Following his departure in 2002 from Finnish Viking metal outfit Ensiferum, former Arthemesia vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Jari Maenpaa started a new project called Wintersun, with drummer Kai Hahto (late of grindcore band Rotten Sound). Fusing the folk-littered influence of countrymen like Amorphis and Finntroll with the technicality, speed, and high melodic content present in neo-cla**ical power metal, Wintersun's eponymous debut album was released in 2004 by Nuclear Blast. ~ Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide