Folk metal

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: masha
Date: 10 Nov 08 - 02:23 PM

Well, if you want a really HEAVY metal version of traditional folk, check out Liam aka Mephisto Grande from Oxford. His mom played old-time fiddle, and he grew up going to lots of folk festivals. Altho mostly he does his very extreme original stuff, he will occasionally throw in "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" or traditional gospel tunes, etc. in a VERY non-traditional way.   

Warning, this AIN'T your mama's folk!

if you do run into him, tell him I said "hi".

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Nov 08 - 07:13 PM

This Mephisto Grande?


One song there is sort of folk-style
One is punk-style
Another Man done Gone is quite interesting for those of us who know the John Mayall version

None of it vaguely resembles metal.

I am grateful for all input, but ahve you-all looked at the links above??

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: masha
Date: 10 Nov 08 - 10:27 PM

I'll admit that if it involves instruments that plug in, I don't know anything about it. Here are excerpts from reviews: "At first glance the expected metal tropes and spacerock swirls are all present, but the entire effect is surprisingly rootsy." Liam describes his music as "Experimental / Metal" and the Guardian described it as "Psychedelic avant metal". You can't judge him just by the 3 sound clips on his MySpace page.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Neil D
Date: 10 Nov 08 - 11:41 PM

Eluveitie

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 03:25 AM

Interesting - must try mre of that - but the couple of bits I just glanced at were very much metal with a little folk-style-flavour rhather than folk with a dollop of metal flavour...

Will look more though...

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: glueman
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 03:43 AM

This is very confusing. Are we suggesting there's a genuine folk metal genre? One that elides the estimable Motorhead with banjos and fiddles? Or are we talking folk with a bit of lecky guitar? Isn't the/a point of metal to prioritise volume at the expense of melody? How does playing it on acoustic instruments work? This isn't some political ploy to conflate authenticity and spurious nationhood, is it?

Sorry for the number of question marks?

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 10:27 AM

well.. if we haven't found any really good British folk metal bands so far..???


just gotta presume we lag way behind the best of the Euro bands
who have been experimenting and establishing their dominance of this genre
for at least the last decade..

i missed seeing Eluveitie play live in England earlier in the year,
and from the evidence of the 'free' DVD included in Ltd editions
of their last CD..

that would have been probably one of the best gigs of this year..

..last few days i've been listening to a lot of Corvus Corax mp3s,
and their more 'electro-metal-bagpipe' splinter band
Tanzwut

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 10:50 AM

Ah - but then you've never heard Crucible doing 4 part versions of selections from Toxicity...& *everyone* should have seen their set at Towersey...

g

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 11 Nov 08 - 05:24 PM

There is clearly a fairly cohesive folk metal scene on the continent. It is all very electric usually with double kick drum. It sounds like "metal" not like "rock". but I have two buts about it.

First, very little of it seems to take folk songs or nearly-folk songs and metal them. It all seems to try to extract the use of some instruments or the way of playing them or the nature of melody lines or the ways of singing harmony that has or have been associated with folk music, and adding those to metal.

Second, most of it is sung in German or a Norse language (OK some Spanish). Not useful to me!


The closest I have got to what I am looking for is BlueHorses - and right now they are resting and their figurehead Lizzie Prendergast is listed as freelance on MySpace (and doing some very acoustic stuff with Eden Hill). There is some Celtic metal around too, but I don't do "Euro-celtique"

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 12 Nov 08 - 03:35 PM

"Or are we talking folk with a bit of lecky guitar? Isn't the/a point of metal to prioritise volume at the expense of melody?"

No, there is melodic metal, like Thin Lizzy. Folk metal is also very popular in Eastern Europe. There is a metal band of Russian Israelis who play metal versions of Yiddish songs, and a whole slew of Russian and Ukranian bands. Plach Ieremii is a fantastic Ukrainian group. They don't perform folk songs per se, but the music is heavily based on western Ukrainian and old Church Slavonic motiffs. Lots of acoustic guitar and cello.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Nov 08 - 05:13 PM

Nope - Tin Lizzy were never metal. There may be a potehto potaaato problem here...

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 12 Nov 08 - 06:09 PM

I think Philo would probaly have disagreed with you there.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 13 Nov 08 - 01:18 AM

These folks are Americans, Richard.
Cordelia's Dad doing "Jersey City" in an English Pub.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 13 Nov 08 - 04:11 AM

Not bad at all. More sort of punk-folk-rock, but interestingly done.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 13 Nov 08 - 02:02 PM

Folkodia


Not bad I think - but why is it always Viking?

