There is a fallacy that metal is a consistent whole. It is not. It is a vast tower of Babel of interlinking sub-genres. One of the most idiosyncratic of these many differing components is folk metal. It is born from a desire by, mainly, Scandinavians to combine the forbidden fruits of metal with the traditional folk music of their ancestry. It itself has grown into its own complex catacomb of ...
Read MoreExtreme metal is in the main viewed as being Poe-faced and guilty of taking itself far too seriously. However, this evening is very much the antidote for those assumptions. Skálmöld and Finntroll make perfect touring partners because they both lean into a sense of euphoric abandonment, a quintessential sense of fun and frivolity. They also share a deep connection with their respective countries’ musical heritage. Yes, this is metal but is metal honed by the indigenous music of Iceland and Finland.
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