Is Folk Metal on the Decline?
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Original post
Posted by AngelofDeth, 25.02.2014 - 02:06
I can't say exactly when the decline began but folk metal seemed to reach a pinnacle around 2008. That was the first year of US Paganfest, when Ensiferum, Eluveitie and Turisas toured together across the states. At the same time bands like Moonsorrow, Finntroll and Korpiklaani were also nearing the height of mainstream metal success while maintaining integrity. These bands could arguably be regarded as "The Big 6" of Folk Metal.
Around this time many bands across Europe started hopping on the Folk Bandwagon. The labels capitalized on this and within a few years every half decent folk band in the EU had a record deal and a touring slot, flooding the genre mostly with mediocrity.
Now fast forward to 2014 and alas, "The Big 6" is crumbling. Sure, Moonsorrow and Finntroll are still cherished by many but that's only 2 of 6.. Meanwhile the 2nd generation folk bands are simply not up to par to fill their places of the pioneers of the genre, causing folk metal to hit a dead end..
And if you don't believe me yet, then here is an 2013 interview with Sami Hinkka from Ensiferum talking about how the folk metal genre will decline: @ 2:00 min http://metalstorm.net/pub/interview.php?interview_id=676
But what do you guys think? Is Folk Metal failing or am I just exaggerating?
IMO what the genre needs is a breath of fresh air, a new direction, a new influence.
Personally I would like to see folk influence from outside Europe be weaved into the genre. Eniferum made an interesting nod to American western folk in their song "Stone Cold Metal" and some other bands on the outskirts of the genre are starting to move towards Asiatic folk such as: Whispered, Wintersun and Damnation Angels. Hopefully this trend continues and spreads.
| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62025  |
Written by Aristarchos on 03.03.2014 at 13:43 remaind me after like 5 H ... I will look up little bit
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Rasputin Posts: 559  |
Folk Metal fell apart several years back. Turisas did well and then they stopped giving a shit. Korpikalaani's last few albums were truly horrible, Eluveitie is lost between the hardcore US influence and what they want to do. I get this impression that they were pushed by the Label to shell out more albums, and that is why we had such a bland result. Finntroll is hardly folk anymore, or folk influenced by BM, they are something else totally, so I doubt that we could really call them that. yeah, there are still bands putting albums out, but name me 5 amazing Folk albums in the last 2-3 years. Even Equilibrium's last delivery was meh. Unless I am missing something, and if I am, what bands am I missing that placed Folk on the map, or made great albums recently?
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| AngelofDeth Cyborg Raptor Posts: 1183  |
Written by Rasputin on 03.03.2014 at 21:34 Yeah totally agree with the hypothesis that Eluveitie is having commercial pressures as their last album reeked of watered down commercialization. Written by Rasputin on 03.03.2014 at 21:34 Also agree, I have been digging but came up with only bands like Arkona, Kivimetsun Druidi, Heidevolk, Wolfchant etc.. Which aren't necessarily bad bands but not exceptional either and get tiresome after a few spins. Mostly it seems that people have cited Neo Folk and Black Folk as still carrying the torch, I believe on the first page people listed bands in those genres. But that stuff is not for me and as Pure Folk Metal goes, there is not much fresh albums imo.
---- pewpew.. gotcha
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| Rasputin Posts: 559 |
Written by AngelofDeth on 04.03.2014 at 03:56 Agreed. Honestly, the scenes are becoming more and more stagnant in my view, we have less and less quality. Maybe 3-4 decent albums per genre does not constitute anything great. I think people are running out of ideas. The last four bands you listed are not bad, I know what you mean. Svarstot was a nice find few years back, but their last few albums seemed rushed, generic and bland. Right now it is a hit or miss, you cannot trust in a band anymore to constantly create great albums.
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| Aristarchos Posts: 817 |
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62025 |
Quote:Written by Aristarchos on 07.03.2014 at 18:31 try read my old posts here use a search in folk treads Now I can suggest bands from Lietuva : Angis and Antigone , german Carved in Stone , neo folk Auf der vand and moon (if I spelled it correctly) some CRuachan, Lord Wind side projects, Aggaloch accustic albums, Ulver accustic, Empyrian,Heidevolk, Lumsk, Fejd, Celtic legend, Folkearth, Folkodia, Celtic legacy, Glitertind, Yggrasil, Otyg, Morgenstein, Folkstone, try some Cz, Svk scene and savik, to Try S America scene, I dont know it so well, since they (band) HP are mainy slow and all info in spanish,
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| angel. Evil Butterfly Posts: 2419  |
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| Aristarchos Posts: 817 |
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| Masonics Posts: 81  |
Funny enough the best folk bands currently I think have not declined are from Russia: Arkona and Alkonost. The former has a up-down blenk of native russian instruments/folklore with "scream" has an amazing voice, the latter more a mid pace-doomy folkish tune. But I agree with most others, since this decade started you start to see more filler material, especially with efforts from Turisas, Korpiklaani, and Ensiferum. Last year the only "folk" sounding record I liked was: Thrawsunblat. However there may be more releases you guys here have heard that are good but not have had much attention.
