Folk Metal

Moonsorrow - Wikiwand
Photo Credit: Wikiwand

Origin: 1990’s Europe

Characteristics: Usage of folk instruments; Pagan and pantheist ideologies and themes

Typical Live Hand Gesture: ✊

What is the appeal?: Mystical atmospheres evocative of nature; sometimes self-indulgent fun

Folk metal is a niche subgenre with origins in 1990’s Europe. The English group Skyclad are credited by several sources as the first folk metal band; they would be distinguished as such mainly for their pagan ideology and use of diverse folk instruments.

Regarded as the first folk metal band, Skyclad used diverse instrumentation while the lyrics provided a social commentary against politicians.

As the 90’s progressed, Skyclad were joined in the folk metal style by European peers such as Primordial, Empyrium, Ensiferum, and Moonsorrow. These bands would play largely different styles of folk metal; while Primordial and Moonsorrow were influenced heavily by black metal, especially early in their careers, Empyrium started off playing folk-doom metal before changing to straight neofolk, and Ensiferum had prominent melodic death metal influences.

Essentially performing folk-black metal at several points in their career, Moonsorrow combined folk instrumentation, even including an accordion, with ferocious black metal drumming and vocals. Moonsorrow would brand themselves as performing “epic heathen metal.”
Germany’s Empyrium dramatically used instruments such as woodwinds, pianos and organs, all while invoking chilling imagery of nature.

Folk metal would expand further in the 2000’s, as a number of bands such as Korpiklaani, Finntroll, Eluveitie and Agalloch brought folk-influenced metal greater recognition. The former two bands would be easily identifiable as folk metal just from their instrumentation; Korpiklaani have lead violin and accordion players, while the accordion and other folk instruments would be prominently featured in Finntroll singles such as “Trollhammaren.” Finntroll would also share songwriter and guitarist Henri Sorvali with Moonsorrow, though from 2004 he would be a studio-only member for Finntroll.

Korpiklaani made a straight up metal drinking song with “Wooden Pints.” This song features gtuff vocals, a prominent lead violin, and lyrics of “little men underground” drinking and having fun.
Finntroll would similarly combine aggressive vocals with an energetic, fist-pumping style of folk metal. “Trollhammaren” features a lead accordion.
Eluveitie play folk-influenced melodic death metal. Slania is full of powerful melodic riffs and charming folky instrumentation.

Far away, in the United States’ Oregon, Agalloch would make a definitive impression on the modern folk metal, post-metal, black and progressive metal scenes. Agalloch would combine all of these genres with a mindset that found beauty and meaning in nature, even in the wilderness of Oregon itself.

Agalloch’s The Mantle takes thematic inspiration from the wilderness of Oregon, while combining musical aspects of folk music, black metal, and post-rock.

Works Cited

Molloy, Liam. “History Of Traditional Folk Metal And The Circle Of Influence.” Atmostfear Entertainment, 19 July 2019, http://www.atmostfear-entertainment.com/opinions/listenings/history-traditional-folk-metal-circle-influence/.

Miklak. “The Ultimate Guide to Folk Metal.” Rate Your Music, Sonemic Inc., rateyourmusic.com/list/Miklak/the_ultimate_guide_to_folk_metal/.