Is it just me or am I missing something.....

[Symphony]

.....with all this recent and current trend for folk metal/battle metal etc

Just does nothing for me for some reason.....

thoughts?

 

[fool_in_paradise]

If you're missing it then i'm missing it too. I just can't get into it - people keep telling me about bands such as Turisas, Alestorm and the music simply doesn't have the awesome effect of songs like Save the World, What Lies Beyond etc. It seems like a novelty to me .

 

[TemplarOfSteel]

I quite like some of the more serious "folk" metal, but this Viking nonsense is starting to get very irritating.

 

[Symphony]

I was wondering if it was me getting old and cynical! lol!

 

[Andiferum]

I love a lot of folk metal! Ensiferum, Korpiklaani, Eluveitie, Tyr, Moonsorrow, Equilibrium etc.

LOVE IT!

 

[SiliconMessiah]

I love alestorm but i've not heard any other bands that are folk/battle really. But then i wouldn't class alestorm as folk metal and i'm not entirely sure what battle metal is

 

[Andiferum]

Battle metal doesn't exist, so to speak. It's merely a musical & lyrical theme rather than a genre. You can have thrash metal about battles as well as you could have folk or power metal about them!

But as far as Alestorm go: folk metal with some power influence in places.

 

[Symphony]

So how would one classify someone like Turisas for example?

 

[Power_Metal_Dom]

I do enjoy a good bit of folk in my metal. Several of the bands named above frequent my playlists. I'm not sure if there has been a relative boom in folk metal bands, maybe they've just been getting more attention because of them getting put on free kerrang/metal hammer CDs and the like. Sometimes it just doesnt get more metal than necking back pints while Korpiklaani shouts "BEER BEER!" in the background

 

[Andiferum]

So how would one classify someone like Turisas for example?

Turisas I'd say are just folk metal. They have some progressive bits in a couple of songs, but not enough to class them as it.

 

[DE4life]

Turisas are folky, but also straightforward heavy metal. Kind of a mixture between heavy, folk and power. I love them, personally, they put on an awesome show. Alestorm, too, despite being a gimmick band are loads of fun live and surprisingly good on CD.

Moonsorrow were amazing at Bloodstock, no idea if they're as good on CD though. Same for Tyr. Korpaklaani are good fun live but IMO less so on CD. BEER BEER Ensiferum are a good band on the folk mould too, as were Elvenking before their most recent album.

 

[TemplarOfSteel]

So how would one classify someone like Turisas for example?

Shit

 

[1928]

I never got into the viking thing, but I've only really heard a little bit of Ensiferum. Wasn't bad, but wasn't my cup of tea.

That said, Alestorm's pretty awesome to listen to every now and then. The music's great, but the vocalist and lyrics are amusing. Especially when he yells "YARHARHARHAR" on one of the songs, hahaha.

 

[Diabolik]

I am a HUGE folk metal nut....not just the stuff that has been hitting the "trend" so to say like Turisas, Korpiklanni, Ensiferium and such....but stuff like Alkonost, Norgard, Nomans Land, Vokolack, Obtest, Svartsby, and Black Messiah, plus tons of smaller russian bands. It definetly is an aquired taste. I have always had an interest in mythology so it helps a little and I love the mix of metal instruments mixed with instruments of old (mouth harp, mandolin, flutes and such). I think that the sudden rise is that it is something kind of new and different for people so they are going to buy into it.....will these same people go further...doubtful since the releases are so hard to get. The one down side of the folk / viking metal is the nationalist / white power crap that is growing in it. You really have to be careful about what you get. Stuff on the Pagan Front is the most obvious. Basically nazi white power stuff. Avoid at all cost.

I am glad that there are some great bands that are getting the exposure. Like all genres in music...there will be a high point and then it will drift away and there will always be bands playing that genre but the genre hoppers will move on. Remember there was a huge power metal kick in the early 2000's. Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, Gamma Ray, and Angra were all the rage. Then the black metal rise and it was uncool to like power metal. These things all come and go. I have been into folk metal since I started getting Skyclad disc back in 99 or so. There wasnt much to choose from back then. Now it seems that there is a new disc each week.

Sure it isnt for everyone. Like any genre out there. I am glad to be finally able to see some of these bands here in the states.