folk-metal
Traditional heavy fusion
Folk metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that incorporates traditional folk music elements, often featuring acoustic instruments like fiddles, flutes, accordions, or hurdy-gurdies alongside distorted guitars and aggressive vocals.
Bands typically draw on the musical traditions and mythology of their home regions, with particularly strong scenes in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and Celtic countries.
The lyrics often explore pagan themes, folklore, and pre-Christian history.
Finntroll blends Finnish folk melodies with black metal intensity.
Bellows-driven reed instrument
- bagpipesDroning wind instrument
- fiddleAdjust restlessly; folk violin
- fluteTube blown sideways
- mandolinPlucked eight-string lute descendant
bouzouki · hurdy-gurdy · harp · bodhrán · violin · shawm · recorder · balalaika
Singers performing together
- singalongCommunal vocal session
- harmoniesPleasing combined pitches
- anthemOfficial song of praise
- refrainAbstain from acting
melodic · catchy · uplifting · rousing · stirring · chant · soaring · triumphant
Extended heroic narrative
- legendUnverified traditional tale
- loreTraditional knowledge transmitted orally
- epicImpressively grand in scope
- pantheonAll gods of a religion
deity · valkyrie · runes · druid · mythos · fable · hero · quest
Violent rhythmic skull movement
- moshpitConcert crowd-collision zone
- drumsStruck membrane instruments
- distortionTwisting from original state
- concertLive musical performance
stage-dive · crowdsurfing · bassline · shred · adrenaline · breakdown · thrash · intensity
accordion
Bellows-driven reed instrument
mandolin · bouzouki · hurdy-gurdy · harp · bodhrán · violin · shawm · recorder · balalaika · acoustic
chorus
Singers performing together
refrain · melodic · catchy · uplifting · rousing · stirring · chant · soaring · triumphant · unison
saga
Extended heroic narrative
- legendUnverified traditional tale
- loreTraditional knowledge transmitted orally
- epicImpressively grand in scope
pantheon · deity · valkyrie · runes · druid · mythos · fable · hero · quest · prophecy
headbanging
Violent rhythmic skull movement
- moshpitConcert crowd-collision zone
- drumsStruck membrane instruments
- distortionTwisting from original state
concert · stage-dive · crowdsurfing · bassline · shred · adrenaline · breakdown · thrash · intensity
mead
Honey-fermented alcoholic drink
ale · wassail · drinking-horn · merriment · celebration · carousing · toast · banquet · bonfire · midsummer
primordial
Existing from the start
- equilibriumState of balance
folk-metalEDM
Beat-driven club genre
industrial · synthpop · electronic dance music · electronic music · computer-generated music
folk, metal, folks, folksy, folkish, folklore, folksong, metallic, metals