Folky? I'd rather say plain sterile. I dunno their music just never made me feel anything. =/

And Asmegin is <3

I've never heard much folkiness in Agalloch myself.

it seems these days, If any form of metal contains at least one acoustic verse/riff, then it is instantly of folkish nature; which is stupid.

Anyways, im trying to delve into a bunch of Viking/Folk metal via slsk as it is one genre i never really delved into until now; but it is kinda like stabbing at the dark and hoping i get something good.

Last night, i got a bunch of stuff including

Falkenbach ( heralding the fireblade, Magni Blandinn ok megintiri )
Bergthron ( Faust fur faust )
Helheim ( Yersinina pestis )
Manegarm ( Nordstjarnans tidsalder )
Mithotyn ( King of the distant forest )
MoonSorrow ( Suden uni )
Morrigan ( Celts, Plague Waste Death )
Otyg ( I troldskogens drommande Morker )
Ragnarok ( Domgerorn )
Thyrfing ( Hednaland )
Vintersong ( Cosmic Genesis, Visions from the spiral generator )
Empyrium ( Weiland )

I haven't listened to much of these yet as i just got them last night, but hopefully at least a few of those bands are decent enough. Also does your Screen name happen to originate from the band " morrigan "?

I'd recommend DC++ over soulseek, but heh.

As for Viking metal, you seem to be on the right track. Early Thyrfing (first 2 albums are my fav), all Moonsorrow, Falkenbach, Manegarm ...

Otyg is more Folk metal but I guess it could be argued. Still great. Get Storm's Nordavind if you like them (actually get it anyway it's that awesome). Vintersorg I never liked much eventhough everyone say they're awesome. Same goes for Einherjer ... =/

The Russian equivalent of those would be bands like Arkona, Pagan Reign, Temnozor, Nomans Land ... I'm just saying you'll like them if you like the above.

The Arkona upload link you posted here was amazing and is what stirred me to delve into the folkish/viking metal genres.

Ì definitely approve of the Moonsorrow, Otyg, Månegarm, Mithotyn and Vintersorg, and also second Storm. I'll add Ancient Rites, Hantaoma, Lumsk, Nerthus, Einherjer, Skyclad (essential folk metal, really), and Turisas, Ensiferum and Finntroll for light, catchy folk metal.

NP: Cruachan - Tuatha Na Gael \m/

(recently completed my Cruachan collection with this one and Folk-Lore)

I also made an impulse purchase of a Pagan Reign album (don't ask me to spell that Russian title... it's the one with the winter scenery on the cover) based on a short listen of a few songs at my local metal store. Heh.

I also bought A Twist in the Myth, thinking it'd be a grower. So far, I consider it a mistake. What a dull album without any memorable moment. Blind Guardian just lost me. :(

Folk/Viking metal is one of the very few genre's I've never been able to get into. Besides the mandatory Bathory records, it all just seems kind of bleh to me. I gave that Arkona album a shot, and it seems the same. I'll give it another try, I suppose. What records would you guys recommend to someone just setting in?

I still need to get Tuatha na Gael. :O I also recently got into Agalloch, and I do think there's a touch of folk in there somewhere. It's not overt, but I can see where people are coming from when they bring up folk influences.

I'm sort of on the fence when it comes to folk/viking metal. I really dig Enslaved and Ensiferum, while most of the other stuff I have in my play list is something I need to get used to.

Mmm. Not long until their new CD comes out, thankfully - I was really, really, really disappointed by Pagan.

The entire Of Stone, Wind and Pillor EP was folky in itself. Seriously, people can't listen to Foliorum Viridum or A Poem By Yeats and deny them of being folky at all.

Also, I recently acquired the new Estradasphere album, Palace of Mirrors. It's not strictly metal (there's a lot of jazz and gypsy music among other things), but the parts which are rock pretty hard. The closing track is pretty fucking wow!

haha good to hear it ! ^_^

Aaaah I love that cover art <3

Oh btw it would seem they just released a new album. Must get !

And bleh about Blind Guardian ... It's all about Nightfall to me and I didnt really like Opera already ...

Damn, me too. I really like their previous ones, though.

Go get Wintersun!

WIIIIIIIINNNNNTEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRR!!

Too bad Morrigan didn't like A Twist in the Myth, I love it (even if it's a demo rip :p)

Hmm. I thought Pagan was solid, possibly better than Folk-Lore, really. Folk-Lore was good but there was one song (I don't recall which, track 5 or 6 I think - I'll re-listen to it soon, after all I just got it hehe) that was completely unbearable, with some awful nasal male vocals.

Hmm, well, I just really love most of that stuff, even if some bands are getting derivative. I wouldn't put Arkona under that list, though, but bands like Tyr (boring as fuck) and even Asmegin (decent, but just doesn't grab me), yeah...

