Metal Musicians Playing Folk Music #5

Seeing as I haven’t done a post for this series in a while, and Skyforger recently released a new album I figured I’d highlight the band while at the same time giving you another …Folk… installment.

The interesting thing about this particular instance of a metal band putting out a purely folk record is that it was supported by the Culture Capital Foundation of Latvia, the band’s home country.

Check out a sample track from Zobena Dziesma (Sword Song) in the next post!

Previous posts in the series:
Karl Sanders (Nile)
Månegarm
Wardruna (Gaahl)
Eluveitie

Metal Musicians Playing Folk Music #4

It’s been a while since I did one of these posts, and although this edition to the series isn’t necessarily traditional folk, I think it remains appropriate. As I’m sure most of you know by now, the Swiss folk metal giants Eluveitie are one of my favorite bands. When they announced in 2008/09 that they would be briefly departing from their typical folk-metal sound to record Evocation I: The Arcane Dominion, I didn’t flinch. I felt like I was one of the few people out there who was looking forward to the album despite the lack of metal. Truthfully, the album isn’t necessarily traditional folk, as mentioned above. It could probably be best described as Celtic folk-pop. I’ll try to pick a few tracks for posting to give anyone who hasn’t heard the album a better idea of what I mean. Honestly, check the whole album for the best idea of what the band was going for; every track is different. Even moreso than their folk metal endeavors does their ancient Gaulish language dominate. If you don’t like it, hey, at least the band stuck to their guns and returned to folk metal on Everything Remains… as promised. I, for one, am looking forward to hearing what they come up with for Evocation II next year!

As a side note, if you also follow my History&Science blog, you know I love anything ancient Celtic; this album cover is fantastic…features the Celtic pagan deity Cernunnos wearing a torc.

Previous posts in the series:
Karl Sanders (Nile)
Månegarm
Wardruna (Gaahl)

Metal Musicians Playing Folk Music #3

The musician in question for this edition is the infamous Gaahl, most notably of Gorgoroth fame. Although there are a few bands (and other…ahem…issues) that he has been associated with in the past, his latest musical affiliation is quite a departure from all of his previous blackened endeavors. Aside from Gaahl who makes conceptual contributions and performs vocals, the core musicians involved in Wardruna include Lindy Fay Hella (vocals) and Kvitrafn (Einar Selvik) who founded the project and writes all of the music & lyrics along with performing vocals and all of the instruments.

Wardruna is a Norwegian musical constellation set out to explore and evoke the depths of Norse wisdom and spirituality. Musically Wardruna has its main focus on the cultic musical language found in the near-forgotten arts of galder, seidr and the daily acts of the cultic life, mixed with impulses from Norwegian / Nordic folk music and music from other indigenous cultures.

The upcoming album entitled ‘gap var Ginnunga’ will be the first in the planned Runaljod trilogy that will interpret the runes of the elder futhark. The subsequent albums will be entitled ‘Yggdrasil’ and ‘Ragnarok’. Each album will feature eight runes, but not in accordance with the order of the three aettirs (families), which is most commonly used. ‘gap var Ginnunga’ will feature the following runes:

• Hagal
• Bjarkan
• Thurs
• Jara
• Laukr
• Kauna
• Algir
• Dagr

Recordings partly take place outdoors at locations relevant to the different runes. The instruments we use are mainly old and historical instruments, such as deer-hide frame drums and ceremonial drums, mouth harp, clove / hoof rattles from deer and goat, bone flute, goat and cow horns, Hardanger fiddle and bowed lyres. More unconventional inputs like trees, stones, water, fire etc. are also employed to enhance the nature of the rune being ‘portrayed’.

Keeping in mind that there will always be a certain room for disagreement and discussion when working with the runes, I would like to emphasize that in my songs it is not necessarily a goal for me to approach the respective rune from every conceivable angle, nor to cover all of the different aspects of it. Rather, the focus is on the core of each rune and the qualities that serve the whole concept and purpose of Wardruna best: sowing and nurturing new seeds and strengthening old roots!

– Kvitrafn, 2007