Banger TV asked Petri Lindroos and Sami Hinkka of Finnish folk metal band Ensiferum to explain the appeal of combining folk and metal.

“They told us why it’s more fun than playing doom or death metal, and that they are essentially just “a bunch of geeks who have seen Conan the Barbarian and Braveheart too many times”.”

Watch below:

Spinefarm Records has announced details for the first compilation release from Ensiferum. Closing the Spinefarm chapter of Ensiferum's relentless ascent to pagan metal hall of fame, the collection Two Decades of Greatest Sword Hits, out April 1st, is a testimony of things past but definitely worth remembering.

The band, said, "20 years since the first notes were played in Ensiferum's first rehearsals. I doubt that 15-years old Markus Toivonen had any idea what he had just started and what kind of journey the band would begin that day. So much has happened in 20 years, but the cornerstones of our music -folk and metal- are still there and we will keep exploring this unholy combination until we die. We have always composed songs with lots of patience and hard self criticism but still wanted to have some blink in the corner of the eye and push our musical boundaries. This compilation gives the listener great chance to hear how the bandhas evolved during these years. Enjoy and folk on!"

Complete with the band's in-depth song descriptions and reminiscence, Two Decades of Greatest Sword Hits features 14 of the most proudly shield-pounding epic metal hymns of Ensiferum. The songs take you through the formative years of a band that became one of the biggest of its generation in the ever-expanding realm of heathen metal.

Tracklisting:

“By The Dividing Stream”
“From Afar”
“Heathen Horde”
“One More Magic Potion”
“In My Sword I Trust”
“Token Of Time”
“Dragonheads”
“Twilight Tavern”
“Burning Leaves”
“Treacherous Gods”
“Lai Lai Hei”
“Two Of Spades”
“Iron”
“Victory Song”