Folk Influences + Religious Themes

[SonOfNun]

I'm suppose to do a research report for school and I thought something that would be interesting to look into is bands that use folk instruments in their music and the religious themes, like paganism, that are tied into it.

So does anyone know anything about the instruments bands like Nokturnal Mortum, Otyg and others use? I was thinking about describing instruments like the mouth harp, and also getting a basic overview of what the band discusses in their lyrics. Feel free to talk about anything like this or just religious themes in metal altogether (satansim, paganism, norse, anti-christianity or whatever) too. Any info appreciated.

 

[J.]

I know Cruachan uses a bunch of dfferent instruments like the mandolin, bodhran, bouzouki, Irish flute, tin whistles, and recorde. Their lyrics are entirely about Celtic history, Irish traditions, etc.

Temnozor' might be a good one, using flutes and such and lyrics on NSBM.

I'd also look into Orphaned Land for a little variety.

 

[J.]

oh, and I'm sure Negura Bunget would be a good one, too.

and as far as Paganism, you can do no better than Primordial and Graveland

 

[MajestikMøøse]

Negurã is a good example of spirituality translated music but since I don't speak Romanian, I can't back that statement up personally. Their website is a good resource that states their ideology, lyrics, etc. You might find that useful.

 

[MajestikMøøse]

you could also delve into the symbology that some bands use; such as the sunwheel (swastika) for religious [and political] meanings.

 

[Erik]

I have a fair amount of information on pre-Christian Nordic instruments seeing as I bought a CD full of them with accompanying 70-page (or so) booklet. I'll tell you some stuff later.

 

[SonOfNun]

I printed some translated lyrics from 'N Crugu Bradului and Alvefard. I need a list of sorts naming some various instruments used by some of these bands, then I'll go ahead and do some research on them. Anyone know any good sites that have information like this?

 

[JayKeeley]

Google is always cool for research. I typed in "Russian Folk" and look what I found for your front cover!

 

[SonOfNun]

I wonder what kind of ukrainian instruments Nokturnal Mortum might use. I can find info on folk instruments from their respective countries easy enough, but tying them into certain metal bands and being able to pinpoint sources seems about impossible. Where the hell is spaffe, he should know something about Otyg.

 

[Caelum Adustum]

In addition to electric/acoustic guitars, bass and drums Otyg uses mouthharp, violin, willow flute, flute, keyed fiddle and lute guitar.

 

[JayKeeley]

I checked my "Taste of Victory" and no inlay means no further info on instruments. The info with "Nechrist" is much more helpful. Here are the folk instruments they used:

Domra: http://www.ossipovorchestra.ru/english/domra.htm
Drymba: http://staryolsa.com/eng/instrumenty.shtml
Sopilka: http://www.carpatho-rusyn.org/instru/sopilka.htm
Okarina: http://www.folkfriends.com/english/index.htm?flutes_and_fifes.htm
Reed Pipe: http://www.asza.com/duduk.shtml
Lira: http://home.att.net/~bandura.ca/VMfolkBook/fricative.html
Bubien: try google
Kvach: try google
Dzvony: try google

With regards to "what the band discusses in their lyrics"...the fact is, you'd probably want to discuss accurately Nokturnal Mortum and their use of Nazi propoganda (swastikas etc) and anti-semitic lyrics with particular focus on the yearning towards pre-christian culture and all that kind of stuff. The only thing is, I'm not sure how open minded your lecturers or college is, and it could land you in some awkward situation? Staying with "NeChrist", here are the lyrics to "The Call of Aryan Spirit":

the voice calling me into darkness,
open the gates through which I'll leave
the call of the ancient blood calls me to fight
the call of slavonic blood
aryan lands with the boundless expanse
through milleniums come to me
the forests and steppers everything I own
is given to the damned jewish tribe
my blood is calling me, and I won't calm down
until I taste the smell of their blood
the moon whispers about the darkness
the stars are leading me through the clouds
silver people with white skin
are gathering to perform a rite
the wisemen are cursing on the jewish scum
and I see the white man's power!
spit in jewish faces, cut them into pieces
let them choke with their lie
let the woods grow up on their corpses
only white man's power!
we are the only ones to have the
right for this land!
it's ours, indeed!
these rivers have been flowing
together with our blood for ages
this grass has grown on the bodies
of our killed warriors
hey, stay with us, our aryan spirit!
let our slavonic blood boil up with our hatred
hey, our land, stay with us!
let every step on our land turn for
the damnation on jews!
white power, you have to destroy of useless tribes
under your glorious obsession!
because they are not people,
they are worms whose mission is only parasitism
let the aryan spirit support us!
the war is sacred! total war!

You get the drift.

 

[SonOfNun]

http://home.att.net/~bandura.ca/VMf.../fricative.html

I found that site while searching last night as well, very helpful as it has a lot of information on Ukrainian folk instruments and now I've got enough info for Otyg and Nokturnal Mortum. Although I don't own any Cruachan they seem intriguing as well, so I think I'll look for information on Celtic instruments and link that up with the info J. gave me. It's starting to take shape, thanks.

As for my teacher, I'm in the "honors" class which she seems to treat more adult and give more freedom, so hopefully she isn't easily offended. I'd like to discuss some of those things as well as views of bands like Deathspell Omega that are extremely interesting.

 

[J.]

You should definitely put Graveland in your report and take blown up images of him in his corpse paint and knight get up. That would rule. THen play "Sons of Fire and Steel" for the class.

 

[spaffe]

Well Otyg's lyrics are almost exclusivly about swedish folk lore and nature romanticism. I googled for some page with info but I didn't find anything useful.

Dunno if it's of any use for you but I uploaded a song by Triakel who play traditional swedish folk music: http://w1.140.telia.com/~u14006384/08_triakel.mp3

 

[SonOfNun]

You should definitely put Graveland in your report and take blown up images of him in his corpse paint and knight get up. That would rule. THen play "Sons of Fire and Steel" for the class.

My English teacher last year said we would be listening to various forms of music over the year which gave me hope that I could do something like that, but we never did.

Also, doing this report is going to result in a massive haul of folk/pagan metal I guarantee. I actually don't own any Graveland for some reason and Cruachan sounds very good.

spaffe: Thanks for the info, I'll download the mp3 later, it takes about half an hour to download a 3 minute sample on this computer.

 

[MajestikMøøse]

Cruachan - Tuatha Na Gael

10/10 BUY OR DIE

(although that's my strictly professional amateur opinion)

 

[J.]

Cruachan - Tuatha Na Gael

10/10 BUY OR DIE

(although that's my strictly professional amateur opinion)

Well your "strictly professional amateur opinion" matches my know-it-all-opinion, so yeah 10/10 BUY OR DIE PAINFULLY!! YESSES!