Pagan metal is "more of an idea than a genre" and consequently bands tend to be "wildly different" from one another.[1] Bassist Jarkko Aaltonen of the band Korpiklaani notes that bands singing about "Vikings or other ancient tribes of people are all labelled as pagan", regardless of whether they use folk instruments.[6] Heri Joensen expressed a similar description of pagan metal as bands that sing about "pre-Christian, European traditions, be they historical or mythological" and notes that it is "musically extremely diverse because it is more about the lyrics than the music".[7] Some bands are known to be "sprightly and spirited" while others are "bleak and doomy". Vocal styles range from "melodic chanting to unearthly growling" and while some acts sing in their native language, others sing in English.[1]
Pagan metal bands are often associated with Viking metal and folk metal. Bands such as Moonsorrow and Kampfar have been identified as fitting within all three of those genres.[8][9]
Historyedit
Led Zeppelin and Manowar had already explored pagan themes in the 1970s and 1980s though pagan metal bands share few if any similarities, preferring instead to credit the influence of bands such as Bathory, Enslaved, Amorphis, and Skyclad.[1] Bathory and Enslaved are also known as Viking metal bands[10][11] while Amorphis and Skyclad are also known as folk metal bands.[12][13]
Jarkko Aaltonen notes that Black Sabbath "was quite pagan" as well but of "the current metal scene", he credits Skyclad as starting "the mix of traditional folk-rock music with mythology-concentrated lyrics".[6]Chrigel Glanzmann of Eluveitie similarly credits Skyclad as the first pagan metal band, remarking that the band had mixed heavy metal music with Celtic folk music "in a way that was really inspiring".[14] The author Ian Christe has also identify Skyclad as the pioneers of pagan metal.[15] In contrast, Heri Joensen credits Bathory as the first pagan metal act instead, noting that Bathory had gotten "tired of the childishness of satanic lyrics, so they added some cultural weight by going to Nordic mythology".[7]Alan A. Nemtheanga of Primordial remarks that one "can see the formation of pagan metal" in Bathory's 1988 album Blood Fire Death. He also contends that Bathory "were copying Manowar, which most people don't like to admit".[16]Mathias Nygård of Turisas identified Amorphis as the first pagan metal band for playing "a huge role in guiding us in the direction we are now".[17]
In April 2008, performers on the folk and pagan metal festival Paganfest were subject to accusations of being neo-Nazis and fascists from the Berliner Institut für Faschismusforschung.[18] Ville Sorvali of Moonsorrow and Heri Joensen of Týr issued a joint video statement to refute these accusations, noting that "one of the biggest issues seems to be that we use ancient Scandinavian symbols in our imagery like the S in the Moonsorrow logo and the T in the Týr logo [even though] that is how the S and the T runes have been written for thousands of years".[19] Moonsorrow has also issued a written statement in response to the controversy[20] while Týr notes on their official website that they "got the idea for the rune logo" from the Black Sabbath album of the same name.[21] Other pagan metal bands such as Skyforger have also disassociated themselves from Nazism, fascism or racism.[22] Skyforger went as far as to add the words 'No Nazi Stuff Here!' on the back of their album covers.[23]
As of 2009, the genre has become something of a phenomenon.[1] Mikael Karlbom of Finntroll feels that pagan metal has become something of a trend.[24] Jarkko Aaltonen of Korpiklaani expresses a similar opinion and laments the number of people "jumping on a bandwagon".[2] Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth has distanced his band from the trend, stating that "We don’t really see ourselves as one of those bands doing pagan folklore music."[25]
^ abCummins, Johnson (April 2009). "Myth Demeanour: Finland's Korpiklaani lead the pagan metal pack". Montreal Mirror. Vol. 24, no. 44. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
^Wachter, Christian (2008). "Progressive Heiden". Pagan Fire. No. 2. p. 51. Eine der ersten Gruppen, die übereinstimmend als Pagan Metal-Band bezeichnet wurde, waren bekanntlich In The Woods...
^Halupczok, Marc (March 2010). "Waldschrate & Met-Trinker". Metal Hammer. p. 30. 1992 gegründet, wurden In The Woods... als eine der ersten Bands überhaupt als reine Pagan-Band bezeichnet oder dem Black Metal zugerechnet.
^Halupczok, Marc (March 2010). "Waldschrate & Met-Trinker". Metal Hammer. p. 31. Mit 'To Enter Pagan' vom Demo DARK ROMANTICISM definierten sie ein ganzes Genre mit.
pagan, metal, this, article, about, style, heavy, metal, heavy, metal, band, pagan, band, genre, heavy, metal, music, which, fuses, extreme, metal, with, christian, traditions, specific, culture, region, through, thematic, concept, rustic, melodies, unusual, i. This article is about the style of heavy metal For the heavy metal band see Pagan band Pagan metal is a genre of heavy metal music which fuses extreme metal with the pre Christian traditions of a specific culture or region through thematic concept rustic melodies unusual instruments or archaic languages 1 2 usually referring to folk metal or black metal The Norwegian band In the Woods was one of the first bands commonly viewed as pagan metal 3 4 Metal Hammer author Marc Halupczok wrote that Primordial s song To Enter Pagan from the band s demo Dark Romanticism contributed to defining the genre 5 Pagan metalStylistic originsExtreme metal black metal pagan folk folk metal Viking metalCultural originsEarly 1990s Northern EuropeOther topicsCeltic metal pagan rock folk religion modern paganism Polytheistic reconstructionism neofolk Contents 1 Characteristics 2 History 3 See also 4 Notes 5 ReferencesCharacteristics editPagan metal is more of an idea than a genre and consequently bands tend to be wildly different from one another 1 Bassist Jarkko Aaltonen of the band Korpiklaani notes that bands singing about Vikings or other ancient tribes of people are all labelled as pagan regardless of whether they use folk instruments 6 Heri Joensen expressed a similar description of pagan metal as bands that sing about pre Christian European traditions be they historical or mythological and notes that it is musically extremely diverse because it is more about the lyrics than the music 7 Some bands are known to be sprightly and spirited while others are bleak and doomy Vocal styles range from melodic chanting to unearthly growling and while some acts sing in their native language others sing in English 1 Pagan metal bands are often associated with Viking metal and folk metal Bands such as Moonsorrow and Kampfar have been identified as fitting within all three of those genres 8 9 History editLed Zeppelin and Manowar had already explored pagan themes in the 1970s and 1980s though pagan metal bands share few if any similarities preferring instead to credit the influence of bands such as Bathory Enslaved Amorphis and Skyclad 1 Bathory and Enslaved are also known as Viking metal bands 10 11 while Amorphis and Skyclad are also known as folk metal bands 12 13 Jarkko Aaltonen notes that Black Sabbath was quite pagan as well but of the current metal scene he credits Skyclad as starting the mix of traditional folk rock music with mythology concentrated lyrics 6 Chrigel Glanzmann of Eluveitie similarly credits Skyclad as the first pagan metal band remarking that the band had mixed heavy metal music with Celtic folk music in a way that was really inspiring 14 The author Ian Christe has also identify Skyclad as the pioneers of pagan metal 15 In contrast Heri Joensen credits Bathory as the first pagan metal act instead noting that Bathory had gotten tired of the childishness of satanic lyrics so they added some cultural weight by going to Nordic mythology 7 Alan A Nemtheanga of Primordial remarks that one can see the formation of pagan metal in Bathory s 1988 album Blood Fire Death He also contends that Bathory were copying Manowar which most people don t like to admit 16 Mathias Nygard of Turisas identified Amorphis as the first pagan metal band for playing a huge role in guiding us in the direction we are now 17 In April 2008 performers on the folk and pagan metal festival Paganfest were subject to accusations of being neo Nazis and fascists from the Berliner Institut fur Faschismusforschung 18 Ville Sorvali of Moonsorrow and Heri Joensen of Tyr issued a joint video statement to refute these accusations noting that one of the biggest issues seems to be that we use