Music Banter - It's Folk Metal Week!

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It's Folk Metal Week!

Okay, I hardly know anything about this genre, other than what's obvious from the name, and that is some kind of fusion of folk and heavy metal. I did however browse the folk metal thread we have here, so I have some idea what it sounds like. I'm curious to hear what you people come up with this week.

Here's what wiki says:

Quote:

Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music. This includes the widespread use of folk instruments and, to a lesser extent, traditional singing styles.

The earliest exponent of folk metal was the English band Skyclad. Their debut album The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth was released in 1990. It was not until 1994 and 1995 that other early contributors in the genre began to emerge from different regions of Europe as well as in Israel. Among these early groups, the Irish band Cruachan and the German band Subway to Sally each spearheaded a different regional variation that over time became known as Celtic metal and medieval metal respectively. Despite their contributions, folk metal remained little known with few representatives during the 1990s. It was not until the early 2000s when the genre exploded into prominence, particularly in Finland with the efforts of such groups as Finntroll, Ensiferum, Korpiklaani, Turisas, and Moonsorrow.

The music of folk metal is characterised by its diversity with bands known to perform different styles of both heavy metal music and folk music. A large variety of folk instruments are used in the genre with many bands consequently featuring six or more members in their regular line-ups. A few bands are also known to rely on keyboards to simulate the sound of folk instruments. Lyrics in the genre commonly deal with paganism, nature, fantasy, mythology and history.

Folk metal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Searching for the appropriate song and a band to open this thread with, I decided to go with Skyclad, which, from what I've read in the article above, is considered to be one of the pioneers of folk metal.

I'm going to explore this genre a little further because its got some phenomenal potential, but this Skyclad song just borders on minstrel music with darker overtones and a violin.

I think if it were Metal as we think of it today, only played acoustically, it would be a better genre. But (and I'm going by this one song post only) I'm finding some gross hybrid of chamber grass (Punch Brothers) and...I don't know, the love child of Dio and Jethro Tull.

It also sounds to me like a group of nerds got together and played songs made popular by Zelda. Still, it should say something that I'm compelled to dig a little further than this one song that I've found so many things wrong with.

I'd also love to find an aggressive (metal-like) jam band because whenever I hear the Jam Bands go for something darker, I'm always a little more interested. Thanks for the post though, this just got real interesting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBig3 (Post 1047059)

As I said, I hardly know anything about folk metal. I've chosen this Skyclad band because they're labeled as pioneers, but it's very possible that's not what folk metal sounds like today and that it's not the best representative of the genre, more like the very beginning. And I agree, this genre has a potential and can maybe appeal to someone like me who's not really a metal fan. It's just that I haven't yet heard anything to really grab me. That's why I'm curious to hear what will people post this week.

really enjoy this song and this album:

I do not know much on the style apart from some stuff like:

Agalloch
Woods of Ypres
Moonsorrow
Primordial

some of these incorporate folk metal with black metal and do it well.

Ensiferum

Skip a couple minutes to get to the Metal part.

Lord of the Rings footage + folk metal = badass video.

I find it hard to tell the difference between some Viking and Folk metal.

Here is my post from the old folk metal thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHCl3 (Post 1023175)

Just here to interject some folk metal featuring influences from outside of Europe

No mention of Agalloch, Gallowbraid, Grails or Black Math Horseman? :(

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lone Misfit (Post 1047232)

Ensiferum

Skip a couple minutes to get to the Metal part.

Lord of the Rings footage + folk metal = badass video.

I find it hard to tell the difference between some Viking and Folk metal.

Wouldn't they be the same thing except Viking metal obviously has specifically Viking lyrics? And as for Pirate metal which will get mentioned sooner or later, we all need to understand the Alestorm really aren't that good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackhammer (Post 1047773)

No mention of Agalloch, Gallowbraid, Grails or Black Math Horseman? :(

I mentioned Agalloch.....

Woods of Ypres is another band in that style that should be mentioned as well.