If you are more into the Bathory sound, I'd recommend Moonsorrow. Or, for a total Bathory clone, there's always Morrigan, but they're closer to the Blood Fire Death era than the Nordland era.

Here's my usual "for n00bs" link with some mp3s of various folk metal bands: ftp://n00b:leech@morrigan.no-ip.org/Folk
I think all these bands are very distinctive and not really like the others, with the exception of Mägo de Oz which does sound kind of like a Spanish later Skyclad. Anyway, hopefully you'll find something you like there. Under the Black metal folder there are some folk bands too, but (obviously) more black metal than the rest.

Thanks for the link, man. Giving a listen now.

Bathory - all albums. But why Quorthon must die ?!
Nasum - swedish grind core (politycal - not fucking gore).
Arkona - underground black metal from poland with very poematic lyrics.
Drop Dead - yea!
Profanum - maybe its not a metal but every fan of Lovecraft must hear this!
Limbonic Art - "A venomouss kiss of profane grace" rule...
Cerebral Turbulency - nice grind from Czech Republic. "Strach na vruble" rule!
Setherial - demo "A hail to the faceless angel"
Lord Belial - all!
Kreator - Pleasure to kill just kill my ears !
Sodom - Yup! German trash rule...
Beherith - funny :)
Blasphemy - any want t-shirt? ;)
Sceptic - "Death" style polish death metal band. First album "Blind Existance"!
Kawir - nice underground black metal from Greece.
Morgoth - death metal from Germany - first album are really hard shit. I like it.
Bethlehem - Dark Metal !!! Another band from germany...
My Dying Bride - my hand many times bleeds...;)
Enslaved - "Bathory protagonist" ;)
Darkthrone - Last picture of earth, eh ?
Summoning - LUGBURZ!!!
Coldworker - new band of Anders Jacobson (drumer from Nasum) - really nice shit!
Napalm Death - I'am "scum" , so...
Anal Cunt - crazy music!
Tower - check this doom/gothic band from poland.
Dark Funeral - better that fucking Gorgoroth...
Immortal - You all know wy I love this band.
Marduk - WAR! ;)
Sayyadina - swedish grind/krast.
Gadget - swedish grind/krast.
Kriegshot - swedish krast :)

This is only a litle list of my favorist metal band. I just cannot live without metal!

Somebody hear this band ->>> Song of Melcorn ?!

If I find some time...I upload some mp3 of every band above. On rapishare hehe :) You wanna it guys ?

Yeah sure do it. I'm lacking in Sodom and would like more Kreator.

Try "No-Mads" from poland if ya like trash :)

Here is some uploads of metal albums i did earlier, i'm sure most people here, probably already have this albums though.

Anata - The Conductor's Departure ( 2006, Earache )

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...a/anatatcd.jpg

Track Listing:

1. Downward Spiral into Madness
2. Complete Demise
3. Better Grieved Than Fooled
4. The Great Juggler
5. Cold heart Forged IN Hell
6. I Would Dream Of Blood
7. Disobedience Pays
8. Children's Laughter
9. Reunication
10. The Conductor's Departure

Overview:

When a friend introduced me to ANATA's 2003 full length, "Under A Stone With No Inscription", I was utterly floored. Just as I thought Death Metal was going completely stagnant and that everything had already been done before, or "to death" so to speak (nyuk nyuk), along come these Swedes that left me speechless with their ingenious and fresh style of riffing, spectacular drumming courtesy of the great Conny Pettersson (formerly of ETERNAL LIES and ROTINJECTED) and all done very tastefully while avoiding the bloat of an overly busy record that seems to plague many technical Death Metal bands. Needless to say, I was nearly wet with anticipation of their new record. Such anticipation was well-deserved...



What first greeted me was a very pleasing production, the guitars sounding a little less raunchy than on UASWNI (how's that for an acronym?) but definitely more "organic" and coherent. You can still hear every bit of the fabulous bass playing and Conny's drums sound as great as ever. Instantly after the building up intro you are pummeled by the familiar dual guitar riff attack, weaving in and out of each other, playing off of every sick drum fill. Speaking of which, there is not one solitary SECOND of filler on this entire album. Every note has a purpose and this becomes very apparent about halfway through the first track ("Downward Spiral Into Madness") where ANATA illustrates that their true strength isn't merely in their melodic sense... but in their HARMONIC sense. This record has some of the best harmonies I've ever heard in heavy music, breaking away from the traditional major 3rd symmetric lines of bands like ARSIS and performing full-on counterpoint, doing completely different things that make perfect sense and weaving a vibrant tapestry of music. When the third track began, "Better Grieved Than Fooled", my breath was completely stolen from me as one of the most powerful beginnings I've ever heard in a song annihilated my senses. Rarely do you hear passages as majestic and awe-inspiring as this... and later in the song, the song breaks into a clean section that's like waking up from a dream. Brilliant legato lines swirl fluidly through your speakers, approaching a climactic build-up to a reprise of the astounding beginning, which continues to floor me every time.

