Wintersun is a Finnish progressive metal[1] band with power metal[2] and melodic black metal[3] influences founded by ex-Ensiferum frontman Jari Mäenpää. The first Wintersun album was supposed to be a side-project of Ensiferum member Jari Mäenpää. However, the Ensiferum Europe tour was unfortunately scheduled for the same time with recordings of Wintersun. Mäenpää was forced to choose between his booked recording time for Wintersun and Ensiferum; he chose Wintersun and was forced to leave Ensiferum behind. The Album was produced solely by Jari Mäenpää himself, with only a session drummer (Kai Hahto) to perform the drums and percussion. Jari performed the vocals, bass, guitars and synth alone. on September 13, 2004 self-titled Wintersun album was released through Nuclear Blast Records. According to their website, the band started to record their next full-length release called Time at Sonic Pump Studios in May of 2006. The mixing was meant to take place in the autumn of 2006, but had to be delayed. The new mixing date is set for May 2007, and the release date of the new album is now planned to be somewhere in August 2007. The band is currently on tour across Europe with Viking/melodic death metal band Amon Amarth, and folk metal band Tyr.