This is a project I have been (and am still) working on for a couple of years now and it's a big one. I've been a fan of the Folk Metal sub-genre(s) for almost 30 years now since coming across a Skyclad video on MTV back in the very early 90s.
Anyway, I have decided to list all of the bands I have heard in the genre (500 and counting) and to then break this list down into bitesize pieces / separate blog posts.
To that end, I have started to listen through every album by each band, starting with those beginning with (you guessed it) A and have listed those which I personally consider to be the best of these.
For each band I have then written a brief intro text and than have noted similar artists, before finally recommending the standout song and album. Still with me? Great...so lets get started.
to be continued...
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Friday, 11 January 2019
Thursday, 26 October 2017
20 Under-rated Folk Metal Bands
Folk Metal might not be the biggest Metal
sub-genre, especially on British shores, but it does have a huge following all
over the world and there really are a staggering number of bands out there.
Sadly, with so many bands, it is inevitable that most are them are terrible and
this is especially true of Folk Metal, where there are a lot of chancers who
just whack a fiddle over a Metal riff or a violin over some Eastern European
warbler and think it’s acceptable. I have, therefore, decided to do you all a
public service by listening to every band I could find and separating the good
/ great from the inept / terrible.
In any genre there are the bands that all fans
of the genre know and which bother the Metal “mainstream” on occasion and in
the case of Folk Metal you have the likes of Eluveitie, Korpiklaani, Finntroll
and Skyclad to name but a few. However, bubbling under the surface you often
have a whole wealth of quality acts which don’t get the recognition they
deserve. Obviously, it is impossible to be genuinely impartial, so the bands
listed are all bands that I personally rate highly. They may not be the best
bands in the scene (although some will make an appearance in the best bands /
best albums lists to come later), but they are bands I think deserve a listen.
For each band I’ve also recommended an album
and given examples of similar artists so you know which bands might be to your
taste as Folk Metal can again be divided into a massive number of
sub-sub-genres. So, here goes with the first post in this vein: 20 Underrated Folk Metal bands (in
alphabetical order).
Anabioz
(Russia)
Recommended album: There the Sun Falls
Similar artists: Arkona, Korpiklaani, Svartsot, Eluveitie, Amon Amarth
Bran
Barr (France)
Recommended album: Sidh
Similar artists: Heol Telwen, Aes Dana,
Svartsot, Eluveitie
Cadacross
(Finland)
Recommended album: Corona Borealis
Similar artists: Finntroll, Children of Bodom,
Kalmah, Black Messiah, Dimmu Borgir
Dalriada
(Hungary)
Recommended album: Ígéret
Similar artists: Arkona, Niburta
Drakum
(Spain)
Recommended album: Torches Will Rise Again
Similar artists: Korpiklaani, Finntroll,
Eluveitie, Skyclad
Eldiarn
(Russia)
Recommended album: Кабаньей тропой
Similar artists: Arkona, Korn, Dalriada
Ereb Altor Sweden)
Rcommended
album: Ulfven
Similar
artists: Thyrfing, Månegarm, Vintersorg, Bathory
Equilibrium (Germany)
Recommended album:
Similar artists: Arafel, Ensiferum, Turisas
Fimbultyr
(Sweden)
Recommended album: Gryende Tidevarv
Similar artists: Thyrfing, Windir, Månegarm
Frosttide
(Finland)
Recommended album:
Similar artists: Ensiferum, Aether Realm, Månegarm
Heorot (Finland)
Recommended album: Ragnarok
Similar artists: Svartsot, Vanir
Irminsul (Sweden) (Trad Folk Metal)
Recommended album: Irminsul
Similar artists: Thyrfing, Månegarm
Kromlek
Recommended album: Strange Rumours,
Distant Tremors
Similar artists: Equilibrium,
Finntroll, Amon Amarth
Last
Wail (Russia)
Recommended album: The Tale of Endless Night
Similar artists: Svartsot, Bran Barr, Equilibrium, Arkona, Ensiferum
Nightcreepers
(France)
Recommended album: Svingeheim
Similar artists: Frosttide,
Ensiferum
Nine
Treasures (China)
Recommended album: Nine Treasures
Similar artists: Korpiklaani, Tengger Cavalry
Obtest
(Lithuania)
Recommended album: Gyvybes Medis
Similar artists: Skyforger, Metsatöll
Skyforger
(Latvia)
Recommended album: Latvian Riflemen
Similar artists: Metsatöll, Skyclad, Thyrfing, Obtest, Dalriada
Vanir (Denmark)
Recommended album: Onwards Into Battle
Similar artists: Svartsot, Bifröst, Amon Amarth,
Huldre
Waylander
(Ireland)
Recommended album: Kindred Spirits
Similar artists: Cruachan, Eluveitie, Aes Dana,
Bran Barr)
Sunday, 6 August 2017
Bloodstock 2017
I was going to write a long post about this, but I realised that so few people really read these post, even fewer are actually going to Bloodstock and those that are already know who they are going to be watching...so here are the bands that I'll be watching. Maybe I'll see some of you at the left hand side of the stage.
Thursday:
Sophie Stage: Gurt
Friday:
Sophie Stage: Dendera, Black Moth, Inquisition.
Ronnie Stage: Devilment, Soilwork, Decapitated, Testament, Amon Amarth.
Saturday:
Hobgoblin Stage: Ba'al
Sophie Stage: Kroh, Red Rum, Xentrix
Ronnie Stage: Fallujah, Winterfylleth, Annihilator, Municipal Waste, Hatebreed, Kreator, Ghost.
Sunday:
Sophie Stage: GraVil, Wretched Soul, Wolfheart, Wintersun
Ronnie Stage: Broken Teeth, Possessed, Obituary, Brujeria, Hell, Skindred, Arch Enemy, Megadeth.
Thursday:
Sophie Stage: Gurt
Friday:
Sophie Stage: Dendera, Black Moth, Inquisition.
Ronnie Stage: Devilment, Soilwork, Decapitated, Testament, Amon Amarth.
Saturday:
Hobgoblin Stage: Ba'al
Sophie Stage: Kroh, Red Rum, Xentrix
Ronnie Stage: Fallujah, Winterfylleth, Annihilator, Municipal Waste, Hatebreed, Kreator, Ghost.
Sunday:
Sophie Stage: GraVil, Wretched Soul, Wolfheart, Wintersun
Ronnie Stage: Broken Teeth, Possessed, Obituary, Brujeria, Hell, Skindred, Arch Enemy, Megadeth.
Saturday, 5 August 2017
New Release Highlights: 4th August 2017
Band: Accept
Album: The Rise of Chaos
Genre: Trad Metal
German veterans, Accept have actually managed to pull of the (almost) impossible by reforming in 2009 without vocalist Udo Dirkschneider who had been in the band since 1976 and doing so successfully. Actually, the band are more successful now than they have ever been, with the three albums released since the reformation actually being their best selling albums to date. That brings us neatly to new album, The Rise of Chaos. Don't expect any new tricks from these old dogs, however. This is still very much the balls to the wall Metal that Accept are so damn good at. That a band can still be releasing albums this good after over 40 years is astonishing. Another solid Accept release.
Track: The Rise of Chaos
Band: Shade Empire
Album: Poetry of the Ill-minded
Genre: Symphonic Melodic Death / Black
Inevitable comparisons have been made to Greek Symphonic Death Metal masters, Septic Flesh, but although there are definitely similarities, Shade Empire bring a little Finnish flair to the party, along with a horn section (a la Sear Bliss), which lends the album a lot of atmosphere. There is some blinding musicianship to be found here, with the band really utilising some beautiful keyboards, subtle soft guitars and spoken word samples to offset the thundering brutality of the rhythm section and the harsh vocals. If you're a fan of the genre then chances are that you are already familiar with Shade Empire, but if not, Poetry of the Ill-minded isn't a bad place to start.
Track: Anti Life Saviour
Band: Thor
Album: Beyond the Pain Barrier
Genre: Heavy Metal
Ok, so this isn't exactly a highlight, but it deserves a place on this list for being so ludicrous! Beyond the Pain Barrier is, unbelievably, the 18th album from Canadian buffoon, (Jon) Thor, a former body builder who has been recording terrible Heavy Metal since 1977, which is actually an achievement in itself. If you want an idea of the how the band sounds, imagine an even more ridiculous Manowar, just without the musical or vocal talent. To be fair, there are some half decent song ideas on here, but unfortunately that's all they are as the pedestrian playing, sub-par singing and dated production scupper any chance of them being fully realised. Despite it being on this blog post, this is actually probably best avoided.
Track: The Calling
Album: The Rise of Chaos
Genre: Trad Metal
German veterans, Accept have actually managed to pull of the (almost) impossible by reforming in 2009 without vocalist Udo Dirkschneider who had been in the band since 1976 and doing so successfully. Actually, the band are more successful now than they have ever been, with the three albums released since the reformation actually being their best selling albums to date. That brings us neatly to new album, The Rise of Chaos. Don't expect any new tricks from these old dogs, however. This is still very much the balls to the wall Metal that Accept are so damn good at. That a band can still be releasing albums this good after over 40 years is astonishing. Another solid Accept release.
Track: The Rise of Chaos
Band: Shade Empire
Album: Poetry of the Ill-minded
Genre: Symphonic Melodic Death / Black
Inevitable comparisons have been made to Greek Symphonic Death Metal masters, Septic Flesh, but although there are definitely similarities, Shade Empire bring a little Finnish flair to the party, along with a horn section (a la Sear Bliss), which lends the album a lot of atmosphere. There is some blinding musicianship to be found here, with the band really utilising some beautiful keyboards, subtle soft guitars and spoken word samples to offset the thundering brutality of the rhythm section and the harsh vocals. If you're a fan of the genre then chances are that you are already familiar with Shade Empire, but if not, Poetry of the Ill-minded isn't a bad place to start.
Track: Anti Life Saviour
Band: Thor
Album: Beyond the Pain Barrier
Genre: Heavy Metal
Ok, so this isn't exactly a highlight, but it deserves a place on this list for being so ludicrous! Beyond the Pain Barrier is, unbelievably, the 18th album from Canadian buffoon, (Jon) Thor, a former body builder who has been recording terrible Heavy Metal since 1977, which is actually an achievement in itself. If you want an idea of the how the band sounds, imagine an even more ridiculous Manowar, just without the musical or vocal talent. To be fair, there are some half decent song ideas on here, but unfortunately that's all they are as the pedestrian playing, sub-par singing and dated production scupper any chance of them being fully realised. Despite it being on this blog post, this is actually probably best avoided.
Track: The Calling
Friday, 4 August 2017
New Release Highlights: 28th July 2017
Band: Prong
Album: Zero Days
Genre: Groove / Hardcore / Crossover)
Prong are one of the most infuriatingly inconsistent bands in the Metal world. There have always been sparks of greatness and we all know Tommy Victor has it in him to pen a belter when he really wants to. Sadly though, the band's career has been mired by average albums and only the very occasional gem. Probably best known for mid-90s, Beavis & Butt-head endorsed Industrial stomper, Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck, Prong struggled to find their place as the years rolled by. On Zero Days however, they have come as close to filling their obvious potential as they ever have. With a crushing Groove Metal / Thrash crossover sound bolstered by Victor's Punk-like vocal delivery, chugging Hardcore riffing and some catchy-as-herpes choruses. The best album Prong have put their name too? Very possibly.
Track: Divide and Conquer
Band: Byzantine
Album: The Cicada Tree
Genre: Groove Metal
Byzantine have had a tempestuous career, having split and reformed on more than one occasion. Maybe this is the reason that they haven't really made a real mark on the scene. Either way, they are back again with album number 6, The Cicada Tree, and while it isn't likely to ever be deemed essential, it is a decent Groove Metal album. Recommended for fans of Chimera, Lamb of God, Soilwork and The Kandidate.
Track: Vile Maxim
Band: Dvne
Album: Asheran
Genre: Prog Sludge / Stoner
Sci-Fi themed Progressive Stoner / Sludge anyone? This is actually a blinder of a debut album. It's always nice to hear a new band and to have no pre-concieved ideas or expectations as it gives you chance to listen to new music with a completely open mind. Scotland's Dvne (pronounced Dune, apparently) are a rather interesting band, taking the bog standard Sludge / Stoner / Doom sound and then then mixing things up with some nice Psych / Prog Rock influences.
Track: Thirst
Album: Zero Days
Genre: Groove / Hardcore / Crossover)
Prong are one of the most infuriatingly inconsistent bands in the Metal world. There have always been sparks of greatness and we all know Tommy Victor has it in him to pen a belter when he really wants to. Sadly though, the band's career has been mired by average albums and only the very occasional gem. Probably best known for mid-90s, Beavis & Butt-head endorsed Industrial stomper, Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck, Prong struggled to find their place as the years rolled by. On Zero Days however, they have come as close to filling their obvious potential as they ever have. With a crushing Groove Metal / Thrash crossover sound bolstered by Victor's Punk-like vocal delivery, chugging Hardcore riffing and some catchy-as-herpes choruses. The best album Prong have put their name too? Very possibly.
Track: Divide and Conquer
Album: The Cicada Tree
Genre: Groove Metal
Byzantine have had a tempestuous career, having split and reformed on more than one occasion. Maybe this is the reason that they haven't really made a real mark on the scene. Either way, they are back again with album number 6, The Cicada Tree, and while it isn't likely to ever be deemed essential, it is a decent Groove Metal album. Recommended for fans of Chimera, Lamb of God, Soilwork and The Kandidate.
Track: Vile Maxim
Band: Dvne
Album: Asheran
Genre: Prog Sludge / Stoner
Sci-Fi themed Progressive Stoner / Sludge anyone? This is actually a blinder of a debut album. It's always nice to hear a new band and to have no pre-concieved ideas or expectations as it gives you chance to listen to new music with a completely open mind. Scotland's Dvne (pronounced Dune, apparently) are a rather interesting band, taking the bog standard Sludge / Stoner / Doom sound and then then mixing things up with some nice Psych / Prog Rock influences.
Track: Thirst
Saturday, 22 July 2017
New Release Highlights: 21st July 2017
Band: Shattered Sun
Album: The Evolution of Anger
Genre: American Melodic Death Metal
Shattered Sun's first album, 2015's Hope Within Hatred was a more than respectable debut offering, but the Texan sextet have really found their feet on their sophomore release, The Evolution of Anger. With a sound based firmly in the American Melodic Death Metal camp and which is reminiscent of bands like Shadow's Fall, All That Remains, Trivium, Wovenwar and God Forbid, Shattered Sun have the potential to reach a substantial audience and luckily for them, they have the songs to match. I recommended these guys strongly a couple of years ago and I am doing the same again now. If you are a fan of any of the bands mentioned above, this album is an essential addition to your collection. One of the highlights of the year for me. It's hard to pick a song to recommend, but I'll go with Out For Justice.
Track: Out For Justice
Band: Tau Cross
Album: Pillar of Fire
Genre: Thrash / Crossover / Crust / Punk / Metal
Another sophomore album, this time in the form of Pillars of Fire by the criminally underrated Tau Cross. Featuring members and ex-members of Amebix and Voivod, you already know that this is going to deliver. Although their sound has its roots in the Crust Punk of Amebix, there are also elements of Goth Rock, Thrash Crossover and even the primitive Heavy Metal of Motörhead. Raw, stripped down and fucking brilliant! Tau Cross have done it again.
Track: Killing The King
Band: Wintersun
Album: The Forest Seasons
Genre: Symphonic Melodic Death Metal
The much-maligned and ridiculed Wintersun, the vehicle for Finnish multi-instrumentalist, Jari Mäenpää (formerly of Ensiferum), have finally released their third album after 5 years of public spats with record labels, almost comical displays of arrogance by Jari and finally a ludicrous (yet ultimately successful) crowd-funding campaign. For those of you who still care about Wintersun, a band which has spent 13 years squandering the success and praise earmed for its 2004 debut, the questions I'm sure you want answered are, is it worth the wait and does it live up the hype? Well, yes. Yes it does! This is multi-layered and complex. In other words, exactly what you want from Wintersun. All is (almost) forgiven.
Track: Awaken From the Dark Slumber
Album: The Evolution of Anger
Genre: American Melodic Death Metal
Shattered Sun's first album, 2015's Hope Within Hatred was a more than respectable debut offering, but the Texan sextet have really found their feet on their sophomore release, The Evolution of Anger. With a sound based firmly in the American Melodic Death Metal camp and which is reminiscent of bands like Shadow's Fall, All That Remains, Trivium, Wovenwar and God Forbid, Shattered Sun have the potential to reach a substantial audience and luckily for them, they have the songs to match. I recommended these guys strongly a couple of years ago and I am doing the same again now. If you are a fan of any of the bands mentioned above, this album is an essential addition to your collection. One of the highlights of the year for me. It's hard to pick a song to recommend, but I'll go with Out For Justice.
Track: Out For Justice
Band: Tau Cross
Album: Pillar of Fire
Genre: Thrash / Crossover / Crust / Punk / Metal
Another sophomore album, this time in the form of Pillars of Fire by the criminally underrated Tau Cross. Featuring members and ex-members of Amebix and Voivod, you already know that this is going to deliver. Although their sound has its roots in the Crust Punk of Amebix, there are also elements of Goth Rock, Thrash Crossover and even the primitive Heavy Metal of Motörhead. Raw, stripped down and fucking brilliant! Tau Cross have done it again.
Track: Killing The King
Band: Wintersun
Album: The Forest Seasons
Genre: Symphonic Melodic Death Metal
The much-maligned and ridiculed Wintersun, the vehicle for Finnish multi-instrumentalist, Jari Mäenpää (formerly of Ensiferum), have finally released their third album after 5 years of public spats with record labels, almost comical displays of arrogance by Jari and finally a ludicrous (yet ultimately successful) crowd-funding campaign. For those of you who still care about Wintersun, a band which has spent 13 years squandering the success and praise earmed for its 2004 debut, the questions I'm sure you want answered are, is it worth the wait and does it live up the hype? Well, yes. Yes it does! This is multi-layered and complex. In other words, exactly what you want from Wintersun. All is (almost) forgiven.
Track: Awaken From the Dark Slumber
Saturday, 8 July 2017
Folk Metal: Introduction
Like all genres of music, Folk Metal falls afoul of the dreaded over-saturation issue. There are so many half-arsed Metal bands out there who think sticking a flute, violin or – heaven forbid – a synthesizer over their poorly played, badly written songs will hide their flaws and make them Folk Metal as opposed to just another forgettable pub band. In my estimation I’d say that for every good band, there are 8 or 9 bad ones, which can be daunting for fans of the sub-genre looking for new music to listen to. Luckily for those people, and I think there a few in this group, I have made the somewhat stupid decision to take on the monumental challenge of trawling through every single band I can find (so far it sits at well over 1000, but I know there are more out there waiting to be discovered) to compile a top 40 album list, a best bands list, a best songs list and underrated bands list, much as I did with Grunge, although that being as it is, a pretty much dead 25 year old genre, was relatively easy, yet it still took me around two months to do.
What complicates things a little more is where to draw the line of what is considered to be Folk Metal. Is it the use of traditional folk instruments, is it the lyrical themes, is it using “Folk” melodies or is it something more difficult to put your finger on, like an idea or an attitude. Can bands without an overtly Folk sound be considered to be Folk Metal if they themselves identify with the scene?
As it stands, Folk Metal can already be broken down into a number of recognisable sub (sub) genres including Celtic, Medieval, Viking, Pagan and so forth, so after considering this little quandary for a while, I decided to base my lists on how the bands sound. Simply put, if they “sound” like they are using Folk instruments and melodies, they are in. As always, there were a number of bands that were a little difficult to categorise, such as Moonsorrow, Vreid and Enslaved, so I will, time permitting, be compiling a separate Pagan Metal list at a later date which will include the aforementioned bands and their ilk as well as harsher Pagan Black Metal acts which may not have such an obvious Folk sound, but identify themselves as part of the wider scene. Some bands, including Thyrfing, will make both lists as their earlier material was definitely Folk / Viking Metal, but their recent releases are more Pagan Black Metal.
I hope this is something that is of interest to at least a few of you, but I suppose the bottom line is that it is something I am very interesting in doing for myself, so it's really a labour of love. If only a couple of you find it useful then I will be happy with that.
I think I've rambled on quite long enough now, so I'll wrap it up by saying that this project may take a little time, but I will posting as and when I have something ready.
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