Your Favorite Viking/Folk Metal Band

I honestly think both Equilibrium and Turisas are fairly decent. Equilibrium don't sound like a typical viking metal indeed, but they've got great folk-ish compositions. Their instrumentals are pretty average indeed, but the tunes, musically, they rock.
And Turisas...Turisas are just extremely catchy, energetic and even varied. I'd rather have a band that delivers something new with each song, than having one that can be completely labeled as one genre only, but it's pretty constant, with no surprise elements or so.
 
Dodens Grav said:
I thought we've already established that no band is Viking Metal.
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Maybe you don't think so, but I disagree.

Eligos said:
Am I right in thinking that Windir is traditional viking metal?
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I wouldn't say so. I'd say they mostly fall into the realm of black metal; but they do have some folk elements and epic song structures that imitate viking metal at times.

From what I've listened to, Bathory and onwards, viking metal consitutues slow drum parts and guitar riffs that, when combined, suggest a "galloping" sensation. Vocals have no bearing on the genre; some bands have all harsh, some have all clean, and some could have a mix. Symphonics (or some kind of orchestrated keys) usually play a part.
 
I agree with Einherjar concerning the Windir issue. I think it's got some pretty definite folk influences on many songs, but I wouldn't call them viking. And both percussion and vocal-wise, I'd say they're indisputably black metal.
Hmm, but actually, I don't even know why everyone is trying to label a band as 100% whatever. As long as it's quality stuff, I'd listen to it no matter what genre it is.
 
There's a lot of shit in the genre. But that's the same with everything I suppose. Personally, I don't really like the over-the-top folky. I like a bit of folk-atmosphere, but not full on flutes and shit. I'm more into "viking/black" as opposed to "folk".

My favourites:

Wolves in the Throne Room (I think they would count here)
Enslaved
Graveland
Kampfar
Windir
Bathory
Amon Amarth (...not so much since Versus the World, however)
 
Dexplosion said:
the 1st thing that comes to mind when i think of Viking metal is Bathory's Blood Fire Death.
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That, and Hammerheart.

Vehemens said:
There's a lot of shit in the genre. But that's the same with everything I suppose. Personally, I don't really like the over-the-top folky. I like a bit of folk-atmosphere, but not full on flutes and shit. I'm more into "viking/black" as opposed to "folk".

My favourites:

Wolves in the Throne Room (I think they would count here)
Enslaved
Graveland
Kampfar
Windir
Bathory
Amon Amarth (...not so much since Versus the World, however)
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Well, only a couple of those could be considered viking metal. And at least one of them isn't even black metal.
 
Would you mind explaining to me again why "Viking" metal actually exists and isn't just an incorporation of folk or metalized folk influences?
 
I think, personally, that viking metal is constituted by specific rhythmic and guitar qualities, regardless of any folk influences in the music. Granted, lots of viking metal utilizes folk qualities, but these aren't what designates the genre as "viking."

I mean, if you look at viking-era Bathory, you notice significant differences in rhythm and riffing from black metal; and there aren't all that many folk additions. If I had to describe the genre, I'd say it exists as more of a crossroads between black and doom metal. I admit that very few bands pull it off, and some people might write it off as "black/doom metal;" but I think viking metal has a distinct sound.
 
Sounds more like doomy heavy metal (re: Manowar). I guess I just don't see the point of designating "viking" metal its own genre, as I really don't hear anything in it that isn't just an amalgamation of black metal, heavy metal, doom metal, and folk/folk metal. Can you give me an example of a viking metal band that you don't think can be categorized in some other way? I find that basically all bands in this genre can be reduced to folk/black metal.

And no, I'm not actually being a dick, I'm being serious. I'd discuss this with you if you had aim or msn or something.
 
Dodens Grav said:
Sounds more like doomy heavy metal (re: Manowar). I guess I just don't see the point of designating "viking" metal its own genre, as I really don't hear anything in it that isn't just an amalgamation of black metal, heavy metal, doom metal, and folk/folk metal. Can you give me an example of a viking metal band that you don't think can be categorized in some other way? I find that basically all bands in this genre can be reduced to folk/black metal.

And no, I'm not actually being a dick, I'm being serious. I'd discuss this with you if you had aim or msn or something.
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I can tell you're not being a dick, so no worries.

I don't have AIM, or MSN unfortunately. I mean, I would gladly just have the discussion here, unless you don't want to. Either way, to answer your question of a band that is strictly Viking metal, I don't believe there are very many. However, I personally feel that a few bands could fall into the category.

Bathory, for one; obviously not all their albums, but Hammerheart is Viking metal.

I also believe that Thyrfing and Einherjer are very strict Viking metal bands. Sure, they might stray sometimes; but for the most part, the drums and guitar riffs fall into what I would classify as "Viking" metal. I also think Fjoergyn is strictly a Viking metal band.

I think Viking metal combines the "chugging" aspects of doom metal with faster, double-bass drum rhythms to imitate a galloping/marching effect. I'm finding this very difficult to describe, but I sincerely believe it exists.

Here's are some songs that I believe fit the Viking metal description:





[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvUObrM_nTo&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiToNVGMamU&feature=related[/ame]
 
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This "sound" you're talking about is just what I call Folk Metal, as the 'originality' (read: foreign, outside metal influence) in this sound just seems to be derived from folk aesthetics. I don't really hear anything in this sound like metalized folk to me (or rather folkified metal). That Einherjer song especially actually just sounds like power/speed metal with keyboards. I guess I just prefer to use the term Folk because it's more descriptive and it's actually grounded in musical history. Quorthon, for instance, was deriving influence from the heritage of his native culture (read: folk) and filtering that through epic heavy metal with a slight twist, but, to be perfectly honest, even if they were just considered straight heavy metal, they still wouldn't have been the most original heavy metal band in the world. I can foresee us just going back and forth giving a different name to the same thing, so it would probably just be best to agree to disagree.
 
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