Another track that deserves its own paragraph of unadorned adulation is the instrumental of "Children's Laughter", which is almost entirely clean guitars... and containing one most incredible and memorable drum performance I've witnessed since Sean Reinert recorded "Focus" for CYNIC (a band that ANATA continues to remind me of in many ways and there's no greater compliment than that). The song serves as the intro to "Renunciation", which is yet another masterpiece - one thing this album certainly isn't short on. "Children's Play" alone elevated this record, for me, elevated this record from being merely the best Metal record I've heard in 2006 to one of my all-time favorites.

Easily an early contender for album of the year and deserving a place in my top 10 Death Metal records of all time! Buy this album the very MOMENT it is available to you and witness the rebirth of heavy music!

Anata's new album is the best since Arsis's last and will be till Arsis's next

Åsmegin - Hin Vordende Sod & Sø ( 2003, Napalm Rec )

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...px-Asmegin.jpg

Track listing:

1. Af Helvegum
2. Bruderov Paa Hægstadtun
3. Huldradans - Hin Grønnkledde
4. Til Rondefolkets Herskab
5. Over Ægirs Vidstragte Sletter
6. Slit Livets Baand
7. Blodhevn
8. Op Af Bisterlitiernet
9. Varg I Veum
10. Efferbyrden
11. Valgalder

Overview:

Now this is an intriguing thing. Imagine a hybrid of Iron Maiden, and Skyclad musically, with a sometimes bewildering yet intoxicating mixture of clean male and female choir vocals, deep death grunting, and black metal shrieks, and you will get an idea of where this Norwegian band is coming from. “Nordic Folk Metal” is what this band is billed as, and it’s not far off the mark.

They do incorporate traditional instruments (fiddle, piano, and Norwegian zither), hence the Skyclad comparison, and to their credit, it doesn’t come off as simply for novelty value—each of these instruments plays an important role in the songs they appear in. Even though they often hug the guitar riffs a little too closely for their own good much of the time, the fiddles do add an interesting element of rustic joy to the songs, all of which are strangely catchy and enjoyable. The vocals, as mentioned, span a wide variety of styles and all the singers are most convincing in their various parts. Especially the clean vocals—these folks can really sing, and do so with passion and feeling, sweeping the listener away into the world these songs inhabit. The death growls are aggressive and angry, but the shrieking, when it comes in, really gets your attention.

The world these songs inhabit is one of folklore and magic, of ancient belief, and according to the band’s site, the songs on this CD represent three different eras of the band musically and lyrically. There are two trilogy suites; one based on Norwegian composer Edvard Greig’s “Peer Gynt”, and the usual Viking mythology suite. And that’s about all I can tell you, seeing as how all the songs are in Norwegian and I don’t speak a word of it. But the vocals are so alternately beautiful and startling, that is enough to pull you in anyway. Musically, these guys are top notch, with tight riffing and perfect drumming, and they flow from more folky moments to trad-metal, to more deathly and blackened moments effortlessly, though the blast beats do seem rather out of place when they do rear their heads (like right before the solo section of track #5, “Over Aegirs Vidstragte Sletter”, but the solo section that immediately follows that is such a sweet, Brian May-influenced moment that I easily forgive them this mistake). This is about the only complaint I have regarding this perfectly-produced and played CD. Otherwise, this is going to definitely make the top ten CDs list for me this year!

I have a hard time recommending individual songs on this CD, as really, I think the whole thing ought to be taken as a whole. Just letting the waves of alternately soothing folk music, smooth trad-metal riffing, and more chaotic black/death mania wash over you and letting the varied vocals sweep you off of your feet and into another realm where the real world as we know it is far, far away, and magic exists, allowing us for a few minutes to forget all our troubles, is a price well worth paying for the beauty this CD evokes.

A kickass album

Moonsorrow Suden Uni ( 2001, Spinefarm Records )

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4..._sudenuni1.jpg

Track Listing:

1. Ukkosenjumalan Poika
2. Köyliönjärven Jäällä (Pakanavedet II)
3. Kuin Ikuinen
4. Tuulen Koti, Aaltojen Koti
5. Pakanajuhla
6. 1065: Aika
7. Suden Uni

Overview:

As most of you most probably already know, the Sorvali brothers Henri and Ville are the driving force behind MOONSORROW, forming the band in 1995 and after two demos (or rather three as the first one never got released as after the mastering half of the recorded material had disappeared) released "Suden Uni" ("Dream Of A Wolf") in 2000. Even back then it had been the goal of the band to make Folk influenced Pagan Metal and even though you can or rather have to draw a fine line between these two styles, the debut of these folks to me is Viking Metal - and if I may add truly excellent.

