Ensiferum (Latin ens?f?rum (neuter adjective) meaning "sword bearing") is a Viking / Folk metal band from Helsinki, Finland. The band label themselves as "Heroic Folk Metal".
Musical Characteristics
Screaming vocals often mixed with clean vocals for choruses and bridges;
Metal melodies played on lead guitar or keyboard overlaying heavier traditional heavy metal backing rhythms such as the classic gallop rhythm;
Lyrical themes relating to fantastical, archaic, or historic stories usually with heroic sentiment. Lyrics are inspired by literature, films, and poetry, such as the great Finnish epic "Kalevala" and the Norse sagas.
Band history
Formation, first demo and Ensiferum (1995 - 2002)
Ensiferum was founded in 1995 by Markus Toivonen (guitar), Sauli Savolainen (bass) and Kimmo Miettinen (drums). For the band's name, they took the Latin neuter gender adjective ensiferum, which means "sword-bearing". In the next year, Jari Mäenpää was taken into the band as sing
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensiferum