I don't think Viking Metal is stupid, the sound and composition is very epic and grand and the vocals are often sung in the bands native tounge.

Written by Warman on 23.01.2008 at 01:54
I don't think Viking Metal is stupid, the sound and composition is very epic and grand and the vocals are often sung in the bands native tounge.

Personally, I don't recognize "Viking metal", I just use "folk metal". It's the same as what you just described... sure it's usually not epic and grand but not all "Viking metal" is either. And... tongue

Written by Syk on 23.01.2008 at 02:28

Written by Warman on 23.01.2008 at 01:54
I don't think Viking Metal is stupid, the sound and composition is very epic and grand and the vocals are often sung in the bands native tounge.

Personally, I don't recognize "Viking metal", I just use "folk metal". It's the same as what you just described... sure it's usually not epic and grand but not all "Viking metal" is either. And... tongue

folk has more of a bouncy, cheery feel to it, and doesnt usually refer to war, pilaging, battles etc...............
viking has more of a story line to it, most viking metal songs/bands have a story to tell,
would you compare new batorhy, to something like finntroll, or hardingrock, maybe even skyclad?

Written by Fuath on 22.01.2008 at 23:58

have you listened to the newer bathory, its not just the lyrics, its the whole feel to the music, the way they play the music, is viking, the way they have the chanting sort of thing, is viking

the other genres, are just gay, the only one ive heard of is vampiric metal

there are bands that really sounds like the dark ages. but it would suck if you call it dark age metal. even if its the feel of the whole genre

everybody is talking about metal genres...
hardcore is a stupid name for a genre
well the hardcore I'm talking about it.
minor threat etc is the real hardcore, but there is this hardstyle/hardhouse/rave music thats called hardcore as well. eventhough it was already been used far before this genre was invented.

Written by Fuath on 23.01.2008 at 04:28
folk ... doesnt usually refer to war, pilaging, battles etc...............
viking has more of a story line to it, most viking metal songs/bands have a story to tell,

Who gives a shit, lyrics don't make the genre. You get thrash metal about war, politics, sex, fantasy, aliens, metal itself but it's still thrash metal.

About the bands you named, I haven't heard most of them, and that is probably why I don't currently recognize Viking as a distinct genre. If I get into it more, who knows. I could be wrong, I could be right... I could be black, I could be white.

...Speaking of punk, hardcore also refers to porn, rap and almost anything else, whatcha gonna do about it? It's likely just because of metal's closeness to punk that "core" has gained a primary definition of punkness among the metal scene. I don't know which hardcore came first, and it doesn't matter, cos if you need to get as specific as saying "hardcore punk" there is absolutely no problem in doing so.

Written by Syk on 23.01.2008 at 09:33

Written by Fuath on 23.01.2008 at 04:28
folk ... doesnt usually refer to war, pilaging, battles etc...............
viking has more of a story line to it, most viking metal songs/bands have a story to tell,

Who gives a shit, lyrics don't make the genre. You get thrash metal about war, politics, sex, fantasy, aliens, metal itself but it's still thrash metal.

About the bands you named, I haven't heard most of them, and that is probably why I don't currently recognize Viking as a distinct genre. If I get into it more, who knows. I could be wrong, I could be right... I could be black, I could be white.

...Speaking of punk, hardcore also refers to porn, rap and almost anything else, whatcha gonna do about it? It's likely just because of metal's closeness to punk that "core" has gained a primary definition of punkness among the metal scene. I don't know which hardcore came first, and it doesn't matter, cos if you need to get as specific as saying "hardcore punk" there is absolutely no problem in doing so.

ummmmm, dude, those bands i name (hardingrock etc...?)
they were folk metal

Written by Fuath on 23.01.2008 at 10:20
ummmmm, dude, those bands i name (hardingrock etc...?)
they were folk metal

Whatever, I'm not much of a fan of folk metal anyway

edit - "I haven't heard most of them, and that is probably why I don't currently recognize Viking as a distinct genre"
what I meant with this was, I shove it all under the basic, broader terminology of "folk metal" which goes alongside thrash, black, power etc.

"Viking metal" is too unclear...it can be very different.
Better could be "viking black metal" for example (black metal with lyrics about viking themes).

Written by W-Lash on 23.01.2008 at 18:03

"Viking metal" is too unclear...it can be very different.
Better could be "viking black metal" for example (black metal with lyrics about viking themes).

Here was article about it and there are such viking black metal bands who play black metal and sing about vikings

viking black metal is a nonsence. sub genres are not based on lyrics. following this logic, nsbm is also a stupid term, because musically there's little similarity between the bands. the only thing they have in common are the lyrics... so what?

Written by Damnated on 23.01.2008 at 22:30

viking black metal is a nonsence. sub genres are not based on lyrics. following this logic, nsbm is also a stupid term, because musically there's little similarity between the bands. the only thing they have in common are the lyrics... so what?

Viking black metal is better term than simply viking metal.
For example, Windir has sometimes been called as viking and Amon Amarth too. But their styles are too fucking different. All that doesn't make any sense.
And not only lyrics make viking metal/viking black metal or whatever it's called. They may have clean vocal parts, native sounds and so on.

Written by W-Lash on 23.01.2008 at 23:09

Written by Damnated on 23.01.2008 at 22:30

viking black metal is a nonsence. sub genres are not based on lyrics. following this logic, nsbm is also a stupid term, because musically there's little similarity between the bands. the only thing they have in common are the lyrics... so what?

Viking black metal is better term than simply viking metal.
For example, Windir has sometimes been called as viking and Amon Amarth too. But their styles are too fucking different. All that doesn't make any sense.
And not only lyrics make viking metal/viking black metal or whatever it's called. They may have clean vocal parts, native sounds and so on.

Amon Amarth play melodic death metal. their lyrics deal with vikings, that is true, but the music is far from viking metal.

viking black metal means that it's a subgenre of black metal, whereas most viking metal bands do not play black metal. they are just extreme metal with specific folk elements, creating a viking atmosphere. so the term viking black metal is stupid.

Written by W-Lash on 23.01.2008 at 23:09

Written by Damnated on 23.01.2008 at 22:30

viking black metal is a nonsence. sub genres are not based on lyrics. following this logic, nsbm is also a stupid term, because musically there's little similarity between the bands. the only thing they have in common are the lyrics... so what?

And not only lyrics make viking metal/viking black metal or whatever it's called. They may have clean vocal parts, native sounds and so on.

But some greek bands use such elements and if thay be from Scandinavia we shood call em viking, but now hellenic metal, same about such bands from Africa asia, IMO vikin metal shood be only from old viking countries

Written by Damnated on 24.01.2008 at 00:07

Written by W-Lash on 23.01.2008 at 23:09

Written by Damnated on 23.01.2008 at 22:30

viking black metal is a nonsence. sub genres are not based on lyrics. following this logic, nsbm is also a stupid term, because musically there's little similarity between the bands. the only thing they have in common are the lyrics... so what?

Viking black metal is better term than simply viking metal.
For example, Windir has sometimes been called as viking and Amon Amarth too. But their styles are too fucking different. All that doesn't make any sense.
And not only lyrics make viking metal/viking black metal or whatever it's called. They may have clean vocal parts, native sounds and so on.

Amon Amarth play melodic death metal. their lyrics deal with vikings, that is true, but the music is far from viking metal.

viking black metal means that it's a subgenre of black metal, whereas most viking metal bands do not play black metal. they are just extreme metal with specific folk elements, creating a viking atmosphere. so the term viking black metal is stupid.

Maybe you are right.
But if the same is done on power metal (for example) base? I don't see any reason why it couldn't be done. And would it be viking metal too? In such way this term isn't quite good.

Kariasakis, your mentioned bands play just folk/pagan metal (at least i understood you in that way).

@W-Lash yes folk/pagan bit sorry i had read that abnd from Argentina play like Bathory thay or Korpiklaani and thays ay thay play viking metal ... its stupid, what kind a vikings in Argentina

I don't see any reason why viking metal couldn't be played in Argentina. If they do all what's typical for it then why not?
About your previous post - I thought you were talking about greek bands that use some greek traditional sounds. That's certainly not viking metal.

Written by Syk on 23.01.2008 at 10:58

Written by Fuath on 23.01.2008 at 10:20
ummmmm, dude, those bands i name (hardingrock etc...?)
they were folk metal

Whatever, I'm not much of a fan of folk metal anyway

edit - "I haven't heard most of them, and that is probably why I don't currently recognize Viking as a distinct genre"
what I meant with this was, I shove it all under the basic, broader terminology of "folk metal" which goes alongside thrash, black, power etc.

fair enough
i dont much like folk metal either
they have some good bands, but not many
but i can see where your coming from with your opinion

I don't like Viking metal either, because it's not really a genre of its own. It's a theme that may manifest in various different kinds of metal. You wouldn't say Bathory, Moonsorrow, Enslaved, Einherjer, Borknagar, Equilibrium and Therion are all the same genre, would you?

Written by IronAngel on 25.01.2008 at 01:11

I don't like Viking metal either, because it's not really a genre of its own. It's a theme that may manifest in various different kinds of metal. You wouldn't say Bathory, Moonsorrow, Enslaved, Einherjer, Borknagar, Equilibrium and Therion are all the same genre, would you?

I agree.
That's why i think there should be "viking black" or "viking xxx" metal.

Written by IronAngel on 25.01.2008 at 01:11

I don't like Viking metal either, because it's not really a genre of its own. It's a theme that may manifest in various different kinds of metal. You wouldn't say Bathory, Moonsorrow, Enslaved, Einherjer, Borknagar, Equilibrium and Therion are all the same genre, would you?

therion isnt viking at all
and they dont have to sound the same, just the same sort of concept
moonsorrow, have the chanting, war like feel to them, so do bathory, and equilibrium
enslaved i wouldnt say arent viking metal either (could be though)
the others i havent heard
but what your saying is that all thrash metal bands arent thrash metal, because they dont sound the same
they are thrash metal, because they have the same idea to them

Therion is alternative metal.

They are quite eclectic and are a fusion of metal and alternative rock in many places as well as other genres of music (many outside influences) into quite a unique sound. They are experimental which is quite common for alternative metal bands as they are never afraid to try new things.

I don't get the whole "thrash metal bands not being thrash metal because they don't have the same sound but have the same idea". I would not believe any thrash metal band to have the same sound. The only thrash metal bands that would have the same sound are those bands that overpopulated the genre during certain key evolutions of thrash metal throughout key movements of said genre throughout the past 24 years.

I knew someone would wonder why I mentioned Therion.

Look at Secret of the Runes. A whole album about Norse mythology. It has a Norse theme, it's epic. It pretty damn well falls within the category of "viking metal" if such exists.

Epic folk metal, Nordic folk metal, just plain folk metal. Those are terms that describe the music. Viking metal doesn't. It could be anything related to Vikings. Hells, I bet Manowar has one or two viking songs. Moonsorrow is pretty plain black metal with traditional music influences, a style commonly known as folk metal.

I maintain that there is no music that can only be described as viking metal. It is music that either can be labelled under another genre such as black metal, or that takes influences from various genres.

Written by Fuath on 25.01.2008 at 02:16
they dont have to sound the same, just the same sort of concept

That's utter bullshit, of course they have to sound similar to be described in the same genre. That's why hardly anyone calls Mercyful Fate
"black metal" these days, because they SOUND closer to heavy metal.

Lyrics and/or vocals alone do not make the genre!

Written by Syk on 26.01.2008 at 02:33

Written by Fuath on 25.01.2008 at 02:16
they dont have to sound the same, just the same sort of concept

That's utter bullshit, of course they have to sound similar to be described in the same genre. That's why hardly anyone calls Mercyful Fate
"black metal" these days, because they SOUND closer to heavy metal.

Lyrics and/or vocals alone do not make the genre!

lryrics and/or vocals can sometimes be what determines how they sound the same

Written by IronAngel on 26.01.2008 at 01:20

Look at Secret of the Runes. A whole album about Norse mythology. It has a Norse theme, it's epic. It pretty damn well falls within the category of "viking metal" if such exists.

Because of one album eh? Well then...based on that theory, I can call Therion death metal because of their ...Of Darkness album :

Written by [user id=2084] on 27.01.2008 at 04:48

Written by IronAngel on 26.01.2008 at 01:20

Look at Secret of the Runes. A whole album about Norse mythology. It has a Norse theme, it's epic. It pretty damn well falls within the category of "viking metal" if such exists.

Because of one album eh? Well then...based on that theory, I can call Therion death metal because of their ...Of Darkness album :

i think he meant that one album was viking (i hope)



and there are alot of albums and bands that fit into viking metal
Bathory's "Nordland I and II"
Doomsword's "Resound the horn"
the later manegarm albums are viking
wintersun is
ensiferum is
windir is

Written by Fuath on 27.01.2008 at 06:43

Written by [user id=2084] on 27.01.2008 at 04:48

Written by IronAngel on 26.01.2008 at 01:20

Look at Secret of the Runes. A whole album about Norse mythology. It has a Norse theme, it's epic. It pretty damn well falls within the category of "viking metal" if such exists.

Because of one album eh? Well then...based on that theory, I can call Therion death metal because of their ...Of Darkness album :

i think he meant that one album was viking (i hope)

Obviously. I thought that would fall within the scope of common sense and didn't need clarifying.

Let's just say that Secret of the Runes is as viking-ish as Bathory's Hammerheart, thematically. There's no definite musical characteristics that would apply to all so-called "viking metal", hence I cannot consider it a stand-alone genre.

@IronAngel: Nah, it didn't need clarifying...it's also hard to tell when people are joking on MS...I never post things just to be a pretentious dick

Written by IronAngel on 26.01.2008 at 01:20

Epic folk metal, Nordic folk metal, just plain folk metal. Those are terms that describe the music. Viking metal doesn't. It could be anything related to Vikings. Hells, I bet Manowar has one or two viking songs. Moonsorrow is pretty plain black metal with traditional music influences, a style commonly known as folk metal.

You do realise "epic folk" is an oxymoron, right?

And yes. Let's see what the actual listeners of this type of music have to say about it, shall we?
Manegarm Viking metal...
Thyrfing too.
Falkenbach Same.
Manowar Well what do you know? No viking metal.

And Moonsorrow is plain black metal? Excuse me?

The funniest thing about this whole folk/viking thing is that people deny viking metal due to "lack of common elements shared by all viking metal bands". Well as a matter of fact, there are many people who have already pointed out such elements. Now the funny part is folk metal is a commonly accepted genre... even though no one has ever managed to fully define musical elements of folk music or even folk metal.
Or perhaps I'm mistaken... What musical elements do Skyclad and Korpiklaani have in common?

The fact is those who listen to folk/viking know viking metal refers to darker and bombastic bands like Turisas, Falkenbach, Ensiferum, Manegarm, Thyrfing or Asmegin, whereas folk metal refers to lighter and happy bands like Skyclad, Korpiklaani, Finntroll, Elvenking or Cruachan.
Epic folk isn't really used by anyone. Though you can use it to refer to Battlelore, as apparently no one knows how to label them. So anything will do, really.

Candiria. Math metal, heh. Probably is referring to a very technical metal... but it sounds like "nerd metal"