Ethnic Metal, Folk & Traditional Inspired Metal

[BlackMetalWhiteGuy]

I'm looking for bands that have a predominating Asian cultural influence, but I'm interested in bands that play other types of folkish metal as well. My only request is that they have a heavier emphasis on the traditional instruments, rather than simply being a metal band that occasionally throws in an ethnic sounding keyboard patch. I don't care if the traditional instruments are real or synth though, just as long as they're one of the primary foci of the music.

For example, Chthonic has an erhu player, but the music still revolves around the guitar and they are essentially a metal band who wouldn't sound that much different without the erhu. By contrast, The Hsu-nami's music revolves almost completely around the presence of the erhu.

I'm also really into Finntroll's orchestral tracks, so if anyone has suggestions for anything similar to that, I'd be extremely interested. Alternatively, if anyone is familiar with other non-metal ethnic and folk / traditional inspired music such as 12 Girls Band and the House of Flying Daggers Soundtrack, I'd be very interested in hearing about that as well.

EDIT: Here are some of the instruments that I'm especially interested in.

Erhu (Oriental Violin)
Dizi (Bamboo Flute)
Guzheng / Koto (Plucked Dulcimer-like thing)
Shamisen (Japanese Lute instrument)
Sitar (Indian Lute instrument)
Yangqin (Hammer Dulcimer)

 

[Einherjar86]

I have no idea regarding Asian folk influences, but if you like Finntroll's orchestral tracks then you should try Moonsorrow.

 

[no country for old wainds]

got ethnic?

 

[Life Sucks]

Odious (melodic black metal) from Egypt often incorporate tabla and other Middle Eastern instrumentation into their music. I also came across an extreme metal band from Gambia a little while ago who incorporate kora into their sound, though the name of the band escapes me at the moment.

 

[Seditious]

I ran some keyword searches on MA, and the only ones that came up were for Sitar and sitar like sounds, none of the others you listed

 

[Burkhard]

Alternatively, if anyone is familiar with other non-metal ethnic and folk / traditional inspired music such as 12 Girls Band and the House of Flying Daggers Soundtrack, I'd be very interested in hearing about that as well.

You mean something like this?:

Egschiglen



Huun-Huur-Tu



Sima Bina



Parissa & Ensemble Dastan

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

I ran some keyword searches on MA, and the only ones that came up were for Sitar and sitar like sounds, none of the others you listed

thats pretty helpful good job

 

[fluffcorpse]

Wintersun is a pretty trippy symphonic black metal band, and Jari Maenpaa has reported that their new album will have a shit ton of asian influence. Jari is a genious songwriter, so I trust that when he says this he means it.

 

[brownmetalman420]

maybe not exactly what you are looking for but orphaned land is the shit.they have middle eastern influiences

 

[MasterOLightning]

Buy the Ukrainian version of this album, not the crappier anglicized version. The vocal performance is about a million times better in their native tongue.

 

[Einherjar86]

Wintersun is a pretty trippy symphonic black metal band, and Jari Maenpaa has reported that their new album will have a shit ton of asian influence. Jari is a genious songwriter, so I trust that when he says this he means it.

Wintersun isn't black metal, but I'm now immensely interested to hear the new album if what Jari says is true. I'm having a hard time imagining an Asian influence in his style of writing though, unless he's really trying for a new sound.

 

[NinjaGeek]

I've looked around for these a lot myself, with moderate success. Still looking for a really kickass Death Metal band with giant Japanese Odaiko drums and other cool Asian instruments. What I have found though is

Japanese metal band 403 Forbiddena, has an amazing instrumental power metal/japanese folk track, which you can download free here.

http://audio.isg.si/audiox/?q=node/13679

(All their songs are available for free download on their official site, but I have trouble finding it since it's in Japanese)


God of Shamisen is a band that mixes Shamisen playing with other genres of music, and sometimes they mix Metal in as well. Their one track Ray Bradbury Attack is a great blend of metal and shamisen playing.

http://www.myspace.com/gos


Experimental Metal Band ThanatoSchizO has a great Chinese instrument/metal track called Patheon (as in Strip-Tease) on their album Schizo Level. It features what I believe to be an Erhu as well as some sort of plucked Chinese string instrument. Unfortunately a big part of the song is going between folk and metal, but the two combine very nicely towards the end of the track.


Japanese black metal band Quest for Blood, features a flautist on their self-titled album. They also incorporate other folk influences such as Japanese folk chants from time to time. Not all the tracks might be in the mode of what you're looking for as often the flute has more of a jazzy feel to it, but some tracks are very folky. You might also find them under the name Quest For Blood With Yukihiro Isso.

 

[J.]

Zpoan Vtenz is what you are looking for. Gime Nugalet is a semi-metalized folk album, instead of a folked-up metal album.

Also try Ha Lela and their Pabudimas album, from some of the same members.

Both from Lithuania

also, Lord Wind

 

[Vinder]

Evilthorne?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GT-agOq1YU&feature=channel_page"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GT-agOq1YU&feature=channel_page[/ame]

 

[DraconianJays]

I've been listening to this album for years, and has some ethnic influence: