GLADENFOLD

Melodic-Death/Power-Metal from Finland

Gladenfold is a group of five, out of Turku, Finland, which first saw the light of day over a decade ago, in 2003. The group currently consists of Esko Itälä (Vocals and acoustic guitars), Matias Knuuttila (Guitars), Toke Fønskov Gerdts (Guitars), Lauri Itälä (Drums) and Paavali Pouttu (Keyboards). The band has been actively playing shows in Finland, opening for such household names as Bal-Sagoth, Battle Beast, Shade Empire and Crimfall.

Rooted in Melodic Death Metals aggression and energy, borrowing the grandeur of Power Metal and Symphonic Metal, Gladenfold creates an inherently Nordic-sounding blend of metal music, basing itself especially within the Finnish metal tradition (inspired by for example Norther, Children of Bodom and Ensiferum), with German Power Metal (such as Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray and Freedom Call) still heavily influencing the overall sound.

Gladenfold serves roaring drums, tight and agile rhythm guitars, soaring guitar and keyboard solos, ferocious growling mixed with multi-layered singing as the foundation, but incorporates skillfully crafted keyboards, elegant classical guitars, the majestic symphonic orchestra and choir for even grander sonic landscapes.

While the overall vision has remained the same, Gladenfold has been constantly evolving.

Early milestones include the Frozen Halls demo (2005), which was the entry to the Gladenfold universe, as well as the In Somno EP (2006), which showcased a more folk metal inspired sound and lastly the Time of Departure EP (2008), which really cemented the Gladenfold sound. The Tales from Worlds Afar EP (2011) took all of this to a new level, especially production-wise, but also in the incorporation of symphonic elements.

In 2014, Gladenfold released the well-received debut album, From Dusk to Eternity, which stands as a testament to all words previously attributed to the band. The album was of a grander scale than anything the band had created before, and was the first release to really include classical guitar and choir elements. The upcoming album, When Gods Descend, is a refinement of all these attributes, and exhibits an even more ambitious musical scale and production. The album encompasses everything from the softest ballad, through concise and crushing pieces, to longer epics that draw you in for the long haul.