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62025 |
Quote:Written by Aristarchos on 08.03.2014 at 11:05 I did sacrifiece 3 years from life sitting in MA listen all bands what were to listen cathagory , went trought all countries, you should do same 
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Aristarchos Posts: 817 |
Quote:Written by Bad English on 08.03.2014 at 12:25 I wish I had the time, but I have tried the best I can, especially in 80's and early 90's heavy/power/doom/death/black metal. Folk metal hasn't been my priority. I have other interests than metal too that takes time.
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62025 |
Quote:Written by Aristarchos on 08.03.2014 at 16:44 I did it at age 21-25 something, scarifiece love
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die" I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| VPeter Posts: 1450  |
Anyone interested in making a topic about the decline of metal in general?
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| angel. Evil Butterfly Posts: 2419 |
Written by VPeter on 10.03.2014 at 14:31 NO !
---- The Fangirl.
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Written by VPeter on 10.03.2014 at 14:31 There is no decline of metal in general. Metal is stonger and better than ever before. So an article on such a topic would be total bullshit. 
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| VPeter Posts: 1450 |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 10.03.2014 at 15:31 I disagree but I meant more a broader topic, dealing with things such as how power metal bands such as Blind Guardians & Sonata Arctica tried to be more "progressive" or make it more "rock" but thus far have failed to make a real impact and have only lost more fans.
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| Cynic Metalhead Ambrish Saxena Posts: 7564  |
Written by VPeter on 10.03.2014 at 16:42 Just because band moved to progressive or rock or whatever, it's decline of metal? Still bullshit.
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| VPeter Posts: 1450 |
Written by Cynic Metalhead on 10.03.2014 at 16:44 More that the whole "boom" of metal is over and being in a dormant state with a transition to the next one, I should have specified.
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| Spirit Molecule spirit molecule Posts: 1918  |
What the folk are you talking about?? Pfftt. There are a shit load more metal bands being noticed now. So I guess saying that metal is on the decline isn't really something that everyone will agree on. Also I would have to say that folk metal is not on the decline either. Pretty much all the big commercial metal fests have quite a few folk metal artists. Maybe you're just getting bored of the genre? I mean, we all have phases of music we listen to? Maybe you're just out growing your folk phase.
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| matthewlwry@gmail.co Posts: 24  |
I'm not sure it's ever really been that huge to be honest. There's still a number of bands active like Agalloch, Eluveitie, Ensiferum, and Korplikaani. It's never been an enormous scene though. The pretty high barrier to entry in terms of skills at more unusual, non-metal instruments might be one reason for that.
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| Cynic Metalhead Ambrish Saxena Posts: 7564 |
Written by matthewlwry@gmail.co on 10.03.2014 at 21:21 Arkona, Falkenbach, Heidevolk, Moonsorrow, Battlelore, Cruachan, Die Rieter, Empyrium, Primordial, Finterforst, Svartost, Midnattosol, Fejd, Windir, Lumsk, Apkoha and many more. Small scene?! Mind you the ones i mentioned are very good bands and had terrific albums.
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| Karlabos Posts: 5736  |
^ Isn't Apkoha the same band as Arkona, except that it's written with the Russian alphabet?
---- "Aah! The cat turned into a cat!" - Reimu Hakurei
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| Lit. Account deleted |
Lit.
Account deleted Written by VPeter on 10.03.2014 at 16:47 That "boom" thing is still going on, you know. Anyone who thinks metal is dying or is past their prime is obviously just looking towards the big bands and how they're either changing their sound (Metallica, Megadeth, etc.) or releasing the same junk over and over again (Iron Maiden, Slayer). They're obviously not looking to the breeding ground and the numerous bands (many of them incredibly talented compared to their predecessors) that metal is spawning these days.
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| VPeter Posts: 1450 |
Written by [user id=101272] on 10.03.2014 at 23:08 we are just at the transition phase like it was from 80ties to the 90ties I think. Where a lot of metal genres will suffer and and a lot of new ones will be born. The decline of folk metal falls under this umbrella. The decline of those big mainstream bands also may fall into just the natural cycle of bands collapsing and the start of promising new one's. This is probably the better for a lot of metal genres. I was just thinking about maybe someone can make an article or just a group of people can discuss this transition and which genres have suffered and which are growing.
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| AngelofDeth Cyborg Raptor Posts: 1183 |
Written by VPeter on 10.03.2014 at 14:31 A lot of backlash to that statement lol. Considering that a lot of us discussed this on the first page I think some people would be interested in it. I think some genres are arguably fading, obviously i think folk is atm, and others may be following. But as a whole, metal is larger than ever and dont think the entire genre is in any danger, just certain subgenres. After all many metal genres plummeted in the 90's and history often repeats itself.
---- pewpew.. gotcha
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| toxx Supreme being Posts: 390  |
How about this? They call it North Asian Nomadic Folk Metal. Pretty good actually! http://tenggercavalry.bandcamp.com/
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| Cynic Metalhead Ambrish Saxena Posts: 7564 |
Written by Karlabos on 10.03.2014 at 23:03 D'oh. Apologies. I picked up from my iTunes collection. May be couple of songs went undearneath with different Arkona band.
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