A to Z 2k18: Y is for Yggdrasil

Band:  Yggdrasil
Song:  Valkyria
Album:  Vedergällning (2009)
Genre:  Folk Metal

Shoutout to Jeff for coming in clutch with another obscure metal band, amirite?  Apologies to those of you who don't enjoy the harsh vocals, this brings that sound in pretty hard.  After all though, the sidebar does say Rap and Metal are my main draws, so let's dive right in.

First a fun fact, Yggdrasil is the name of the tree of life in Norse mythology.  It was an immense ash tree tat held the 9 realms in it's branches.

I've found through the last few years that I've actually paid attention to any form of Folk Metal, that I actually like it a lot.  There's some bands like Eluveitie (please listen) that rock out the traditional instrument front, and then there's guys like Yggdrasil that go more in the Metal path.  I like it though, there's a blackened undertone that you don't usually find in this music.  There's a lot of Black Metal undertone here throughout the album, so if that's your scene it's straight gold.

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A to Z 2k18: F is for Finntroll

Band:  Finntroll
Song:  Under Bergets Rot
Album:  Nifelvind (2010)
Genre:  Folk Metal

Folk Metal is something that I just absolutely love.  The blend of aggressive vocals and guitars with traditional melodies is just straight up the bomb.  Especially with bands that care about the whole image like Finntroll and Turisas, it's the greatest.

Finntroll is a group I've been following for a while now, and even though they haven't put out anything new in a while they've got a solid discography to fall back on.  My personal favorite album is Blodsvept, though it's all some pretty solid stuff.  This song is a blast to listen to, and it's video is hilarious.

Now I feel like this video is a little better because it showcases the fantastic outfits these dudes have, so if you wanna see them in full form you should probably watch it.

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Alestorm - F*cked With An Anchor

Band:  Alestorm
Song:  F*cked With An Anchor
Album:  No Grave But The Sea (2017)
Genre:  Pirate Metal, Folk Metal
Language:  Strong

I'm so freaking angry right now.  I had planned on doing a serious (or as serious as Alestorm gets) song, but then I saw this godforsaken band had a new album.  I mean, I was pleased for a second, cause I like hearing new music, but then I heard the most Scotish song I've ever heard in my life.  I can't even deal with this, this is straight BS and I need some help.

Like, I was hoping for a song that was a pirate twist on the Cannibal Corpse song F*cked With A Knife, and instead I have this stupidly catchy song that I will forever think of when this band comes to mind.

I can't really be surprised either, cause this is just their freaking Scottish attitude showing strong like I guess I should expect.

But yeah.  Alestorm is a generally great band.  Pretty typical Folk Metal with a heavy pirate/nautical slant.  Enjoy.

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Eluveitie - The Call Of The Mountains

Band:  Eluveitie
Song:  The Call Of The Mountains
Album:  Origins (2014)
Genre:  Folk Metal

Here's a much more calming vocalist for you to listen to.  Eluveitie has 2 vocalists, one male and one female.  The dude is a screamer, and the chick sings.  Both of them are fantastically good at what they do though, and they blend really well.

Then there's the godlike selection of instruments.  You get bagpipes, a hurdy-gurdy, violin, harp, a selection of acoustic instruments, and various other wind instruments.  It's a ragtag mountain of things that you wouldn't generally see in a Metal band, but these guys majorly make it work.

This song doesn't have a hurdy-gurdy in it, but it does have all the other instruments I mentioned.  You'll want to watch near the end to see the (whistle? pipe?) solo.  It goes on for a surprisingly long time and highlights the players lung controll.  It's not something that you see too often in the rock scene.  You get people who are great at guitar, bass, drums, and maybe keys, but wind instruments don't usually get featured.  Jazz, Big Band, orchestral stuff, that's where you see the greats of that stuff.

Plus on top of all this it's a band with an aesthetic.  I'm a sucker for bands with a solid aesthetic.

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Ensiferum - Axe Of Judgement

Band:  Ensiferum
Song:  Axe Of Judgement

Album:  One Man Army (2015)

Genre:  Folk Metal, Melodic Death Metal

Ensiferum describes themselves as a Melodic Folk Metal band.  That would mean that they're a combo of Melodic Death Metal and Folk Metal.  This song specifically is much heavier toward the Melo Death side of things, but don't let that scare you away.

I was really happy when I came across these guys.  Partially cause they're just good, but also because I really do love some good Melo Death.  I actually worked to narrow it down between three different songs cause while I was shuffling though I kept finding stuff that was just fantastic.  Like, this is a fantastic band that is rather underrated.  That's the issue with Folk Metal though, a lot of people write it off since they hate the idea of mixing Metal with anything.  Freaking elitists.

And if this song isn't your speed, check out some of their other songs.  They have a plethora of music that's a lot more laid back and folk-like than this.

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Korpiklaani - Vodka

Band:  Korpiklaani
Song:  Vodka
Album:  Karkelo (2009)
Genre:  Folk Metal

I feel like for every few actually good song I give you guys I need to throw in one that's objectively bad.  Now I don't mean to imply Korpiklaani is all bad.  I'm shuffling their music while I write this and it's honestly pretty solid stuff  Thing is though, it's way more down the path of Alestorm and all their jokes than it is a band like, Eluveitie who actually take what they do rather seriously.

Does this mean we can't enjoy these guys though?  No, not at all.  They're a blast when you're in the right mood, and for me that right mood happens to be right now.  Enjoy!

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Týr - Hold The Heathen Hammer High

Band:  Týr
Song:  Hold The Heathen Hammer High
Album:  By The Light Of The Northern Star (2010)
Genre:  Folk Metal, Viking Metal

I mean, I really hope nobody minds this, but I'm gonna be on a bit of a Folk Metal kick for a couple days.

These dudes fall a little more on the Viking Metal side of the spectrum, but they do still count for what I want, so here they are.  A heavy staple of the genre is the high fantasy setting.  Norse mythology is heavily referenced at most all times and there's the central theme of triumphing through battle.

I love it.  Either you have the selection of nifty instruments featured that don't belong in Metal traditionally, or you get Power Metal esque face melting solos like these guys.  Take the time to enjoy them, I think they'll grow on you.

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Finntroll - Häxbrygd

Band:  Finntroll
Song:  Häxbrygd
Album:  Blodsvept (2013)
Genre:  Folk Metal

Honestly, I don't know why I don't post more Folk Metal.  I feel like it's something a lot of people can reach some sort of middle ground on, ya know?  Like, it still has screaming in it, but all in all the music itself is a lot more tame and "tolerable" than most Metal stuff tends to be, yeah?  Plus I feel like the best way to introduce somebody to a band is to make them watch a solid music video.

When I first heard these guys, it was this video.  My brother and I were watching a mountain of Folk Metal music videos and this one happened to come up.  Fell in love instantly.

Remember, visuals count a ton when showing people new music.

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A to Z Challenge: E is for Eluveitie

Band:  Eluveitie
Genre:  Folk Metal

I'll be honest, this wasn't the song I originally planned.  You know what though?  For such a fun time as the A to Z is I figured that I should at least try to get a music video up here.  After all, last year being full albums there weren't really any music videos in there.

This band is clutch though, you've gotta actually see them rather than just listen because it makes it so much better, ya know?

The clothes, the instruments, all them celtic symbols, it makes the package complete.

Happy E Day!

Eluveitie - Thousandfold

You know what's great about Folk Metal?  I listen to so little of it I can constantly find new and amazing bands.  Granted, a lot of people who are into this stuff already know about these guys, but that's not important.

Here's a challenge, right now.  Find me another Metal band that uses a Hurdy Gurdy.  Please.  I'm not joking, if you find one I'd be really happy.

You've got a killer selection of instruments in this video.  Your typical Metal stuff, plus a Violin and the aforementioned Hurdy Gurdy.  Please, with all of my blessings, enjoy this video.

On a side note...  Nuclear Blast Records.

A to Z Challenge: B is for Blodsvept

Finntroll.  You might remember the last time I posted these guys, it's a band that I really like a lot, though I haven't really listened past this album.  I only started listening to them within the last 6 months though, so I'll call that ok for now.  I mean really listen to "too much" music, so it's hard to devote too much time to a band that isn't one of the ones that I listened to a lot before the last year.

Since this is the only album of their's I've heard it does contain all the songs of theirs I like though.  I am unable to pronounce half the titles though, so that's a shame.

Still, here goes the list of favorite tracks.

• Blodsvept
• Mordminnen
• Rösets Kung
• Skövlarens Död
• Häxbrygd
• Två Ormar

I like them all a lot, but these ones stand out for whatever reason to me.

Apparently I picked the only album that doesn't have it's full version on YouTube right now, so that sucks.  I'll link to a playlist that should work.

Cover Week: Alestorm - Hangover

You mar remember last time I posted these guys.  Pirate Metal band?  Yep, that's who this is.

This is a cover of that one Taio Cruz song, and I'll say that this is a surprisingly easy song to imagine Alestorm to have written.  I mean, it's all about booze and stuff, it kinda fits.  Other than some mild tweaks to the writing style of the original I would have called this just another one of Alestorm's songs.

Alestorm - Drink

Alestorm, the band you want when you've decided to have a pirate themed party where all you plan to do is get drunk.  Heck, you could even make a drinking game out of it.  Take a shot when they mention rum, and when they say beer drink some beer.  You'd get plastered about halfway through an album, guaranteed.

These guys have an interesting genre.  Depending on who you ask, they are either Folk Metal, Pirate Metal, or (my personal favorite) Beer Metal.

This song is off of their newest album, and it's absolutely amazing.  All the piratey stuff they sing about is really amusing to me, and it's good music to listen to while you play games like Assassin's Creed 4, or Sid Meier's Pirates! since it's all pirate based.

Finntroll - Blodsvept

I'm not really sure where to start with these guys.  I found them by accident one day when looking up foreign metal bands and I fell in love right away.

Finntroll is a folk metal band that dresses as trolls.  Yes, trolls.  Among other things, they have accordion and upright bass in some songs and I feel it's a really catchy mix.  Also they sing in Swedish even though they're from Finland.

Gotta love bands with a theme, it somehow makes them better.