Folk metal is a fusion genre of heavy metal music and traditional folk music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. It is characterised by the widespread use of folk instruments and, to a lesser extent, traditional singing styles. It also sometimes features soft instrumentation influenced by folk rock.
Ville Hermanni Valo is a Finnish singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the gothic rock band HIM.
Finntroll is a Finnish metal band from Helsinki that combines elements of black metal and folk metal. Finntroll's lyrics are mostly in Swedish, the only exception being the song "Madon Laulu" on Visor om slutet. Finntroll's original singer, Katla, decided to use Swedish over Finnish since he was part of a Swedish-speaking minority in Finland and the sound of the language seemed to better suit the band's "trollish" outfit. Despite several vocalist changes, this tradition has continued.
Pagan metal is a genre of heavy metal music which fuses extreme metal with "the pre-Christian traditions of a specific culture or region" through thematic concept, rustic melodies, unusual instruments or archaic languages, usually referring to folk metal or black metal. The Norwegian band In the Woods... was one of the first bands commonly viewed as pagan metal. Metal Hammer author Marc Halupczok wrote that Primordial's song "To Enter Pagan" from the band's demo "Dark Romanticism" contributed to defining the genre.
Moonsorrow is a Finnish pagan metal band formed in Helsinki in 1995. Musically, the band incorporates elements of black metal and folk metal in their sound. The band call their sound "epic heathen metal" and try to distance themselves from the term "Viking metal". They have distanced themselves from other folk metal bands, emphasising that their music is pagan and spiritual and is challenging for its listeners, rather than happy or danceable. The band members have varying levels of pagan belief but they draw on pagan spirituality for lyrics and inspiration.
Týr is a Faroese folk metal band. They have been characterised as one of "the islands' two most successful metal bands". Their subject matter revolves almost entirely around Viking lore, mythology, and history, taking their name from Týr, the god of war in Norse religion.
Henri Antti Viljami "Trollhorn" Sorvali, born 19 October 1978 in Finland, is the guitarist and keyboardist of the pagan metal band Moonsorrow, and keyboardist for Finntroll.
Amoral was a Finnish heavy metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1997. They played technical, progressive, melodic, hard rock-oriented metal. The band's fourth album was an about-turn, replacing the dominance of quirky death metal with an exemplary display of riff-driven, heavy, yet melodic power groove and the occasional sing-along chorus. Amoral performed extensively in bars, clubs, festivals and other venues in Finland, Europe, Japan, China, Philippines and the US. The band split up in 2017 after 20 years together.
Kivenkantaja ("Stonebearer") is the third full-length album by Finnish pagan metal band Moonsorrow. It was released on 10 March 2003 through Spinefarm Records.
Verisäkeet is the fourth full-length album by Finnish metal band Moonsorrow. It was released on 23 February 2005 through Spinefarm Records. The album comes in a full-black shining case with golden Moonsorrow logo, with the original booklet inside. The United States release of the album, through Season of Mist, however, is packaged in a clear jewel case displaying the album's artwork.
Voimasta ja kunniasta is the second full-length album by the Finnish folk metal band Moonsorrow. It was released on 26 November 2001 through Spinefarm Records.
Suden uni is the first full-length album by Finnish pagan metal band Moonsorrow. It was originally released in 2001, and then re-released in 2003 with one bonus track, different cover art, and a 40-minute DVD.
Tämä ikuinen talvi is the fourth demo album of the Finnish folk metal band Moonsorrow, released in the very beginning of 1999 by Meat Hook Productions. It was re-released on 28 August 2001 on CD by Sagittarius Productions, with significantly remastered music and vocals. Some vocal tracks were redone with different lyrics.
V: Hävitetty is the fifth full-length album by Finnish pagan metal band Moonsorrow. It was released on 10 January 2007 through Spinefarm Records. As a joke by the band, the name "Homosika" was released as the working title for "Viides Luku - Hävitetty".
Mannhai is a Finnish stoner rock band from Helsinki. The band was formed in late 1999 by bass player Olli-Pekka "Oppu" Laine and guitarist Ilkka "Ile" Laaksomaa. Soon they were accompanied by a young drummer, Mikko "Junior" Pietinen, and the following year by lead singer Jani "Joãnitor" Muurinen.
Nifelvind is the fifth full-length album by the Finnish folk metal band Finntroll, released on February 17, 2010 through Century Media.
Ben Varon is a Finnish guitarist. He is known as a member and one of the founders of the Finnish metal band Amoral that was active from 1997 to 2017. In the beginning of 2018, he founded a new heavy metal band, Oceanhoarse.
Beaten Into Submission is the debut album by Finnish metal band Profane Omen. It was recorded 27 January-12 February 2006 at Hideaway and Villvox Studios by Aleksanteri Kuosa and Ville Sorvali. Recording was assisted by Secret Agent and Star Super Force. The album was mixed at Villvox by Aleksanteri Kuosa and mastered at Finnvox Studios by Minerva Pappi. Ville Sorvali was the producer and the co-producer was Aleksanteri Kuosa. Songs "Adrenaline" and "Enemies" were co-produced by Panu Willman.
Varjoina kuljemme kuolleiden maassa is the sixth full-length album by Finnish pagan metal band Moonsorrow. It was released on 21 February 2011 through Spinefarm Records.
Metsä (Forest) is the first officially released demo cassette by finnish folk metal band Moonsorrow in 1997. Originally 215 copies of the demo were released, all of which were sold out.
