Folk Metal

Gather around, metalheads! This week we are going to be discussing folk metal, which is a subgenre that I personally adore. Some of the best metal concerts that I have ever been to involved folk metal bands. So, without further ado, let’s discuss the specific characteristics of folk metal!

Folk metal is essentially the combination of traditional folk music with heavy metal music. The subgenre of heavy metal that traditional folk music is combined with varies by band. Folk metal is therefore a very diverse subgenre. The style, tone and instrumentation of each folk metal band usually depend on its specific ethnic background. For example, if a band is from Ireland, it may include some influences from Celtic folk music. Similarly, if a folk metal band comes from the Middle East, then it is bound to have some Middle Eastern folksy themes within its music.  

The atmosphere of folk metal acts varies greatly. Many traditional folk metal bands have a cheerful and festive atmosphere to their music, encouraging a combination of joyous dancing, cheering and headbanging. Some bands prefer to utilize black metal and ambient influences, which usually brings down the mood of the music, making it darker and more depressing. Unless bands are fusing folk metal with another subgenre, the mood is bound to be merry and high spirited. 

Instrumentally, folk metal bands utilize the usual instruments found in heavy metal alongside a plethora of instruments that aren’t usually associated with metal. Many bands have been known to play instruments that are native to their specific country. Flutes, violins and cellos are also fairly common to find in folk metal groups. Keyboards are also an essential part of folk metal music, with many bands using them to simulate the sounds of other instruments. 

The vocals of folk metal are limitless from the standpoint that vocalists are free to use whatever style of vocals that they want. Extreme vocals are just as common within folk metal as clean, soaring vocals. Usually, folk metal bands will choose to use multiple vocal styles, with some bands even containing more than one singer. The lyrics of folk metal cover a range of topics including paganism, nature, fantasy, mythology and history.

The first folk metal band was a British group called Skyclad. The group started as a thrash metal band with a fiddle player, however by the time their second album was released in the early 1990s, they had transformed into a more traditional folk metal group. Folk metal wasn’t a subgenre that gained rapid popularity. Beyond Skyclad, only a few bands, such as Amorphis and Moonspell, played around with the subgenre during the early 1990s. 

Around the mid-1990s, folk metal began to stir up a slightly stronger underground following. Irish bands such as Cruachan and Primordial began to pioneer a Celtic style of folk metal. Meanwhile, the German band Subway to Sally started to pioneer medieval folk metal, and the Israeli band Orphaned Land began to pioneer folk metal with Middle Eastern influences. Folk metal was catching on, but during the 1990s, not many of these bands received much success.

In the early 2000s, folk metal exploded in Europe. Finland spawned most of the subgenre’s most popular acts such as Finntroll, Korpiklaani, Ensiferum, Wintersun and Turisas. Scandinavian countries also gave birth to other major acts such as Windir, Kampfar, Vintersong, Tyr and Trollfest.  Other popular European folk metal acts include Eluveitie, Arkona and Skyforger. 

The aforementioned European folk metal acts really are the heart of the subgenre today, and can be credited with giving birth to the first widespread folk metal scene. Today, many of these acts frequently visit the United States and travel around the world, sharing their music with whoever is willing to embrace the cultures of these foreign metal bands.