Folk metal has exploded over the last couple of years. Up until just a couple of years ago, one could count on one hand the number of folk metal bands that were making a major impact in the metal landscape. Skyclad and Ensiferum were arguably the first folk metal bands, although folk influences were present in the works of Amorphis, Moonspell, Rotting Christ, and Satyricon as well. Recently though, it seems like there is a new folk metal band popping up daily. Folk metal gets its name from bands who use traditional folk instrumentation and rhythms in their music. It can run the gamut from Celtic to Humppa to Russian depending only on where the band is from or draws its influences. Here are just a few bands that are flying the folk metal flag:
BORKNAGAR
Borknagar was the first folk metal band I had heard. The band plays a mix of black metal, viking metal, and folk metal. Most of the folk influences can be heard in the rhythms of the music. The vocals are typical black metal rasping, however there are clean vocals present as well. The band has gone through several different vocalists including Garm from Ulver, ICS Vortex from Dimmu Borgir, and currently Vintersorg from the self-named band. All of the vocalists have in common their ability to go from a rasp to a spine-tingling clean tone without any hesitation. The band has been blessed with these unique vocalists.
MELECHESH
Melechesh is probably my favorite of the bands I will discuss today. The band has developed an uncanny ability to take Middle Eastern rhythms and melodies and spin it into their black/death metal, creating a sound like no one else. Melechesh is originally from Jerusalem, Israel but create music based around Sumerian and Mesopotamian mythology. The band has been forced to relocate to The Netherlands to escape problems with the religious culture of their homeland. Melechesh has put together a couple of amazing albums that are personal favorites of mine.
FINNTROLL
Finntroll is the one of the first real folk metal bands I heard. I received their album Jaktens Tid in a Century Media Grab Bag. Pretty good use of money, actually. Finntroll combines Finnish humppa music (the folk music part of things) with black and melodic death metal influences. The lyrics are all in Swedish (bizarre as the band is from Finland, hence the name). Finntroll has had some extraordinarily bad luck with members. One singer left due to having a tumor on his vocal chords, another was fired from the band, and the original guitarist died after falling off a bridge (possible suicide). That being said, Finntroll's music is fun beer metal. The music has a good beat and is fast and surprisingly uplifting. The frequent folk parts make things bounce a little bit. The vocals are delivered mostly in a black metal style rasp, particularly with current singer Vreth, previously they were closer to death metal. Interesting stuff.
THE LORD WEIRD SLOUGH FEG
The name is strange enough. Thankfully they have recently shortened it to Slough Feg. The band is one of the most original-sounding bands in America today. Rising out of the San Francisco scene, Slough Feg combines classic rock, traditional metal, and Celtic music. The band essentially sounds like Thin Lizzy on steroids. The band essentially belongs to singer Mike Scalzi who has one of the more recognizable voices in metal. A great, underrated band.
ORPHANED LAND
Orphaned Land, like Melechesh, is from Israel. This band however does not play the same style of extreme blackened death metal as Melechesh, choosing instead to base their folk rhythms and melodies into progressive metal with occasional death and doom influences. Orphaned Land go so far as to create concept albums, their most memorable of which tells the story of Gilgamesh. It is seriously one of the most beautiful metal albums in existence. An amazing album that will take the listener's breath away.
CRUACHAN
When I first became aware of folk metal, I wanted to find bands that dealt with Celtic and Irish folk music. Cruachan is one of those bands. Cruachan focus more on their folk influences than their metal influences on the only album I have heard from them. There are actually only a couple of clearly metal songs on the album. However, the interplay between the male and female vocals and the Irish rhythms is amazing. A very good album, despite the relative lack of metal.
PRIMORDIAL
Primordial is similar to Cruachan in that they play Celtic/Irish folk metal, but this band is far more on the metal side of things. However, where Cruachan is often light-hearted and free, Primordial is dark and depressive. The band's metal influences come from black metal, and while the singer typically uses a clean vocal style, he will unleash an ear piercing scream once in awhile. They lyrics are sad, dealing with lost battles and loved ones perishing in them. The pain of the lyrics comes through in Nemtheanga's heart-wrenching vocal performance.
ELUVEITIE
Eluveitie is a band from Switzerland that plays melodic death metal mixed Celtic folk influences. Next to Melechesh, Eluveitie is probably my favorite folk metal band, due mostly to my interest in melodic death. The band uses traditional instrumentation such as bagpipes, whistles, and even the hurdy gurdy to play lilting melodies over the top of the Gothenburg style guitar riffs. Vocals are growled in classic At the Gates/In Flames fashion and the occasional non-metal track comes across beautifully with female clean vocals.
HOLLENTHON
Hollenthon is a very strange band. Coming out of Austria, the band plays a sort of symphonic/orchestral/folk/melodic death/black metal. It's tough to tell from one song to the next which style will dominate. Their music is very interesting and fun to listen to as they continue to keep the listener guessing. Hollenthon is a very good, underrated band that sounds like few others.
SKYCLAD
Skyclad was one of the first folk metal bands, if not the first. The band was formed by Martin Walkyier, formerly of the massively underrated UK thrash metal band Sabbat. Skyclad had the idea to combine folk elements from Scotland, England, and Ireland into traditional and thrash metal and fronted by the unmistakeable staccato shouting of vocalist Walkyier. The sound was new and exciting and influenced a ton of other bands after some time. However, until recently not many people noticed, which is a shame.
ENSIFERUM
Ensiferum formed in 1995 in Finland, the major breeding ground for folk metal. The band played viking/folk metal influenced mostly by later Bathory. The folk elements mostly come in the form of the rhythms as the instrumentation is typical for metal. The band plays quickly, allowing for a few acoustic interludes here and there. Ensiferum was at the forefront of the rise in interest in folk metal. Guitarist Jari Maenpaa left the band and formed Wintersun, another great band with only occasional folk influences.
ARKONA
There are two bands named Arkona from Russia. This band is the pagan/folk metal band fronted by Masha "Scream" Arhipova. The band plays using Russian folk melodies delivered in heavy guitar riffs. Masha has an amazing voice and can sing, scream, growl, and more. Arkona also incorporates flutes and bagpipes in their music.
I first heard Melechesh on one of the Music Channels for digital cable. I was immediately taken by their black/thrash/death metal sound with Middle Eastern melodies and influences. It was a few weeks before I was able to track down an album unfortunately, but I was very persistent. That persistence paid off big time, because this is truly a unique and amazing band. The only gripe I have with them is that they take too damn long in between albums. Otherwise, they are pretty much perfect.
