When you hear the term “folk metal,” what kind of music comes to mind?
Some of you might think, “Metal is intense, guitar-driven music—but what does ‘folk’ have to do with it?” and scratch your heads.
To put it simply, folk metal is a genre where metal music incorporates traditional instruments and blends in folky elements.
There are closely related subgenres like Viking metal and pagan metal, and in Japan, bands categorized as Viking metal tend to be better known.
In this article, we introduce well-known bands in folk metal, including Viking metal.
If you’re interested, please check it out!
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The Profound World of Folk Metal: A Curated List of Recommended Popular Bands (1–10)
Yuve Yuve YuThe Hu
When people hear “folk metal,” many imagine bands that incorporate European folk instruments.
But there are popular folk metal bands from Asia too.
A prime example is The HU.
They’re a Mongolian folk metal band, and their songs are characterized by frequent use of the Mongolian language.
That said, their style is upbeat and accessible for anyone to enjoy.
I recommend giving them a listen and experiencing their appeal for yourself.
VodkaKORPIKLAANI
Korpiklaani is a folk metal band known as a representative presence of Nordic metal.
Interestingly, they originally formed under the name Shamaani Duo, specializing in traditional folk music.
Over the course of ten years, their musical style gradually evolved into what it is today.
By the way, the distinctive band name Korpiklaani means “Clan of the Dark Forest” in Finnish.
If you watch the music video for “Vodka,” which uses a dark forest as its motif, I think you’ll get a good sense of their musical style.
The Call Of The MountainsEluveitie
Eluveitie is a Swiss folk metal band.
The music they create has a style completely different from other folk metal bands.
That’s because Eluveitie incorporates strong elements of Celtic music.
Thanks to that, you can enjoy the gentle melodies characteristic of Celtic music.
Of course, there are metal elements as well, but the beautiful vocals of one of their singers, Fabienne Erni, bridge that gap.
Be sure to check out how metal and Celtic music have been fused together!
HäxbrygdFINNTROLL
Do you know the music genre called black metal? Black metal is a type of metal music characterized by especially intense instrumentation and frequent use of high-pitched screams.
Finntroll is a band that creates songs combining elements of black metal and folk metal.
By the way, many of their lyrics are inspired by Norse mythology.
So if you know a bit about Norse mythology, you should be able to enjoy their worldbuilding even more.
Fiesta pagana 2.0Mägo de Oz
Mägo de Oz is a Spanish folk metal band.
Their songs are characterized by incorporating Celtic music, particularly featuring violin and flute as the main instruments.
As a result, amid the intensity, their music also conveys the distinctive elegance of Celtic sounds.
By the way, the band name Mägo de Oz means “The Wizard of Oz” in Spanish, so they sometimes perform dressed as characters from The Wizard of Oz.
If you’re interested, try looking them up.
Wirtshaus GaudiEQUILIBRIUM
The German metal band Equilibrium.
Many of their songs depict the worldview of Germanic mythology, one branch of Norse mythology, giving their music a grand, fast-paced character.
They don’t just do epic songs, though—there are also fun tracks with a party vibe, like “Wirtshaus Gaudi.” By the way, Equilibrium releases songs not only in German but also in English.
Feel free to start with whichever language is easier for you to listen to.
Stand Up And FightTURISAS
Turisas is a folk metal band known for incorporating many elements of power metal.
By the way, power metal refers to metal music with more intensity and a greater sense of speed than usual.
One of the band’s trademarks is the death growl delivered by their vocalist, Mathias Nygård.
His deep, rumbling growl, which seems to make everything around it vibrate, sets itself apart from other bands’ death vocals.
If you’re curious, definitely try comparing them.
A recommended track to fully enjoy his death growl is “Stand Up and Fight.”