From the introducing wolf's howl of "Ukkosenjumalan Poika" on MOONSORROW pull you in deeper and deeper with their highly melodic Viking Metal and its great and grand melodies, driving, variable drums, rough vocals, very well implemented keyboards and the use of authentic instruments and also a melodic Black Metal eruption. All of this is almost perfected with "Köyliönjärven Jäällä (Pakanavedet II)", complete with accordion, mouth harp, acoustic guitars and changing vocals, that the keyboards are used a bit more extensively here is not negative at all, the accordion alone is worth this song!

Also to be emphasised shall be the strong, mostly slow paced, but still very varied instrumental "Tuulen Koti, Alltoien Koti", again with accordion and brilliant melodies, the more than 11 minute epic epos "1065: Aika", which both show greatly that MOONSORROW do not only have the will to differ from the majority of other bands, but also are able to unite these many different elements and influences into a whole so masterfully that they create a truly original and cohesive sound that is just plainly great!

The closing "Tulkaapa Ii T!" is titled as "Drinking Music" and I have to say that this fits perfectly, for this song is almost predestined for the later hours of a party, if you have a bit in you already, I guess that the Finnish lyrics will go fluently, too, super catchy, with accordion, flute and mouth harp, mostly stomping, accelerating in the chorus, perfect to sing/shout along and towards the end getting wilder by the second. Strong closer, even sober a great song!

Even though "Suden Uni" has a few years already, it has not lost anything of its class and fascination and together with "Voimasta Sa Kunniasta" and "Kivenkantaja" stands high up on the Viking scale, trust me!

Suden Uni

SIGH - Gallows Gallery ( 2006, Baphomet Records )

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ka/cov6195.jpg

Track Listing:

1. Pale Monument
2. In A Drowse
3. The enlightenment Day
4. Confession to Be Buried
5. The Tranquilizer Song
6. Midnight Sun
7. Silver Universe
8. Gavotte Grim
9. Messiahplan
10. Untitled
11. The Tranquilizer song ( David Harrow Mix )

Overview:

“Gallows Gallery” sounds like a crazed circus, full of crazy little folk running around with knives. There are thrashing riffs and lots of double bass, but there is also a huge amount of organ, psychedelia and atmospherics. Some songs have saxophone, some have bells. Some have spoken-word and some have sitar or glockenspiel or techno beats. There are guests from DARK TRANQUILITY, THE RED CHORD, NECROPHAGIA and MEADS OF ASPHODEL. In short, there is a lot of stuff in here and it sounds good.


Gallows Gallery

Otyg - I Trollskogens Drömmande Mörker ( 1996, Self-Financed )

No Cover I know of

Track Listing:

1. Vitterstigen
2. Vinterväsen
3. Fjälldrottningens Slott
4. Norrut
5.Driven Ur Fjället
6. Genom Obanat Rike
7. Frostmarkstoner
8. I Trollberg och Skog
9. Skymningsdans
10. Sorgbundna Sekel

Overview:

The second demo of Otyg and a kickass demo at that, which everyone who likes folk and metal should check it out.

Otyg Demo #2

I've been looking for some Sigh for god knows how long. Thanks.

Whoa shit, awesome post Iwata.

ALL THE TIME IS IWATA TIME!

Gotta get those (esp. moonsorrow). Thanks man.

Anyone heard the new Trivum album? Must say I#m mightily impressed. Certainly better than Ascendancy (never did like all that screaming shit, especially considering Matt Heafy can sing well).

[Juuuuuuuuust waiting to get killed now]

I haven't heard their new album, but I did manage to sneak a look at a book apparently written by a band member yesterday. I saw "our mission was to sound like nobody else" and closed it.

ick trivium. They're pretentious and can't pull even that off properly.

I saw them once opening for Children of Bodom, and their singer was trying to get people into their set, and said "nobody's too cool to jump up and down for Trivium." I about died laughing.

Haha that's ironic. I thought Trivium wanted to be the next Metallica and does so by sucking on James Hetfield's cock.

I enjoy Trivium, but seriously, they aren't that original. They do sound like everyone else. If they wanted to not sound like everyone else, then maybe they should go for a different subgenre or incorporate different instruments or something. I don't know.

I've only heard one new song from Trivium and I did like it. I'm glad Matt Heafy isn't screaming really, however he sounds exactly like James Hetfield. The music has certainly gotten better.

I know that they're a bunch of pretentious dipshits and they sound like Metallica, but honestly, I love Metallica and I love the sound, to hell with what they're like, they sound good.