Having fronted symphonic Viking metal act Leaves’ Eyes and goth metal legends Theatre of Tragedy, as well as appearing as a guest vocalist on countless different projects over the years, Liv Kristine Espenæs has finally united officially with her sister – who has herself appeared as a guest vocalist on several Leaves’ Eyes releases – and joined Nordic folk metal act Midnattsol.Continue reading
OK, it’s time for a confession. Up until now (and with the Cardinal sin of not actually finding the time to hear a note) I have always thought of Tengger Cavalry (and perhaps overlooked them as a result) as simply a typical Folk Metal band. Maybe it is them being sold as having Mongolian instrumentation and influences, maybe it was album imagery evoking battles, insignia and even horses, or perhaps the band’s attire or a combination of, I’m not entirely sure, but with latest effort Cian Bi (Napalm), it only took a couple of songs in to prove just how wrong I was!The truth is Tengger Cavalry are a fascinating hybrid of accessible Metal elements with some, at times, pretty barmy delivery.Continue reading
On a bitterly cold Thursday night, you generally don’t expect to see a crowd of Pirates in central London. But Piratefest is in town, and the sold-out O2 Kentish Town Forum was descended upon by more eye-patches and plastic swords than you can shake a peg leg at. Luckily the venue had stocked up with enough Kraken and Coke to keep everyone happy.Continue reading
Formed in Motala, Sweden, Folk Metallers Grimner have been doing their hairy Viking thing for ten years now. Originally singing in English, the band reverted to their native tongue after the independently released A Call For Battle demo in 2010. The Färd EP followed next, with the band’s first full-length album Blodshymner (Stygian Crypt) arriving in 2014. An acoustic EP and a handful of singles later, the band released their second album Frost Mot Eld (Despotz Records) in 2016, and now they follow that up with more Nordic jauntiness on their new album, Vanadrottning (Despotz).Continue reading
After switching over to a new vocalist in April 2016, following the seemingly acrimonious departure of Liv Kristine, Leaves’ Eyes presents their first album with Elina Siirala on vocals. The new record is titled Sign Of The Dragonhead (AFM), and once again dives Dragonhead first into Nordic mythology and culture. Continue reading
In the arena of folk and pagan influenced metal, which is often (and at times unfairly) thought of as pure silliness, drinking and near cartoonish portrayals, Dutch Folk Metallers Heidevolk have always been a consistently decent outfit, but one that has never reached the mainstream dabblings of a Turisas. Perhaps this is, in part, due to their more balanced take on the genre which sits between the fun-loving, grandiose approach, thoroughbred Heavy Metal grit and a more intelligent, nuanced side; Heidevolk is a name yet to progress beyond the most ardent of Folk Metal fan-bases only.Continue reading
“The second mouse gets the cheese” is a maxim which pretty much sums up the career of UK Folk Metal innovators Skyclad in a depressingly pithy nutshell. The first band to be labeled with the now commonly used Folk Metal tag, their pagan image, costumes, and use of fiddles seemed to constantly draw nothing but unwarranted mockery from certain quarters.Continue reading
If you have even the slightest interest in Viking Folk Metal, then you are sure to have heard of Ensiferum. Formed in 1995, the Finnish five-piece took six years to release their eponymously titled début album, but quickly built up a reputation as one of the major players on the scene. A lofty position they still find themselves in today.Continue reading
In those glorious/hideous (delete as applicable) years before the inexorable rise of the internet, compilation albums used to be the staple of many record buyers collections. Those of a certain age might remember such collections as Masters of Metal (K-Tel), the superb (and newly reinvigorated) Speed Kills (Music For Nations) series, the Metal Killers Kollection (Castle Communications) series, Axe Attack (K-Tel), Time To Rock (WEA), and the magnificently titled Metal Treasures and Vinyl Heavies (Action Replay).Continue reading
Four songs. That’s right. Just. Four. Songs. But it’s enough to really get the blood pumping. Loviatar, the name in and of itself, is a Scandinavian Death Goddess. You see where I’m going with this. (I saw with a wicked smile on my face.) The album Loviatar (Prosthetic) is a mystical magical trip through the hinterlands. Take the name of the songs, ‘Stygian Wyrm’ (parts 1,2, and 3). Stygian relates to the river Styx. In literary terms it means very dark. A wyrm is a large sea serpent with wings.Continue reading