The Folk Metal Thread

[Bear 1817]

So, what about hidden gems then? Be it from the 80's, 90's or 00's. There's lots of lesser known bands that never got the attention they deserved, or should be getting more attention.

 

One of these bands, in my opinion, are the folk/black metal band Bak De Syv Fjell from Norway, with Kvitrafn (ex-Gorgoroth) on drums. They only released one rehearsal tape and a short EP in the mid 90's. Gives me a little Primordial vibes, but without the celtic part.

 

 

Brilliant EP IMO.

 

 

 

Gauhaert is another band. They are described as raw celtic folk metal, which I guess isn't too far off. It's a band with Vloekwaard fro the more known cult black metal band Urfaust, and it has plenty of similarities with mentioned band. You have the "drunken" clean vocals just as in Urfaust, and the riffing are similar and all that. Great band.

 

 

 

Myrkraverk is another. It's basically an Isengard clone so you know what to expect, but a really good one. By Infamroth of the great black metal band Throne of Katarsis

 

[TheBistroButcher666 228]

Oh no no, I'm not talking about pre2000 stuff from the 90s, 80s and so forth. There's plenty of bands that had blended folk into their music but they were still considered whatever respective genre they originated from. I'm mostly referring to after the term Folk Metal was coined and the bands labeled purely as folk feel like it's just the same stuff I've heard already from the big names. Oh another song about being a viking and coming back from battle and now you and your lads are gonna get crunk on some mead and hail odin banjo banjo flute flute.

 

I definitely agree the real gems seem to lie with black metal bands using folk elements in their music because I suppose they're not trying to fit that Folk Metal mold so they can get a deal with a label. 

[cruel-crucible 89]

I definitely agree the real gems seem to lie with black metal bands using folk elements in their music because I suppose they're not trying to fit that Folk Metal mold so they can get a deal with a label. 

The thing is, at least 80% of these "gems" release just a bunch of demo tapes and then disappear forever into the underground black metal oblivion. Probably exactly because they couldn't get signed :/

[Bear 1817]

Oh no no, I'm not talking about pre2000 stuff from the 90s, 80s and so forth. There's plenty of bands that had blended folk into their music but they were still considered whatever respective genre they originated from. I'm mostly referring to after the term Folk Metal was coined and the bands labeled purely as folk feel like it's just the same stuff I've heard already from the big names. Oh another song about being a viking and coming back from battle and now you and your lads are gonna get crunk on some mead and hail odin banjo banjo flute flute.

 

I definitely agree the real gems seem to lie with black metal bands using folk elements in their music because I suppose they're not trying to fit that Folk Metal mold so they can get a deal with a label. 

 

My post weren't a response to yours. I just thought it would be cool to talk bout hidden gems, no matter when they're from, and shed some light upon them. Doesn't matter if they're demos, EPs or albums or whatever. However, I do agree with you, though.

 

 

A few other bands that I feel are very overseen/forgotten (some more known than others, but still bands that never got as big as they probably deserved):

 

Hades, who later changed their sound and name to Hades Almighty, a viking/black metal band who owes a lot to Bathory among others. The demo was brilliant, and the debut was very good, but they never really made anything bellow par. A very solid band. The way he shouts/snarls "unholy congregation" just makes the hair on my neck stand. Each fucking time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXZE5yAlgzo

 

 

Melechesh, a black metal band with middle-eastern folk music influences. Is from Israel, but moved to Holland later on. One of the more original folk/black metal bands you'll find. You just won't find anything like it. Proscriptor McGovern of Absu used to be a drummer for these guys.

 

 

Empyrium, a dark metal/folk metal band that later evolved into a neofolk band. Great band with a unique sound. Beautiful and mesmerising. Haven't released anything new for ten years, but are comming out with a new song this year. Been playing live for some time now though, with live members such as Neige (Alcest), Fursy Teyssier (Les Discrets) and Eviga (Dornenreich).

 

Uaral, a folk/doom metal band from Chile. Their music contains beauty and sadness all in one, and often "portraits" despair and loneliness. That shines throught in the music.

 

Rivendell, a epic folky black metal in the vein of Falkenbach. Not original or anything, but if you like that kind of metal this should please you.

[cruel-crucible 89]

My Latvian classmate who lives in Estonia got me hooked on Metsatöll, they're pretty cool.

[Champ213 1858]

They have an insanely large discography, I never really knew where to start. XD

[cruel-crucible 89]

I always start with the album where the first song I liked came from and then it's usually a random process XD

[Bear 1817]

 

It's been four years since their debut already and finally the Tumultuous Teutonic Templar Thrashers Jaldaboath are back with a new album. Heard a couple of songs and it doesn't seem to be nearly as hilariously bad as the debut EP and debut album. They were never good, but their two first albums are hilarious and works really well with some fine company and too much beer. They seem to have lost some of it. Still catchy and bad enough, though. The chorus are hilarious.

[cruel-crucible 89]

^ I LOVE IT. Haven't seen anything this enetertaining for a while.

 

I'm starting to love TURISAS2013. Like, I'm seriously digging the album right now. When I first heard it, it was very "meh" for me and there were maybe 2 songs I really liked. Now, though... I admit I'm looking forward to their concert even more thanks to the album!

 

IDK if I got used to it or it's a sort of an acquired taste, but oh well, I like it now. It's good in its own way.

[Champ213 1858]

^ I'll be seeing them too this February, got my ticket already. I can't wait, this will be a lot of fun! And I think the new songs are going to be a blast live.

 

I assume you are going to the Copenhagen date? That's 3 weeks earlier then the Cologne date I'm going to. You have to let me know how the concert was and what songs they have been playing afterwards!

[cruel-crucible 89]

Yes, I'm sure they'll be especially enjoyable live.

 

Will do! I just hope they'll play a lot of songs from Battle Metal... I wonder if the accordion will play as a backing track? They need it for their older songs... and they can't NOT play those songs.

 

I just know I'm gonna enjoy it a lot, Mathias seems to be amazingly skilled at singing live and dnfksajdbvak Olli is a sight to behold, that goddamn violin God >.<

[Champ213 1858]

Since it's something of an album promotion tour there will be a lot of songs from the new album. I expect them to play at least "For your own good" (album opener), "Ten more miles" (for which they made the video) and "We ride together" (since the tour is named after it). Then probably the 2-3 more songs from the new album and the rest older songs.

 

I think they will definetely play "Battle Metal" because the crowd won't let them leave alive if they don't, lol.

 

Here's an example of a setlist they played in October on their UK tour, I expect the setlists for the upcoming tour to be something along these lines with some variations.

 

From the new album I hope for "The Days Passed", and for older songs I want to hear "A Portage to the Unknown" and "Rasputin".

[cruel-crucible 89]

THAT is a wonderful setlist!!! I'd be perfectly satisfied with that, it includes all the new songs I like the most and since it has One More, Holmgard, Torches, Stand Up and Rasputin, it's great. Though I'm surprised there's no Varangian Guard.

 

And I'd love to hear Sahti-Waari

 

Edit:

Just checked the setlists from Finland and they played Rex Regi Rebellis at some concerts. That would be nice, too. But maybe they'll come up with an entirely different setlist for this tour?

[Champ213 1858]

I think there will be surely variations, but the setlists of the last few months are probably some indictaions of what to expect. There are some songs that they played on literally every concert in recent times, even the shorter sets in Finnland. Those songs are For Your Own Good, Ten More Miles, We Ride Together, Stand Up And Fight, Battle Metal and Holmgard and Beyond. I would be surprised not to hear them this time. Greek Fire, A Portage to the Unknown and One More also seem to be quite common.

 

 

But I certainly wouldn't mind to hear some more rarely played song. Come to think of it, I would die to hear "Cursed be Iron" or "End of an Empire" live, but I doubt it's going to happen.

[cruel-crucible 89]

That's the problem of seeing bands only during certain later tours - you don't get to hear most of your old favorites. I'd love to hear them perform Hunting Pirates, but as I had no chance of seeing them when they were touring with the Stand Up and Fight album, I'm most likely never gonna hear that song live :/ Same for The Messenger and Midnight Sacrifice.

 

At least they keep playing One More, which is probably my favorite song by TURISAS in general.

[Bear 1817]

That's a bit up and down. I've seen bands with huge catalogs blending old and new perfectly, while others makes the mistakes of playing mostly new. That's sadly a common mistake among bands, both old and new ones. Another mistake, as I like to call it, is bands playing the same on every tour. I hate it when bands don't change their set list one bit between tours. If a band doesn't have anything new to play, just make a few changes now and then, will ya. It can't be that hard, can it?

[cruel-crucible 89]

It's weird when bands don't change setlists. I mean, I've heard a bunch of artists say they get tired of playing the same stuff over and over so they tend to have several different setlists and change them around. There's always something new to come up with, like playing different songs in your country of origin, throwing in a funky cover once in a while, playing crowd favorites based on previous experience/polls..

[Bear 1817]

It's very weird, especially when you've got a big back catalogue and plenty to choose from. Just change it once a while. It's healthy. But even if you don't have a big back catalogue, it shouldn't be hard to throw in a cover song now and then just to mix it up a bit, as you say.

[cruel-crucible 89]

And then you go to a festival and it's just the same songs once again, very disappointing

[cruel-crucible 89]

Týr's new music video ;w;

 

[Champ213 1858]

Not bad. When they said they were recording in a green screen studio I was kinda expecting the worst (CGI in music videos tends to look kinda bad usually.) But the effects look pretty decent, and I like the desaturated look. (Desaturation makes everything 2.5 times less cheesy - it's scientifically proven.) Of course it's a video for a metal ballad, so some cheese is to be expected.

 

 

Sidenote: that statue totally looks like Angelina Jolie.

[cruel-crucible 89]

 

Sidenote: that statue totally looks like Angelina Jolie.

I thought the same, no kidding.

 

Heri and Liv look really great together and sound even better. I hope there will be more collabs with female vocalists in the future. I've actually been kinda hoping Týr would do something with Eivør since she's also Faroese and though it's not rock/metal, her music is folk-inspired. It would be nice~

[cruel-crucible 89]

TURISAS Copenhagen setlist:

 

1. 10 More Miles

2. Take The Day

3. Holmgard

4. Land of Hope&Glory

5. For Your Own Good

6. 500&1

7. Battle Metal

8. No good story ever starts with drinking tea

9. We Ride Together

10. Miklagard Overture

11. Stand Up And Fight

12. Rasputin

 

I was in the front row, the guys were epic. Starkill were really great as well, so be sure not to miss their part of the gig. You can talk to them afterwards, they'll be selling their merch. If you do talk to them, tell their bassist, Shaun, you know Barbora (me), he'll be even nicer to you. Thanks to Starkill I had the chance to talk to Jesper and Robert and sorta talk to Mathias. They're all very nice people. 

 

They didn't play One More, but there were some pretty rare songs on the setlist, so I'm satisfied. Also, Mathias sings like a God, no kidding.

 

You have a lot to look forward to, Champ

[Champ213 1858]

That tracklist looks good! Now, if they would just throw in "A Portage to the Unknown" in there somewhere for the Cologne gig.

But it's quite a good mix of new and old songs, I must say. Only 4 from the new album, and I assume those will also be the ones they play here. But I'm curious to see if and how they vary with the older stuff.

 

I still have a while to go (it's only on Feb 25 here), but I'm sure it will be awesome!

[cruel-crucible 89]

Well, they might change it up a bit in Cologne. Mathias said, that they wanted to play some older songs on this tour, so others tracks like Piece by Piece or A Portage to the Unknown had to go :/ They might even play One More, who knows, I know they don't always play Rasputin, but they did play it today (yesterday).

 

You can be sure about Holmgard, 10 More Miles, We Ride Together, Battle Metal and Stand Up And Fight to be there, I think. I'd also add For Your Own Good and No good story.... as the first one is meaningful and the second one is fun. 

 

Mathias did seem quite excited about playing Miklagard Overture, so maybe he'll add that one again as well.