Gladenfold is a group of five, out of Turku, Finland, which first saw the light of day in 2003. The group currently consists of Esko Itälä (vocals and acoustic guitars), Matias Knuuttila (guitars), Toke Gerdts (guitars), Lauri Itälä (drums) and Paavali Pouttu (keyboards). The band has been actively playing shows in Finland, opening for such household namesas Bal-Sagoth, Battle Beast, Crimfall, Metsatöll and Shade Empire.

While the overall vision has remained the same, Gladenfold has been constantly evolving. Early milestones include Frozen Halls demo (2005), which was the entry to the Gladenfold universe, as well as 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. 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 new album "When Gods Descend" (2019) 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.