Folk Metal: **** Yeah!

Holy ****, did I just strike a pot o' gold last night! I was searching for more metal bands to add to my playlist, and then I clicked on Eluveitie's Inis Mona.

Man, was I blown away. The sheer variety of instruments, the mix between classical instruments and the modern, electrical variety. and the way they made it work. It was ****ing mind-blowing!

It may be a rarely-known genre of Metal, but if there are any users out there on ZU who know of this magnificent treasure of music, what are your thoughts on it and what bands do you take interest in?

I thought I was telling everyone on the forums about this music. What rocks have you guys been hiding in?

There's a huge list, but I can only remember bands like like Eluveitie ( recommend the song "Calling the Rain"), Finntroll, TrollfesT.

It's one of my favourite and most-listened-to genres, maybe even the absolute favourite if it came right down to it. Eluveitie is one of the better pop folk bands (i.e. keyboard-heavy, upbeat, lots of hooks) out there, along with other grounds like Turisas and Korpiklaani. I tend to prefer the darker and more black metal-inspired stuff, especially Viking metal (which can have quite a bit of overlap with folk metal, though it depends heavily on the band).

In any case, you really need early-mid Enslaved, Ásmegin, Moonsorrow, Vintersorg, Thyrfing, Agalloch, earlier Borknagar and Ulver, Bathory, Fejd (folk rock with a metal attitude, or so), Finntroll, Kampfar, and Solefald's last two albums.

Finntroll is most amusing.

skyclad and orphaned land

[QUOTE=sea;2829675]Eluveitie is one of the better pop folk bands (i.e. keyboard-heavy, upbeat, lots of hooks) out there, along with other grounds like Turisas and Korpiklaani.QUOTE]

Pop folk? I didn't think they used a lot of keyboard (keyboard as in synth or a plain keyboard?). Hell, I thought pop music focused on a funky-like beat in their music, probably like Michael Jackson-esque music, I don't know.

Anyway, I haven't checked them all out, but I'm becoming fairly attached to Finntroll right now. Really fast-paced stuff, from what I've been listening to.

Originally Posted by Tomcat_ha

skyclad and orphaned land

Orphaned Land is amazing! Skyclad is pretty awesome too!

Eluveitie

these guys get win points from me squarely for reason that they have a hurdy gurdy player. I mean how awesome is that? too bad the music itself isnt that great in my opinion.

Finntroll is probably my fave in this particular genre

Hey.

I like this music too somewhat (For some reason I really like hearing a violin playing alongside an electric guitar), but I'm always thrown off by the fact that I don't like the growling, grawrgrawrrawr lyrics/singing that most of these bands like to play. I know that most of the people actually into it can understand it, but to be honestly if I'm listening to music for the lyrics I want to be able to understand them without needing to sit down and analyze them. That aside I'm not listening to this music for the lyrics. I know it's might be asking for a lot, but are there any songs out there that either don't have the GRAWRRAWRRAWR or at least keeps it to the minimum for some good instrumentals?

I've found I like Wanderer by Ensiferum and To Holmgard and Beyond by Turisas. Any other suggestions of similar songs?

Originally Posted by Spearhead

Pop folk? I didn't think they used a lot of keyboard (keyboard as in synth or a plain keyboard?). Hell, I thought pop music focused on a funky-like beat in their music, probably like Michael Jackson-esque music, I don't know.

They're essentially melodeath with cheesy folk melodies stuck in. I know they don't really use much in the way of keyboards ("authentic instruments" seems to garner instant extra and undeserved popularity amongst certain crowds), but it's still very much in that spirit.

I find a lot of folk metal to be absolutely horrific, mostly due to the fact that it tends to be "Hey look at how catchy we can be!" and lacks the seriousness I tend to like out of my non-power & thrash metal.

I will say, however, that acts like Primordial, Agalloch, Hantaoma, Bathory, Skyclad, Belenos, Empyrium, Kroda, Temnozor, etc. do me well.

Man, how did I forget Primordial? I guess I don't really think of them as folk metal or something... it's almost like Viking/doom, musically.

is witchcraft folk metal? There latest the album the alchemist kicks serious ass, and it sounds quite folky to me.

Originally Posted by Avalanchemike

Hey.

I like this music too somewhat (For some reason I really like hearing a violin playing alongside an electric guitar), but I'm always thrown off by the fact that I don't like the growling, grawrgrawrrawr lyrics/singing that most of these bands like to play. I know that most of the people actually into it can understand it, but to be honestly if I'm listening to music for the lyrics I want to be able to understand them without needing to sit down and analyze them. That aside I'm not listening to this music for the lyrics. I know it's might be asking for a lot, but are there any songs out there that either don't have the GRAWRRAWRRAWR or at least keeps it to the minimum for some good instrumentals?

I've found I like Wanderer by Ensiferum and To Holmgard and Beyond by Turisas. Any other suggestions of similar songs?

Well, from what I have been listening (not much, still the same stuff as before), you may be interested in checking out Slania's Song by Eluveitie. The growling is used only for backing vocals, but they sing in gaulish, so understanding them may be a problem XD. Still a great song, awesome melody, and a really inspiring song.

Originally Posted by sea

They're essentially melodeath with cheesy folk melodies stuck in. I know they don't really use much in the way of keyboards ("authentic instruments" seems to garner instant extra and undeserved popularity amongst certain crowds), but it's still very much in that spirit.

I know what you mean. It's the quality, not the quantity.

But I still think they deserve to be up there with the rest.

SuidAkrA are probably my favourite folk metal band. I suppose it's more folk influenced melodic death metal, as the folk parts of the music are rarely the centre of attention, but whatever. They kick ass.

@ Avalanchemike: Dead man's Reel


Oh, and I think Sea mentioned Fejd, who I'd also strongly recommend. You can download a couple of their albums for free, legally, so there's no excuse to not listen to them, really.

Again, I tend to not think of SuidAkrA when I think of folk metal, because they're really more like melodeath with folk tendencies (occasional acoustic guitars, bagpipes, etc.) but they do the melodeath/folk thing a million times better than Eluveitie, and did it years before as well.

SuidAkra are amazing. They should try to implement more folk elements to their music, in my personal opinion, after what they did with it in some few instances (IXth Legion comes to mind).

****ing hell! I didn't realize Skyclad were so big in this genre. The drummer was a tutor in my damn college, Arron Walton. Oh wow, I used to talk to him all of the time. He did my Rehearsal sessions twice a week.

Anyway, TURISAS!

Originally Posted by GK: 4895/9999

****ing hell! I didn't realize Skyclad were so big in this genre. The drummer was a tutor in my damn college, Arron Walton. Oh wow, I used to talk to him all of the time. He did my Rehearsal sessions twice a week.

Anyway, TURISAS!

awesome

Originally Posted by Spearhead

SuidAkra are amazing. They should try to implement more folk elements to their music, in my personal opinion, after what they did with it in some few instances (IXth Legion comes to mind).

Clearly you haven't heard Emprise to Avalon or The Arcanum.