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 13 Nov 08 - 04:49 PM

Forgot to mention that quite a few of the Plach Yeremii numbers use a hurdy-gurdy and jew's harp.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 08:08 AM

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lSqiJd3xjZE

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 08:28 AM

I know it may not be de rigueur to mention the old folk rockers themselves but Steeleye Span can sometimes lean toward the more metalic. Anyone herad 'Bonny Black Hare' of the 'Bloody Men' album for instance? Lots of earlier stuff with Mr Carthy giving pound for pound with some of the heaviest as well:-)

Cheers

DeG

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: GUEST,Satan's Squeezebox
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 09:40 AM

hmm.. now then, if Tony Iommi had joined Steeleye Span
for the first few LPs.......

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 11:44 AM

You could do worse than check out Cordelia's Dad's first album. The name of the album escapes me, but it's got the Baby Song, Banks of the Lee and a few like that on. After the first album they ditched the metaly stuff and became more melodic, with interesting results.

There was also a band knocking about called 'We Saw The Wolf' that I vaguely remember seeing. I know nothing else about them other than the fact that they claimed to be a 'folk metal' band and they entertained a 16-year-old me 20 years or so ago.

Finally, You Slosh would possibly be worth a look. Mainly pipe stuff, but with what I'd consider a 'heavy metal' approach. Their gigs were scarier than any of the heavy metal gigs I ever attended. Their first album, with 'The Break' on, still gets the odd airing in my house.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 01:41 PM

Thankyou for the list to the Jimi McRae band. Lots of fun, but the or one of the key differences between rock and metal is the drums. THat was like old rock drums - Dave Mattacks on a bad night (sorry).

I did try some of Cordelia's dad (above) and they were good but not what I was looking for. Blue Horses still the closest.

Off to try those other couple of names now.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 01:48 PM

We Saw the Wolf


Close to punk in places, folk hardly discernible in the widest sense...

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 02:02 PM

This one from Skyclad is not bad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlo7F1Zd-x0&feature=related

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 02:13 PM

Oh my God! TYR play "The Wild Rover"!!!

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 06:31 PM

Does Led Zeps version of If I were a carpenter count?

You know, Richerd, I am rapidly realising how bad folk music really is:-D

Thanks pal!

DeG

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 15 Nov 08 - 03:10 AM

No, DeG - not folk (more sort of like Presley's Las Vegas years!) and not metal.

There are some excellent performers in folk, but its real force is twofold. It taps a wellspring, the place from where we come: it is the reflection of 600 years of exploitation, infidelity, betrayal murder and even genocide. Secondly it does embrace not only as the subjects of those tales but also as narrators and performers we ordinary people - not superheroes in spandex on stage, but the man and woman offthe street. It is us and our heritage.

It is this linkage that I am finding missing in most of the "folk metal" we have discovered together since I started this thread. The genre seems to start from a mistaken premise - namely that folk is style of performance rather than a body of descended material - and to use that imagined style (as distinct from the imagined village) to modify an existing style or set of styles, the forms of performance called "metal". In a way folk metal (with the fascination in it or in parts of it with trolls and so on) seems to me to be more in touch with "filk" rather than "folk".

Another form I have found referred to is "blackened folk" and maybe that would be another place for me to search, but the voyage of discovery is harder since most of the material that emerges from search engines refers to the emergence of African-Americans from the experience of racism.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 15 Nov 08 - 01:18 PM

I know, Richard, there is indeed some excellent folk artists. Mind you, I thought Presley in his Vegas years was OK so I am no custodian of taste:-) I must say I am not sure if it was his music or the same sort of fascination as watching a road accident...

Good luck with your search.

Cheers

DeG

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 16 Nov 08 - 02:00 AM

"There are some excellent performers in folk, but its real force is twofold. It taps a wellspring, the place from where we come: it is the reflection of 600 years of exploitation, infidelity, betrayal murder and even genocide. Secondly it does embrace not only as the subjects of those tales but also as narrators and performers we ordinary people - not superheroes in spandex on stage, but the man and woman offthe street. It is us and our heritage."

I dunno, there is just as much of that, I mean songs about ordinary people, in rock and pop as there is in folk.
So much of the 'tradition' is songs about kings and queens, lords and ladies, the high and mighty, the rich, the dashing the clourful, like highwayman, gallant hussars, etc.
People have always been fascinated by things which seem different to the drab and grey realities of everyday life.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Fidjit
Date: 16 Nov 08 - 02:45 PM

Hey Rich. This might tickle your fancy.

Susana Seivane

how heavy do you want it?

Not so many sharp edges on her. Unlike the Bluehorses lady.

And I'm a Duncan McFarlane fan too myself.
Chas

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 16 Nov 08 - 05:59 PM

Excellent playing, superb timing - positively as fragile as a butterfly in comparison to Shoar Patrol (bigger drums, war pipes, lots more beards) but no obvious connection to metal of any kind, Fidjit.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: fiddler
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 08:51 AM

Try

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=145825034

They claim to be punk not Metal but well worth a listen!

