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.
Skyclad is a British heavy metal band heavily influenced by folk. They are considered pioneers of folk metal. The term "skyclad" originates from a pagan/wiccan concept referring to ritual nudity, where rituals are performed with participants metaphorically clothed only by the sky, symbolising equality. The name reflects both the band's religious inclinations and their social beliefs, as expressed in the song "Skyclad" on their debut album.
Lunar Strain is the debut studio album by Swedish heavy metal band In Flames, released in April 1994. The album is known for its "folky elements", with the inclusion of violins and acoustic guitars along with influences from black metal.
Elvenking is a heavy metal band from Sacile, Italy. They have released one demo and eleven full-length studio albums. Elvenking's music draws inspiration from different genres such as metal, folk, hard rock, pop, prog, and classical music.
Mägo de Oz are a Spanish folk metal band from Begoña, Madrid formed in mid-1988 by drummer Txus di Fellatio. The band became well known for the strong Celtic feel to their music strengthened through their consistent usage of a violinist and flautist. The name for the band was chosen, according to founding member Txus, because "life is a yellow brick road, on which we walk in the company of others searching for our dreams." On the 26th of October, 2018, the band played a special concert to celebrate their 30th anniversary, playing with a symphony orchestra at the WiZink Center in Madrid.
The Wyrd Sisters are a Canadian folk music group formed in 1990 in Winnipeg by founding members Kim Baryluk, Nancy Reinhold and Kim Segal. Presenting initially as a trio, the group later grew to include a full band.
The Winter Wake is the third studio album by Italian folk/power metal band Elvenking. It features the return of original vocalist, Damnagoras, and the departure of guitarist, Jarpen. The lyrical content of the album centers around fantasy, folklore, fairy tales, and feeling alone and being an outsider or an outcast as well as hints at the music industry with songs such as the Skyclad cover, "Penny Dreadful".
The Scythe is the fourth studio album by Italian folk metal band Elvenking. The Scythe was released on September 14, 2007, through AFM Records in all European countries, and November 7 in the US by Candlelight Records.
Krebskolonie is the second studio album by the gothic/death metal/black metal band Eisregen. It was released on 29 November 1998 through record label Last Episode.
The Gorgon Cult is the third studio album by the Italian symphonic black metal band Stormlord. Melodic riffs, high speed double bass intensive drumming, extensive use of keyboards and orchestral parts form the backbone of the record. Also this time band has incorporated some operatic female vocals alongside vocalist Cristiano Borchi who carries on with his style of coupling high pitched screeches with guttural vocals. Clean vocals are also featured on some parts of the album.
Two Tragedy Poets is the fifth studio album by Italian folk/power metal band Elvenking. It was released through AFM Records on November 14, 2008. The album is mostly acoustic; it includes acoustic versions of two older tracks, "The Winter Wake" and "The Wanderer", both from The Winter Wake. The Japanese edition also includes a remake of "Skywards", originally released on the album Heathenreel. Although Elvenking's website says otherwise, instead of "The Wanderer " being a digipack bonus track, it's "My Little Moon".
Kiva Simova is a Canadian harmonic overtone singer, keyboard player, and songwriter, based in Winnipeg, MB, Canada. She is internationally recognized as a western pioneer in world beat/jazz music, particularly the art of harmonic overtone singing which she both performs, records and teaches. She has composed for overtone choir and directed her own such choir, AURALIA in Prague.
Wyrd is a concept in Anglo-Saxon culture roughly corresponding to fate or personal destiny.
Red Silent Tides is the sixth album by Italian folk/power metal band Elvenking. It was released on September 17, 2010, through AFM Records in both standard and Deluxe Editions. The Deluxe Edition of Red Silent Tides included a second disc which contained their first demo album To Oak Woods Bestowed as a bonus disc. This album would also feature Raffaello "Rafahel" Indri on guitars alongside Aydan. Also this album would not feature Elyghen on Violins due to his trip out of Italy and was replaced by session player Fabio "Lethien" Polo for the remainder until Elyghen's return.
Trick or Treat is an Italian power metal band formed in 2002 in Modena. The group's line-up has been mostly the same since its inception, except for the drummer position, which underwent changes in 2006 and 2011, and in 2014 guitarist and founding member Luca Cabri left the band and was replaced by Luca Venturelli.
Thomas Zwijsen is a Dutch/Belgian (Flemish) classical acoustic and heavy metal guitarist. He is known for his arrangements of Iron Maiden songs for classical guitar both on YouTube since 2007 and with his 2013 and 2014 albums "Nylon Maiden", "Nylonized" and "Nylon Maiden II". Since 2011, he has worked closely with ex Iron Maiden and Wolfsbane frontman Blaze Bayley, co-composing Bayley's 2012 album The King of Metal and 2013 released Russian Holiday EP. In 2015, he released an album in Flamenco/fusion style consisting entirely of his own compositions, entitled "Divide & Unite".
Era is the seventh studio album released by the Italian folk/power metal band, Elvenking. The album returns more to the band's traditional sound of folk metal and power metal incorporating more folk elements into the songs that were more so lacking from previous albums such as The Scythe and Red Silent Tides. Guest appearances on vocals by Jon Oliva (Savatage),, and Netta Dahlberg as well as a guitar solo performed by Teemu Mantysaari of (Wintersun) can be heard on the album. Prior to the album's release, Damna and Aydan did a sit down via YouTube going through the album track-by-track describing to fans where each song is coming from and what went into writing and recording the songs.
The Pagan Manifesto is the eighth studio album released by the Italian folk/power metal band, Elvenking. The album is a return to the band's pagan roots and sees a return to their original idea, concept and sound both lyrically and musically.
Gaahls Wyrd is a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen, formed in 2015 by former Gorgoroth and God Seed vocalist Gaahl.
Federico "Aydan" Baston is an Italian guitarist who is currently the lead guitarist, songwriter and founder of the Italian folk/power metal band Elvenking
