Markus Toivonen
| Markus Toivonen | |
|---|---|
 Markus Toivonen performing during the Evolution Festival in 2006. | |
| Background information | |
| Born |
15 November 1979 Helsinki, Finland |
| Genres | Folk metal |
| Instruments | Guitar, Clean Backing Vocals |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Labels | Spinefarm |
| Associated acts | Ensiferum |
| Website | Ensiferum's website |
Markus Toivonen (born 1979 in Helsinki) is the founding member of the Finnish folk/death metal band Ensiferum. Markus founded the band in 1995 and is the sole original member to have lasted the distance to Ensiferum's present incarnation. His role in the band is guitarist and primary songwriter. He has always contributed backing vocals and since the departure of Jari Mäenpää in 2004 has taken up a greater role behind the microphone, sharing the clean vocal parts with new bass player Sami Hinkka, with Mäenpää's replacement Petri Lindroos handling the harsh vocals.
Markus also plays in a side band called Speden Timantit and has been a member of the short-lived black/death metal outfit Soulstream. The band Scent of Flesh also had a guitarist called Markus Toivonen, but the two are not to be confused as the same person.