And very young - is this the future?

Andy

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 11:39 AM

It's quite fun. They are right it is not metal. As for teh future, although they are very different from Norcsalodie, there is some resemblance as well in the manner of delivery (albeit not tonality or pitch)

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Fidjit
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 02:31 PM

Rich. Just thought you'd like the curves.

Chas

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 04:19 PM

Not a patch on 7 of 9

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 04:24 PM

http://www.saorpatrol.com/introduction_to_saor_patrol.htm

Saor Patrol are about as close to Celtic Metal as you can get without a PA rig...

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 04:54 PM

on-line media promo hype makes claims for some metal traces
in Rose Kemp's music..

who knows ?, only just aquired 'preview' mp3s of her CD's;
not had time to listen yet.......

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 05:01 PM

folkmetal ?? nah man .... mind you each to there own .

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Fidjit
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 04:00 AM

A quote from their own site says,

"Again and again Saor Patrol brings to you their very own Celtabilly brand of music".

Mis-Quote from Richard Bridge above.

"in comparison to Shoar Patrol (bigger drums, war pipes, lots more beards) but no obvious connection to metal of any kind".

Chas

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 05:56 AM

I think you left out an important bit, Chas - your suggested performer was very delicate in comparison to Saor Patrol. HTat was my point to you.

I can't say I see Saor Patrol as Celtabilly, indeed I see no resemblance to rockabilly or hillbilly at all

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 06:47 AM

I suppose Cordelia's Dad's first album was more grungey than anything else. Most of the other suggestions I'd have make be from the early-90s 'folk-rock' boom, which came on the back of the success of the Pogues, Waterboys and Levellers, with not much success.

Spirit of the West's Go Figure album experiments with heavier stuff on songs like Pulling Lame and Polaroid, but frankly it's not a patch on their earlier Scottish folk-tinged or more political stuff. There was a Nottingham band called Seven Little Sisters who claimed to do a heavy metal version of Star of the County Down, the result of which left me, err... whelmed. The Tansads' second album (Up The Shirkers) contains a very good song called Eye of Average, which is probably the finest attempt at 'folk grunge' I've heard. Try not to listen to much of the rest of the album, however. I suppose Hopak by the Ukrainians must qualify as folk metal to some extent too.

Most 1990s folk rock tended to be singers shouting folk standards with an over-loud electric guitar in the background. Given that, I suppose we should maybe be thankful that no one seems to have properly ventured into fully blown folk metal.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Fidjit
Date: 18 Nov 08 - 10:54 AM

I did say it was a Mis-quote, Rich.

The other was taken from Soar Patrols own writing on the website you posted. They think it's what they do.
Kind regards
Chas

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 03:51 PM

Hey Richard

I was talking to Eleanor (Chris' daughter) about your interest in Folk Metal, specifically British bands. She mentioned

The Dolmen

Pagan band with both trad and electric instruments. Not exactly to my taste and I don't know if the fit the folk metal definition.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 04:51 PM

Thank you

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 05:00 PM

Interesting, but hardly metal - and indeed in places regrettably like T Rex!

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 04:33 AM

I thought the same and little bit like Jethro Tull on one or two tracks. I didn't like.

Some other pagan stuff she is into I did sort of like. Incubus Sukubus and Sonata Artica. But they are not folk metal. Good luck in your search.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Cllr
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 05:13 PM

saw Jethro Tull this evening AWESOME!!

( and when it comes to "metal" it a bit like what do you mean by "folk" and with tull it depends almost to which album you are listening to.)

Cllr

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Musket
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 06:00 PM

I often see a guy playing who does a mean Sweet Child of Mine on accordian. He even did Led Zep's Rock & Roll the last time I saw him, (in a cajun style, if you must know.)

All good stuff.

Putting it the other way, back in the late '70s, I went to Sheffield City Hall to see a band, (possibly Judas Priest or Black Sabbath,) and the support band were an Irish rock band called Mamas Boys. Jigs & reels in a pure heavy rock style. Magic, real magic.

Ever since Dave Burland started singing Boomtown Rats "I don't Like Mondays" saying it is a ruddy good folk song, (and the song was in the charts at the time) I looked at what could, would and does cross boundaries. I then noted Bill Caddick borrowing a Russian tune that Tchaikovsky either wrote or collected and realised...

There is a word called music. It describes an abstract aural art. Let's leave classification at that. I do. All my iTunes collection has been altered so the genre for everything is Music, rather than folk, celtic, classical, opera, rock, pop etc.

Interesting thread though. Some decent replies.

Subject: RE: Folk metal
From: Graham and Jo
Date: 12 Jan 09 - 04:12 PM

The spirit levelers? Haven't seen them but they were setting up as we were leaving a pub. Looked interesting.