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It should be known that there is no such thing as a bad Neurosis side project. Steve Von Till's work under the name Harvestman is strong evidence. In a Dark Tongue, Harvestman's sophomore effort, features a cross between Neurosis' brand of sludge and northwestern US folk metal.1) World Ash2) Karlsteine3) Birch-Wood Bower4) By Wind and Sun5) Music of the Dark Torrent6) Eibhli Ghail Chiuin Ni Chearbhail7) Headless Staves of Poets8) The Hawk of Achill9) Carved in Aspen10) Light Cycle11) In a Dark Tongue12) Centre of the WorldMyspaceDownload
You know those folk bands that make albums with five 10-minute songs that are super epic and awesome as hell? Yea? Finsterforst's one of those bands. Imagine Moonsorrow with a little bit more of a black metal edge and more folk instruments...oh yea, and German instead of Finnish.
1) Urquell2) Das große Erwachen3) Seines Glückes Schmied4) Sturmes Ernte5) UntergangMyspaceDownload
Imagine England before the Roman Empire. Now pair it up with black metal and you have Winterfylleth. Unlike most pagan black metal bands, Winterfylleth creates a Celtic sort of atmosphere rather than a Viking one. The production on this isn't exactly the greatest, but it wasn't recorded with a tape recorder and a coffee can.1) Mam Tor (The Shivering Mountain)2) Casting The Runes3) The Ghost Of HeritageMyspaceDownload (Mediafire)Download (Megaupload)
Hollenthon is tough to classify as one genre. The Metal Archives even gives them four genres! Combining melodeath, orchestras, and Middle Eastern and European folk music, the band has managed to create a truly unique sound. Domus Mundi is the first of three albums released by Hollenthon.
1) Enrapture (Hinc Illae Lacrimæ)2) Homage (Magni Nominis Umbra)3) Vestige (Non Omnis Moriar)4) Lure (Pallida Mors)
5) Interlude (Ultima Ratio Regum)
6) Reprisal (Malis Avibus)
7) Premonition (Lex Talionis)
8) Eclipse (Vita Nova) MyspaceDownload (Mediafire)Download (Megaupload)
A black metal band is one of the last thing anyone would expect to come out of Saudi Arabia, one of the holiest places in the world. Al-Namrood describes themselves as "a blend of a fiendish Black Metal and an Archaic Arabian culture." Although the Middle Eastern theme is becoming more and more cliched in metal, the band manages to create a wonderful sound reminiscent to that of the second wave of black metal. The name Al-Namrood ("the non-believer" in English) is the name of the Babylonian king mentioned in the Qur'an who challenged the prophet Ibrahim and claimed to be God.1) Atba'a Alnamrood2) Fe Zafrat AlMout3) Nagoos Alkhatar4) Youm Tusaar Nar AljaheemMyspaceDownload (Mediafire)Download (Megaupload)
You just gotta love the name of this band. So far, Mistur's only release is a demo entitled Skoddefjellet. The music on this demo sounds like a cross between Emperor and Windir. However, this is not really suprising. After all, lead guitarist Stian Bakketeig played in Windir.1) Sumar2) Heimferdi3) Skoddefjellet4) Natt ved KyndilstjernMyspaceDownload (Mediafire)Download (Megaupload)
Right now I'm feeling too lazy to write a fancy review for this album, so here: Orhphaned Land mixes death metal, progressive metal, and Middle Eastern folk music to create their unique sound. Aside from the traditional instruments used in heavy metal, Orphaned Land uses Arabic and Balkan stringed instruments such as the saz, the bouzouki, and the oud. Sahara is the band's first full-length release as well as my favorite album by them.1) The Sahara's Storm2) Blessed Be Thy Hate3) Ornaments of Gold4) Aldiar Al Mukadisa5) Seasons Unite6) The Beloved's Cry7) My Requiem8) Orphaned Land, The Storm Still Rages InsideMyspaceDownload (Mediafire)Download (Megaupload)
Looking for something similar to Finntroll? Well here it is. Arkona has a sound similar to the many Scandinavian folk metal bands, but they manage to distinguish themselves from the rest of the crowd. However, just like your average folk metal band, Arkona sings about folktales and mythology from their own country. And if that's not enough, they sing in Russian. Want to know what the song titles mean? Too bad. I don't speak Russian.1) Pokrovy Nebesnogo Startsa2) Goy, Kupala3) Ot Serdtsa K Nebu4) Oy, Pechal-Toska5) Gutsulka6) Strela7) Nad Propastyu Let8) Slavsya Rus9) Kupala I Komstroma10) Tsigular11) Sva12) Katitsya KoloMyspaceDownload (Mediafire)Download (Megaupload)
Although they are a progressive metal band now, Amorphis was once a melodic death metal band (featuring keyboards of course). And like every good band, they fuse elements of other genres into their music. In this case it's folk and doom metal. The title Tales From The Thousand Lakes is very appropriate considering that the lyrics on this album are based off of the Kalevala, a collection of Finnish folklore compiled by Elias Lönnrot and one of the most important pieces of Finnish literature. Take all of that stuff, put it all together, and you have a truly amazing album.Fun Fact: Amorphis was the first band added to the Metal Archives....What's so fun about a fun fact?1) Thousand Lakes2) Into Hiding3) The Castaway4) First Doom5) Black Winter Day6) Drowned Maid7) In the Beginning8) Forgotten Sunrise9) To Father's Cabin10) Magic and MayhemMyspaceDownload (Mediafire)Download (Megaupload)
The only thing better than blackened death metal is blackened death metal with folk influences. Fortunately, Melechesh fits the description. Hailing from Israel, Melechesh includes elements of Middle Eastern folk music and lyrics about ancient Sumerian history and mythology. And even better: they're not cheesy like other bands that try to use the Middle Eastern gimmick (Nile anyone?).1) Of Mercury and Mercury2) Secrets of Sumerian Sphynxology3) Annunaki's Golden Thrones4) Apkallu Counsel5) Tablets of Fate6) Triangular Tattvic Fate7) The Arrival Ritual8) Incendium Between Mirage and Time9) Purifier of the Stars10) Caravans to UrMyspaceDownload (Mediafire)Download (Megaupload)
This past week, I'd been listening to a lot of folk metal. I realized that this blog severely lacks any form of folk metal, so I decided to start posting some folk metal.
Falkenbach is a one-man band from Germany led by Markus Tuemmers aka Vratyas Vakyas. Vakyas' fourth full-length album is everything a blackish folk metal album should be. The songs are epic and harsh yet melodic.
1) Heathen Foray
2) Of Forest Unknown3) Havamal
4) Roman Land
5) Heralder
6) Læknishendr
7) Walkiesjar
8) Skirnir
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