With the world slowly but surely trying to get back to normal, there are more awesome concert tours to share the news about and while we might be USA based at the PiercingMetal Media Command HQ, I’ve got to make an exception when its Ensiferum announcing a European co-headlining tour with Dark Tranquillity. Take a look at all the details below.

The Press Release:
Ensiferum released their critically acclaimed full-length, Thalassic, in 2020 via Metal Blade Records and was lauded as an album “that brings pure joy to all of their fans” (Metal Hammer Germany). The Finland-based group are extremely excited to bring the album on the road in the spring of 2022 on a co-headline run with Swedish metal masters Dark Tranquillity! To celebrate the amazing news, the band released a new video for the fan favorite cut “Run from the Crushing Tide” from Thalassic. The Vesa Ranta (Solstafir, Dark Tranquillity, Swallow the Sun) directed video can be seen below:

Sammi Hinka comments: “After such a long time of darkness & uncertainty in the live music scene, we are very happy to finally reveal a light at the end of the tunnel! We’ll be joining forces with the legendary Dark Tranquillity for a massive co-headlining tour around Europe. It’s no secret that back in the day, Dark Tranquillity was one of the bands that inspired Markus Toivonen to start Ensiferum and now we are hitting the road with our heroes. How awesome is that?! We are sure that everyone is craving some energetic and ass-kicking live music experiences (we sure are!) and with this line-up, this tour is not to be missed. So get your ticket in advance & help support the return of live music! We can’t wait to see you in the front row!”

The initial vinyl run of Thalassic has long since sold out, but a new batch of LPs have been announced for release on October 29th. Fans can pre-order copies here: orcd.co/ensiferum-thalassic

Ensiferum + Dark Tranquillity Dates:
01.04.22 – SE – Stockholm, Slaktkyrkan
02.04.22 – NO – Oslo, John Dee
03.04.22 – DK – Copenhagen, Pumpehuset
05.04.22 – UK – London, Heaven
06.04.22 – IE – Dublin, Academy
07.04.22 – UK – Manchester, Club Academy
08.04.22 – UK – Birmingham, Asylum
09.04.22 – BE – Durbuy, Durbuy Rock Festival
10.04.22 – NL – Nijmegen, Doornroosje
11.04.22 – NL – Haarlem, Patronaat
12.04.22 – DE – Siegburg, Kubana
13.04.22 – DE – Hamburg, Markthalle
14.04.22 – DE – Leipzig, Hellraiser
15.04.22 – DE – Berlin, Orwo Haus
16.04.22 – CZ – Prague, Meet Factory
17.04.22 – HU – Budapest, Barba Negra
18.04.22 – DE – Munich, Backstage Werk
19.04.22 – AT – Salzburg, Rockhouse
20.04.22 – AT – Wien, Simm City
22.04.22 – DE – Lichtenfels, Ragnarök Festival
23.04.22 – DE – Schapen, Mosh’n’May-Festival
24.04.22 – FR – Paris, L’elysee Montmartre
25.04.22 – FR – Audincourt, Le Moloco
26.04.22 – DE – Stuttgart, LKA/Longhorn
27.04.22 – FR – Grenoble, La Belle Electrique
28.04.22 – FR – Istres, L’Usine
29.04.22 – ES – Barcelona, Salamandra
30.04.22 – ES – Sevilla, Custom
01.05.22 – ES – Madrid, Kapital
02.05.22 – ES – Bilbao, Santana27
03.05.22 – FR – Bordeaux, Barbey Theater
04.05.22 – FR – Nantes, Warehouse
05.05.22 – FR – Metz, LA B.A.M
06.05.22 – CH – Orbe, Le Puisoir
07.05.22 – CH – Luzern, Schüür
08.05.22 – IT – Milan, Maggazini Generali
09.05.22 – IT – Padova, The Hall
10.05.22 – IT – Rome, Orion
12.05.22 – GR – Athens, Fuzz Live Music Club
13.05.22 – GR – Thessaloniki, Principal Club Theater
14.05.22 – BG – Sofia, Club Joy Station
15.05.22 – BG – Bucharest, Arelene Romane
16.05.22 – RO – Cluj-Napoca, Form Space
17.05.22 – PL – Krakow, Quadrat
18.05.22 – PL – Warsaw, Progresja
19.05.22 – LT – Vilnius, Vakaris Club
20.05.22 – LV – Riga, Melna Piektdiena
21.05.22 – EE – Tallinn, Tapper
22.05.22 – FI – Helsinki, Vanha Ylioppilastalo*
23.05.22 – FI – Jyväskylä, Lutakko*
24.05.22 – FI – Oulu, Club Teatria*
26.05.22 – SE – Göteborg, Pustervik
27.05.22 – SE – Göteborg, Pustervik
*no Ensiferum

Ensiferum’s Thalassic was a huge success and landed on the worldwide charts:
Finland: #1 – official albums chart
Germany: #3 – official albums chart
Switzerland: #5 – official albums chart
USA: #10 – current hard music albums chart
USA: #14 – top new artist albums chart
USA: #26 – current rock albums chart
USA: #94 – top current albums chart
Canada: #7 – hard music albums chart
UK: #11 – rock / metal album chart
Belgium: #22 – official albums chart (Wallonia)
Belgium: #83 – official albums chart (Flanders)
Austria: #26 – official albums chart

Ensiferum are a true powerhouse when it comes to folk-inspired melodic death metal, something they hammer home more resolutely than ever with eighth full-length Thalassic. The title translating from ancient Greek as “of or relating to seas”, it’s a suitably huge and wide-ranging collection that incorporates orchestrations and traditional folk instrumentation alongside the roaring guitars, bass, and drums. “I think we managed to take another step ahead musically and we also utilized the best parts of our old sound,” states bassist/vocalist Sami Hinkka. “There are lots of Ensiferum’s trademarks: beautiful folkish melodies, ass-kicking riffs, a nice mix of different vocals and great singalong choruses.” The addition of new keyboard player/lead clean vocalist Pekka Montin also “really raised the new songs to another level”, while Mikko P. Mustonen once again presided over the orchestrations, and violin virtuoso Lassi Logren recorded folk instruments on a few tracks.

Mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren, Thalassic was recorded and produced in Petrax and Sonic Pump studios by Janne Joutsenniemi, who was involved on their albums Victory Songs (2007) and From Afar (2009). “We like to go to a studio when we have all the songs 99.9% ready so the producer’s main job is to kick our asses while we record. Of course Janne Joutsenniemi is a world-class producer, and we asked his opinion if we were doubting any details. It was really a pleasure to work with him again, and I think this was one of the most easy-going studio sessions I have ever been part of. We are extremely happy with the result.”

*** end of transmission ***

PiercingMetal Thoughts: As the tour isn’t one that’s happening in our own stomping grounds I won’t add too much to this closing. Alas I am NOT the jet-setting journalist that I hoped I would be ;p – Let’s all hope as US based Metal fans that this run is extended into our territory once it nears the European tour end. What do you readers think about this announcement and if you are on that side of the pond will you be in attendance to any of the shows? Chime in down below and as always be safe out there. See you next time.

Official Links:
Ensiferum: https://ensiferum.com
Ensiferum Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ensiferum