ancient Scandinavian symbols in our imagery like the S in the Moonsorrow logo and the T in the Tyr logo even though that is how the S and the T runes have been written for thousands of years 19 Moonsorrow has also issued a written statement in response to the controversy 20 while Tyr notes on their official website that they got the idea for the rune logo from the Black Sabbath album of the same name 21 Other pagan metal bands such as Skyforger have also disassociated themselves from Nazism fascism or racism 22 Skyforger went as far as to add the words No Nazi Stuff Here on the back of their album covers 23 As of 2009 the genre has become something of a phenomenon 1 Mikael Karlbom of Finntroll feels that pagan metal has become something of a trend 24 Jarkko Aaltonen of Korpiklaani expresses a similar opinion and laments the number of people jumping on a bandwagon 2 Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth has distanced his band from the trend stating that We don t really see ourselves as one of those bands doing pagan folklore music 25 See also editFolk metal Viking metal Ambient black metal Neopagan musicNotes edit a b c d e Wiederhorn 2009 p 62 a b Cummins Johnson April 2009 Myth Demeanour Finland s Korpiklaani lead the pagan metal pack Montreal Mirror Vol 24 no 44 Retrieved 2009 05 11 Wachter Christian 2008 Progressive Heiden Pagan Fire No 2 p 51 Eine der ersten Gruppen die ubereinstimmend als Pagan Metal Band bezeichnet wurde waren bekanntlich In The Woods Halupczok Marc March 2010 Waldschrate amp Met Trinker Metal Hammer p 30 1992 gegrundet wurden In The Woods als eine der ersten Bands uberhaupt als reine Pagan Band bezeichnet oder dem Black Metal zugerechnet Halupczok Marc March 2010 Waldschrate amp Met Trinker Metal Hammer p 31 Mit To Enter Pagan vom Demo DARK ROMANTICISM definierten sie ein ganzes Genre mit a b Jarkko Aaltonen of Korpiklaani quoted in Wiederhorn 2009 p 63 a b Heri Joensen of Tyr quoted in Wiederhorn 2009 p 64 Bowar Chad Moonsorrow Viides Luku Havitetty About com Archived from the original on 2007 12 30 Retrieved 2009 05 11 Bowar Chad Kampfar Kvass Review About com Archived from the original on 2008 02 17 Retrieved 2009 05 11 Rivadavia Eduardo Blood Fire Death review Allmusic Retrieved 2009 03 13 Sanneh Kelefa 2007 11 08 On the Road to Spread the Word of Good Old Fashioned Evil New York Times Retrieved 2009 03 13 Aykroyd Lucas Nov 2007 Silent Waters Revolver p 105 SKYCLAD Awakening From Hibernation Blabbermouth net 2009 04 28 Retrieved 2009 05 11 Chrigel Glanzmann of Eluveitie quoted in Wiederhorn 2009 p 63 Christe Ian June 2008 Sabbath British Thrash Heroes Relive Their Glory Days Revolver p 44 Alan A Nemtheanga of the band Primordial quoted in Wiederhorn 2009 p 64 Mathias Nygard of Turisas quoted in Wiederhorn 2009 p 64 Rechtes Neuheiden Festival mit Nazi Runen im SO 36 Berliner Institut fur Faschismusforschung April 2008 Retrieved 2009 05 05 Ville Sorvali of Moonsorrow and Heri Joensen of Tyr 2008 Statement on behalf of Moonsorrow Tyr and Eluveitie YouTube Retrieved 2008 05 05 Moonsorrow We Are Not Nazis 2008 04 14 Retrieved 2008 05 05 Tyr Is Tyr a fascist nazi or racist band Tyr net Tyr official website Archived from the original on 2008 05 10 Retrieved 2008 03 20 Fjordi Interview with Rihards Skudritis of Skyforger Frombelow dk Archived from the original on 2005 02 24 Retrieved 2008 03 19 Van Berlo Andrej Interview with Peteris Kvetkovskis amp Edgars Krumins of Skyforger Tartareandesire com Archived from the original on 2008 04 30 Retrieved 2008 05 03 Mikael Karlbom of Finntroll quoted in Wiederhorn 2009 p 62 Interview with Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth Part Three at The Norse Mythology Blog References editWiederhorn Jon April 2009 Stairway to Heathen Revolver 60 64 Archived from the original on 2009 05 12 Retrieved 2009 05 11 Weinstein Deena Weston Donna Bennet Andy October 20 2014 Pop Pagans Paganism and Popular Music London Routledge ISBN 9781317546658 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pagan metal amp oldid 1209180814, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
