Two Paths

Two Paths, Ensiferum's seventh studio album, represents a deliberate stylistic choice to return to organic recording methods. Produced by Anssi Kippo, the album was recorded on analog tape to capture a more 'live' and dynamic sound compared to the highly compressed digital standards of 2010s metal. This approach highlights the band's folk influences, allowing acoustic elements and choral vocals to sit more naturally alongside the distorted guitars. The album features a significant amount of clean singing and melodic hooks, moving slightly away from the pure melodic death metal aggression of their earlier work toward a more anthemic, power metal-adjacent sound. It also marks the final appearance of keyboardist Netta Skog, whose digital accordion play added a unique texture to the band's sound during this era. Critical reception noted the album's high energy and catchy songwriting, though some purists debated the shift toward more accessible, 'party-folk' elements on certain tracks.