably my favorite record by the band. I'm kind of confused by all the negative reviews lol.
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05.09.2020 - 02:28
Rating: 8
CWA
This album was great. The poor reviews on this website really lead me astray and ignored this album for a long time. What a fool I was.
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