Ensiferum Aren’t Worried About Viking Metal Becoming Too Trendy

One of the biggest things a high-cred, underground metal band fears is that their style or genre will become too popular, trendy or homogenized. Ensiferum guitarist Sami Hinkka isn't wasting too many brain cells pondering such concepts. "I don't think this is anything new," Hinkka told Noisecreep. "Thrash, death and black metal suffered the same, and the strongest survived."

He doesn't consider Viking metal to have specific hallmarks, either. "I have absolutely no idea, since I don't know any Viking metallers too well," he said. "Horns up and let's get drunk?" Now, that sounds like a good idea.

Ensiferum will head out a headlining North American tour shortly, and Hinkka says longhairs can expect "good music, good crowd and s--- loads of beer and vodka!" Clearly, this man and this band know how to throw a metal party.