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JJ's Bizarre Blog #8 - Folk Lore of the World
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Hello everyone! JJ is back here again with another dose of juicy knowledge. And this time, I’ve decided to bring you something to help you all cool off in the scorching summer – melodies from the North, odes to forests and mountains, tales of forgotten heroes, archaic pagan traditions. It’s time for another genre focused blog entry as we explore one of my favourite genres of music – folk metal!
As always, let’s lay some groundwork first – what is folk metal? Well, it’s pretty self explanatory, it’s heavy metal music with elements of folk music mixed in. The metal half can honestly take after any other subgenre – classic heavy, power, death, black, thrash, etc. There is untold variety to be found in this aspect. The folk half is usually expressed in the song structure, the subject matter and the instrumentation. Sometimes only classic metal instruments (including maybe keyboards) are used, but through the use of folk inspired rhythms and structures, the feeling of a song made to dance around a fire is never lost. But in most cases, the easiest way to recognize folk metal is from the presence of traditional instruments. Flutes, lutes, fiddles, accordions, violins, traditional drums and any other number of more local instruments support the song and give it it’s melody.
In terms of subject matter, while not exclusively the case, a lot of folk metal bands use ancient folk tales, traditional songs and mythology as their primary lyrical theme. A lot of bands use this and combine it with elaborate stage clothing and props, often based on traditional dress, to elevate the experience and to create a cohesive vibe where the songs and stories of yore are recreated faithfully. Some bands even go the extra mile and sing the songs in their native tongue or even in whatever extinct language their ancestors spoke! In this regard, folk metal bands often do amazing work helping preserve and promote their native culture, for which I can only applaud them even more. And another great thing that makes folk metal so varied is that with so many countries and cultures all over the world, each with different folklore and customs, each country’s output is different and unique in terms of the stories told, the language, the traditional instruments used and so on. Historically, the genre first originated in the early-to-mid 90s in the UK and Ireland, definitely inspired by British prog icons Jethro Tull and their odd but awesome choice to include a flute as one of their lead instruments. The bands Skyclad and Cruachan being considered the first pioneers of the folk metal sound.
The genre truly came into it’s own in Finland though, with bands like Ensiferum, Finntroll and Korpiklaani at the forefront and turning folk metal into a global phenomenon. Their blend of traditional Finnish melodies and instrumentation with brilliant metal songwriting was something revolutionary and unheard of, which explains why it piqued the curiosity of so many people.
Korpiklaani are an interesting case (their name meaning “Clan of the Wilderness”, awesome name!) . Most folk metal bands started out as your usual metal acts but later decided to incorporate folk elements into their sound. Korpiklaani however did the opposite. They started out as a folk music project that later decided to pivot towards metal with traditional melodies and instrumentation. I think this heritage shows in their music, as to me it sounds much more authentically folk compared to others.
Turisas would be another band that rose to massive popularity. Going for a more symphonic approach, a grand story-driven approach to their songs and albums and strong focus on the unique Varangians, they stand on their own to this day as one of the most unique and instantly memorable acts in the genre. Thus, they complete the impromptu "big four" of Finnish folk metal!
And to this day, the Finns proudly sing songs about the land of the thousand lakes and the mysterious tales of the swamps of the sound and the frozen landscapes of the Lapland.
Soon after, the Finnish craze spread to their Scandinavian neighbours and soon to mainland Europe as well. And given the history of most of Northern Europe, bountiful songs about vikings, Norse mythology and journeys across seas and rivers came about. If not that, then some German fairy tales might make an appearance instead. All of Europe was more than happy to tap into their rich history and put in a pedestal for the world to see.
The Scandinavian sound echoed further north and among glaciers and volcanoes, the bards of Iceland and the Faroe Islands roared with life, showcasing their ancient viking traditions, preserved much better in their isolation compared to their ancestral homeland in Scandinavia.
Started by pioneers Cruachan, Celtic folk metal has been at the forefront since the dawn of the genre. Celtic people have lived all over Europe, from Ireland and Scotland, from Portugal to Germany, even all the way in Romania and Bulgaria. Because of this, Celtic-tinged folk metal bands can be found all over the place. The biggest representatives are definitely the massive Swiss group Eluveitie, who also go the extra mile and sing some of their songs in Gaelic, the dead language of the Celts!
Later down the line, the Balkans definitely weren’t shy to share their epic folks songs about revolution, romance and rakia. Clad in red and white traditional clothing, strung with bells and drums, my people know how to lift up the spirits!
Other Slavs all over the globe have also risen to the occasion to share their tales from the plains of Europe, to the rigid frozen wastelands of Siberia!
Before I move on I just wanted to clarify one thing with a small rant, since this is such a contested topic - genres of metal are not defined by lyrical themes, they are defined by their musical characteristics. Folk metal exists about all kinds of topics, not necessarily just mythology and history. However, the different lyrical themes don’t define genres like some publications will lead you to believe. So things like viking metal (with some exceptions), pirate metal, battle metal, dwarf metal, etc. are not real subgenres. The songs are just folk, power, death, black or whatever other metal that is about vikings, pirates or whatever else. Anyway, tangent over, I’m saying this because pirate-themed metal has exploded with popularity in the last decade or so, initially thanks to the insane success of Scottish party animals Alestorm. The mix of old sea shanties and energetic metal, drawing on the long tradition of UK folk metal, has been a match made in heaven that is perfect for both immersing oneself in the atmosphere of seafaring adventure but also for just partying and having a grand old time.
Moving away from Europe, by far the most interesting movement within folk metal has been the Mongolian one. They have a vibrant and unique culture and their characteristic throat singing has seen a surge in popularity in recent years. Capitalizing off this (and contributing to it of course), several bands have risen to present songs about the steppes, horseback, Genghis Khan and Tengrism, mixing in the aforementioned throat singing as well as traditional instruments like the Morin khuur into their sound.
Besides them, other big nations like Japan, China and India also bring millennia of history and culture to the world stage, so it’s no surprise that folk metal bands have arisen from the far east as well.
And going back west, we have to give a special mention to the Arab/Middle Eastern folk metal scene. Very different from all others, the marriage of the soaring songs of the desert and the dark sound of metal was an unexpected one, but a successful one nonetheless. We also have to give additional praise for these artists for being able to create their music in a difficult situation that doesn’t often allow them to spread their wings truly and the social climate has caused issues for some of them. Especially Al-Namrood have a fascinating story and I encourage you to research it.
Thus, as you can see, folk metal is one of the most fascinating genres ever, because it directly feeds off of the vibrant cultures of our world. As mentioned before, it also does great work to preserve folklore and traditions and to keep this in the minds of the younger generations so that they may carry the torch onward. And in a world where everything is in English and more and more loan words are put into other languages, it’s refreshing to have artists who perform in their native tongue and celebrate their linguistic heritage.
But besides any of that, at the end of the day, if you just want to enjoy yourself, folk metal is one of the best choices. It’s melodies based on folk songs are just made to be danced to and there are plenty of tunes about drinking and being merry. So, go and do just that! In this hot summer, go out in nature with some friends, camp out and listen to some hurdy-gurdy, balalaika, bouzuki or fiddle melodies to lift up the spirits. As usual, may my playlist help you chart your latest musical journey! Cheers!
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