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80s Folk Metal Mix
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:40 am
by Keir
Hi! I wanted to share a little “research project” I’ve been working on recently. Fans of folk metal and/or NWOBHM should enjoy this mix I made. If you are neither, then don’t waste your time.
The roots of folk metal go back to the 70s and bands like Thin Lizzy and Jethro Tull. However, there was precious little in the way of folk-influenced metal in the time between those founding bands and Skyclad’s 1991 debut. After that came the folk metal explosion with bands like Mago de Oz, Otyg, Cruachan, etc.
I’ve been trying to gather whatever folk-influenced metal I can find from that period (1980-1990). Not surprisingly much of it is from Britain, specifically from the NWOBHM scene (e.g. Pagan Altar and Golgotha). In most cases the folk elements are very subtle unlike the abundance of flutes, fiddles and accordions that you find in modern folk metal. In others, particularly the Welsh groups Crys and Rhiannon Tomos a’r Band, the music is more folky and only a little heavy. April South does a metallized version of an Irish standard. Ambush are actually from Sweden, even though musically they sound more like a NWOBHM band. Here in the US there were a few folky but heavy southern rock bands such as the outstanding Ashbury. In the latter part of the decade we must look elsewhere for examples. Notre-Dame Estelle D’Orves combine heavy prog with folk elements well but unfortunately, like a lot of French metal, it is marred by the nasally vocals. Finally, Oblachnyj Kraj finish off the decade with something that sounds much more like the modern folk metal sound most are familiar with, albeit with a distinct Russian flavor.
Link:
http://rapidshare.com/files/224630164/80sfolkmetal.zip
Tracklist:
1. Ambush – “Whole Man Again” (1984)
2. Pagan Altar – “Reincarnation” (1982)
3. Rhiannon Tomos a’r Band – “Dim Ond y Diafol” (1980)
4. Crys – “Mae fy Nghalon yn Rhydd” (1983)
5. April South – “Oro Se Do Bheatha Bhaile” (1985)
6. Golgotha – “Dangerous Games” (1984)
7. Ashbury – “The Warning” (1983)
8. Notre-Dame Estelle D’Orves – “Controle Systematique” (1988)
9. Oblachnyj Kraj – “Russkaya Narodnaya” (1990)
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:58 am
by Ernest Thesiger
Curious to hear this. Cheers!
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:09 am
by The Erlking
Well I've liked almost everything "folksy" I've heard that was released before '94 but most of the modern stuff is abso-fucking-lutely horrible, limp and powerless excuse for metal. I despise stuff like TURISAS (well they call themselfs battle metal), ENSIFERUM or FINNTROLL but love stuff like PAGAN ALTAR, OBLACHNYJ KRAJ or TABBASA. Will check out the mixtape when I'm back home from work.
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:48 pm
by Immerstahl
A very good initiative and a very nice compilation.
Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:22 pm
by DMR
The Ambush track is damn good. I liked April South and Oblachnyj Kraj too.
How much '80s folk metal is out there that isn't on this comp? I can only think of The Scrubs - Battle and Helloween - Livin' Ain't No Crime.
Posted: Sun Apr 26, 2009 3:38 am
by Keir
Thanks for the feedback.
If I knew of anything else I would have included it. One song I did forget to include is Max Planck - "Northwinds". Probably the best place to look for more would be Russia. I know Credo has some folky bits on their Paying for Everything LP (but that was 1990).
Any recommendations are most certainly welcome. I'll definitely have to check out The Scrubs now, though I have to say I hear more Elvis than folk in "Livin' Ain't No Crime".
Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:39 am
by Derrick Metaliszta
Interesting stuff, I;m not the biggest fan of folk metal but this is something else, thanks i'll definitely check this out!
Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:20 am
by Sgt. Kuntz
That was a good idea for a self made comp. I definitely enjoyed it, especially AMBUSH and GOLGOTHA.
Maybe if you've got enough material, you could do the same with bands from the 90s, like SLOUGH FEG, SKYCLAD or LORD WIND. I`m sure there are many more bands, who would come into consideration, don't you think?
Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:49 am
by GJ
Iron Maiden (The Roger Corman of Folk Metal) - Quest for fire
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:37 pm
by Keir
Sgt. Kuntz wrote:Maybe if you've got enough material, you could do the same with bands from the 90s, like SLOUGH FEG, SKYCLAD or LORD WIND. I`m sure there are many more bands, who would come into consideration, don't you think?
A 90s mix should be quite easy given how much material there was. I wouldn't have thought anyone here would be interested but I suppose I could do Volume 2.
Posted: Wed May 06, 2009 12:22 pm
by Derrick Metaliszta
By the way I would like to recommend you two bands from the 80s which I also consider as pioneers of Folk Metal, both from Spain
Medina Azahara, especially their album EN AL-HAKIM
They included flamenco(south spanish) and arabic influences in their hard'n'heavy sound.
ñu - Very Jethro Tull inspired band
Re: 80s Folk Metal Mix
Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2022 6:36 pm
by HawkOfCairo
Keir wrote: ↑Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:40 am
Hi! I wanted to share a little “research project” I’ve been working on recently. Fans of folk metal and/or NWOBHM should enjoy this mix I made. If you are neither, then don’t waste your time.
The roots of folk metal go back to the 70s and bands like Thin Lizzy and Jethro Tull. However, there was precious little in the way of folk-influenced metal in the time between those founding bands and Skyclad’s 1991 debut. After that came the folk metal explosion with bands like Mago de Oz, Otyg, Cruachan, etc.
I’ve been trying to gather whatever folk-influenced metal I can find from that period (1980-1990). Not surprisingly much of it is from Britain, specifically from the NWOBHM scene (e.g. Pagan Altar and Golgotha). In most cases the folk elements are very subtle unlike the abundance of flutes, fiddles and accordions that you find in modern folk metal. In others, particularly the Welsh groups Crys and Rhiannon Tomos a’r Band, the music is more folky and only a little heavy. April South does a metallized version of an Irish standard. Ambush are actually from Sweden, even though musically they sound more like a NWOBHM band. Here in the US there were a few folky but heavy southern rock bands such as the outstanding Ashbury. In the latter part of the decade we must look elsewhere for examples. Notre-Dame Estelle D’Orves combine heavy prog with folk elements well but unfortunately, like a lot of French metal, it is marred by the nasally vocals. Finally, Oblachnyj Kraj finish off the decade with something that sounds much more like the modern folk metal sound most are familiar with, albeit with a distinct Russian flavor.
Link:
http://rapidshare.com/files/224630164/80sfolkmetal.zip
Tracklist:
1. Ambush – “Whole Man Again” (1984)
2. Pagan Altar – “Reincarnation” (1982)
3. Rhiannon Tomos a’r Band – “Dim Ond y Diafol” (1980)
4. Crys – “Mae fy Nghalon yn Rhydd” (1983)
5. April South – “Oro Se Do Bheatha Bhaile” (1985)
6. Golgotha – “Dangerous Games” (1984)
7. Ashbury – “The Warning” (1983)
8. Notre-Dame Estelle D’Orves – “Controle Systematique” (1988)
9. Oblachnyj Kraj – “Russkaya Narodnaya” (1990)
Came across this ancient thread while thinking of making a similar one asking about folk influenced heavy metal bands. I'm familiar with a few of these but I'd be interested in hearing the rest if you still have the files! Along with Lizzy and Tull, Horslips, Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention all had some great, heavy songs that could be considered precursors to folk metal.
As far as 80s stuff, pagan altar are the main one I could think of. I might add to your playlist Trojan- "War Cry" but can't really think of much else. Some new bands that add some folk-y elements to classic heavy metal that I dig are Convent Guilt, Iron Griffin and Wytch Hazel.
Cool to see someone else had the same thought ten plus years ago haha.
Re: 80s Folk Metal Mix
Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:18 pm
by THRASHER BE
I still had these files floating around on my computer, I'm sure Keir woudln't me resharing these:
Exclusive content for logged in users.
Re: 80s Folk Metal Mix
Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2022 1:33 pm
by HawkOfCairo
THRASHER BE wrote: ↑Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:18 pm
I still had these files floating around on my computer, I'm sure Keir woudln't me resharing these:
Exclusive content for logged in users.
Brilliant, cheers for that man!