Thalassic

Thalassic
Studio album by Ensiferum
Released	10 July 2020
Recorded	January – February 2020
Studio	Petrax Studio (Hollola, Finland) Sonic Pump Studios (Helsinki, Finland) Fascination Street Studios (Örebro, Sweden)
Genre	Folk metal, melodic death metal, power metal
Length	43:46
Label	Metal Blade
Producer	Janne Joutsenniemi
Ensiferum chronology
Two Paths (2017) Thalassic (2020) Winter Storm (2024)
Singles from Thalassic
"Rum, Women, Victory" Released: 7 May 2020 [1] "Andromeda" Released: 17 June 2020 [2] "For Sirens" Released: 15 July 2020 [3] "Run from the Crushing Tide" Released: 8 September 2020 [4]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
BangerTV	[5]
Blabbermouth.net	8.5/10 [6]
Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles	8/10 [7]
Exclaim!	8/10 [8]
KNAC	4/5 [9]
Metal Hammer	[10]

Thalassic is the eighth studio album by Finnish folk metal band Ensiferum. It was released on 10 July 2020 through Metal Blade Records. ^[11] It is the first Ensiferum album to feature new keyboardist and clean vocalist Pekka Montin, who joined the band in February 2020. ^[12]

The album's title " thalassic " (which is derived from both French and Ancient Greek) means "of or relating to seas", which pertains to the theme of the album's lyrics. ^[13]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Sami Hinkka, except where noted.

No.	Title	Music	Length
1.	"Seafarer's Dream" (instrumental)	Hinkka Mikko P. Mustonen	3:01
2.	"Rum, Women, Victory"	Markus Toivonen Ensiferum	4:16
3.	"Andromeda"	Hinkka Toivonen Ensiferum	4:04
4.	"The Defence of the Sampo"	Toivonen Ensiferum	4:50
5.	"Run from the Crushing Tide"	Toivonen Ensiferum	4:22
6.	"For Sirens"	Hinkka Toivonen Ensiferum	4:40
7.	"One with the Sea"	Toivonen Ensiferum	6:10
8.	"Midsummer Magic"	Hinkka Ensiferum	3:42
9.	"Cold Northland (Väinämöinen Part III)"	Toivonen Ensiferum	8:41
Total length:			43:46

Digipak bonus tracks

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
10.	"Merille lähtevä"	trad.	Hinkka Toivonen Ensiferum	3:47
11.	"I'll Stay by Your Side" (The Lollipops cover)	Lundgreen Torben Lundgreen Jørgen	Torben Jørgen	2:49
Total length:				50:22

Japanese bonus track ^[14]

No.	Title	Music	Length
12.	"Rum, Women, Victory" (demo)	Toivonen Ensiferum	4:13
Total length:			54:35

Box set bonus CD

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Original album	Length
1.	"Rum, Women, Victory" (demo)		Toivonen Ensiferum	Thalassic	4:13
2.	"Andromeda" (demo)		Hinkka Toivonen Ensiferum	Thalassic	3:59
3.	"The Defence of the Sampo" (demo)		Toivonen Ensiferum	Thalassic	3:53
4.	"Axe of Judgement" (demo)		Toivonen Ensiferum	One Man Army	4:40
5.	"Heathen Horde" (demo)	Hinkka trad.	Toivonen Ensiferum	One Man Army	4:14
6.	"One Man Army" (demo)		Toivonen Ensiferum	One Man Army	4:28
7.	"Warrior Without a War" (demo)		Toivonen Ensiferum	One Man Army	4:53
8.	"Cry for the Earth Bounds" (demo)		Hinkka Ensiferum	One Man Army	7:08
9.	"Two of Spades" (demo)		Toivonen Ensiferum	One Man Army	3:33
10.	"My Ancestors' Blood" (demo)	Hinkka trad.	Toivonen Ensiferum	One Man Army	4:24
11.	"Descendants, Defiance, Domination" (demo)		Toivonen Ensiferum	One Man Army	11:01
12.	"Candour and Lies" (demo)		Toivonen Ensiferum	One Man Army	4:12
Total length:					60:38

Personnel

Band members

• Petri Lindroos – harsh vocals, guitars
• Markus Toivonen – guitars, acoustic guitars, backing vocals
• Sami Hinkka – bass, vocals, acoustic guitars, bouzouki
• Janne Parviainen – drums, percussion
• Pekka Montin – clean vocals, keyboards (except tracks 4–12 on bonus CD)

Guest members

• Mikko P. Mustonen – orchestrations, whistles, guitars (additional acoustic), vocals (additional), programming
• Lassi Logrén – nyckelharpa, violin
• Janne Joutsenniemi – guitars (additional), vocals (backing)
• Emmi Silvennoinen – keyboards, hammond organ, grand piano, clean vocals (only tracks 4–12 on bonus CD)

Production

• Janne Joutsenniemi – producer
• Jens Bogren – mixing, mastering
• Tero Kinnunen – additional recording
• Gyula Havancsák – artwork
• Vesa Ranta – photography

Charts

Chart (2020)	Peak position
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ) [15]	28

References

1. Joe DiVita (7 May 2020). "Ensiferum Debut Scorching New Song 'Rum, Women Victory' + Announce New Album". Loudwire . Retrieved 3 August 2020.
2. "Ensiferum's "Andromeda" Doesn't Strain to Slap". MetalSucks. 17 June 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
3. "ENSIFERUM Debut "For Sirens" Lyric Video". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
4. "ENSIFERUM Premier Lyric Video for "Run From The Crushing Tide"; Thalassic Album Lands On Charts Worldwide". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
5. Gowan, Dylan (10 July 2020). "ENSIFERUM Thalassic Album Review". BangerTV . Retrieved 14 August 2020.
6. Lawson, Dom (8 July 2020). "Ensiferum - "Thalassic"". Blabbermouth.net . Retrieved 12 August 2020.
7. Catino, Rich (13 July 2020). "ENSIFERUM - Thalassic". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles . Retrieved 12 August 2020.
8. Hopkins, Manus (9 July 2020). "Ensiferum Bring Extra Vigour to Their Finnish Folk Metal on 'Thalassic'". Exclaim! . Retrieved 12 August 2020.
9. Zamudio, Francisco (9 August 2020). "ENSIFERUM Thalassic". KNAC . Retrieved 12 August 2020.
10. Wright, Holly (9 July 2020). "Ensiferum's Thalassic is the sound of a band still gallantly riding on the wings of folk metal". Metal Hammer . Retrieved 12 August 2020.
11. "ENSIFERUM To Release Thalassic Album In July; "Rum, Women, Victory" Lyric Video Posted". Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
12. "Ensiferum - Pekka Montin Joins The Band On Keyboards And Clean Vocals". Metal Storm. 29 February 2020. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
13. "ENSIFERUM To Release 'Thalassic' Album In July". Blabbermouth.net. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
14. "「Thalassic / タラシック」 | Ward Records". ワードレコーズ | Ward Records (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 September 2020.
15. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2020. 29. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 30 November 2021.