Folk metal eventually made me want to listen to folk music from my country and other parts of the world. But there is no Folkstorm to find new good folk artists. Since we metalheads are usually open-minded music fans, I guess we can help each others find new folk stuff.

I personnally recommend "La Volée d'Castors" and "Le Vent du Nord" for those of you who are curious about Quebec's folk, which is a blend of French chanson and Irish Celtic music. "La Volée d'Castors" have a number of influences from the Caribbean, but "Le Vent du Nord" is more authentic.

Are you just after authentic ethnic music, or folk rock and American man-and-guitar type of folk, too? The following list includes all of those plus neofolk and even some jazz, prog and eletronic acts borrowing from folk:

Fairport Convention
Sandy Denny
Jethro Tull
Blackmore's Night
Faun
Corvus Corax
Valravn
Gjallarhorn
Hedningarna
Tarujen Saari
Garmarna
Piirpauke
Tenhi
Espers
Hexvessel
Midlake
Kiss The Anus Of A Black Cat
Loreena McKennitt
Nick Drake
Joni Mitchell

For really great "word music" be sure to check out Paul Simon's Graceland and Rythm Of The Saints, as well as the later albums of Dead Can Dance. Simon & Garfunkel's version of Scarborough Fair/Canticle is also perhaps the most beautiful piece of folk ever recorded.

I've got a list of folk music from the UK if you fancy looking at that (although I'll admit, having sung folk music for about two years, it isn't always cheerful stuff: see "Parcel of Rogues" if you particularly want to see a Scot's opinion of something that happened back in maybe the 17th century). Some of the listed may be difficult to find either due to being rather small even in the UK or not having toured outside of Europe for years. I would also recommend, if you have access to BBC Iplayer, looking up Mike Harding: he is the presenter of the hour of folk-roots and acoustic music (wednesday at 7pm British time).

Ewan MacColl (folk)
Steeleye Span (folk-rock)
Port Isaac's Fisherman's Friends (basically sea shanties)
Cat Stevens (famous for "Father & Son", folk-rock)
Chumbawamba (they have a few folk songs, but performed quite a few different genres: most famous for "Tubthumping")
Eric Bogle (famous for "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda")
Don McLean (famous for "American Pie", generally performs folk-rock)
Runrig (folk-rock)
Ralph McTell (famous for "Streets of London", generally performs folk-rock)
Clive Gregson (folk-rock: also performed in Any Trouble)
Craig Morgan Robson (folk, done in harmony)
The Progues (folk-punk, famous for "Fairytale of New York")
The Dubliners (folk)
Kathryn Tickell (folk)
Planxty (folk)
I would also recommend looking at Johnny Cash, as, whilst not the same as folk music (he performed country music), he sung about similar subjects as to what you'd expect to hear from folk.

How about Neofolk? It's darker than traditional folk, but I've found some real gems in the genre. Particularly Tony Wakeford.

Speaking of Neofolk, new album from Rome, Die Æsthetik der Herrschaftsfreiheit. It's a triple album, basically two and a half hours of music. This is my first time through, and it's really impressive so far. I'm not convinced about the ambient/spoken word interludes, but the actual songs are wonderful.

Warmly recommend their older stuff as well.

Azam Ali is something you defenetly should give a listen. she does several projects: Vas, Nyaz, her own albums under 'Azam Ali' name...something perfect

One of my favorite bands is called Murder By Death. Look them up, you will thank me.

Folk muisc is useing folkinsitrements like old days in this case yes I do like it good, I like diferent contries, nations, folk music but if singing go like spanish and mexican or deutche schlager no way but folk instruments yes I like it scandic, celtic, itian, greeks, german, indian, natic americans, afrikan ,asian whatever I do like it

I discovered Altaic throat singing yesterday, the band is called Altai-Kai. The melodies, voices so deep and guttural they sound like their vocal cords were down-tuned to some dropped A or something... I heard about Mongolian throat singing but I never looked up any of those bands before.

Middle Eastern folk music, Oud and shit you gotta love them



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfbH55ooM0Y