Folkearth
Encyclopedia
Folkearth is an international music project created in 2003 by musicians playing folk
and viking metal
. The name (folk
+ earth
) symbolizes musicians from all over the world playing folk music. So far, a total of eight full-length albums have been released, with the most recent being Minstrels by the River.
album released in 2004.
Because of the bad quality of this record, the band decided to remaster and reissue their debut. 2006-09-01, shortly after the reissue of A Nordic Poem the second album titled By the Sword of My Father
is released. Even more bands, such as Van Langen, Thiasos Dionysos, Hildr Valkyrie, Death Army, The Soil Bleeds Black
have joined Folkearth in the production of this album, so the total line-up consisted of 31 musicians from 8 different countries. Folkearth's latest album Drakkars in the Mist
was released 2007-05-28 with the biggest lineup so far. Currently, more than 30 musicians are working on the 4th album. However, some people believe, that in many cases the lineup for Folkearth has been extended unnecessarily, since a token performance on a single track will list someone on the booklet as a full-fledged member. The band members also don't make money out of the project, and do not promote it, probably because of the lack of funds.
Because of the musical project's complex structure, Folkearth has not performed live, and it's unlikely they will perform live in the future.
or melody; other times some artist writes a song entirely on his own and other musicians simply orchestrate
minor details on it. The band members also don't work all together, but rather with small groups, exchanging material they recorded with others. The music Folkearth makes is regular folk/Viking metal, while they incorporate a diverse selection of folk instruments, such as lute
, nyckelharpa
, shawm
, saz
and many others.
with the exception of "Gryningssång". The main topic of Folkearth's lyrics are ancient history
, belief
s, and mythology, especially Norse mythology
. Celtic mythology
and Greek mythology
are also present in Folkearth's lyrics. Folkearth's songs tell stories and their purpose is to entertain, not to carry a symbolic or personal message.
Lithuania
Armenia
Monaco
Sweden
Germany
United States
Italy
Belgium
Croatia
Norway
Russia
Spain
Australia
Poland
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Great Britain
Switzerland
Sweden
Germany
United States
Italy
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Folk metal
Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
and viking metal
Viking metal
Viking metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its galloping pace, keyboard-rich anthemic sound, bleakness and dramatic emphasis on lyrical themes of Norse mythology, Norse paganism, and the Viking Age...
. The name (folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
+ earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
) symbolizes musicians from all over the world playing folk music. So far, a total of eight full-length albums have been released, with the most recent being Minstrels by the River.
History
The history of the group has begun at February 2003 when creation of project which could unite musicians from different countries who play folk and pagan metal idea has originated from some musicians. A Nordic PoemA Nordic Poem
A Nordic Poem is the first studio album of the musical project Folkearth. Because of the bad sound quality it was remastered and reissued. There was around 60 minutes of material, but some of it got lost.-Track listing:...
album released in 2004.
Because of the bad quality of this record, the band decided to remaster and reissue their debut. 2006-09-01, shortly after the reissue of A Nordic Poem the second album titled By the Sword of My Father
By the Sword of My Father
By the Sword of My Father is the second studio album of the musical project Folkearth.-Track listing:# "Introduction" — 4:24# "The Lady's Gift" — 3:48# "By the Sword of My Father" — 5:26# "Naglfar Sets Sail" — 5:18# "The Death of Beowulf" — 6:04...
is released. Even more bands, such as Van Langen, Thiasos Dionysos, Hildr Valkyrie, Death Army, The Soil Bleeds Black
The Soil Bleeds Black
The Soil Bleeds Black is a pagan Neo-Medieval band from Ashburn, Virginia.-History:The Soil Bleeds Black was conceived in the year 1992 as a project that focused on the experimental visions of twin brothers, Mark and Michael Riddick...
have joined Folkearth in the production of this album, so the total line-up consisted of 31 musicians from 8 different countries. Folkearth's latest album Drakkars in the Mist
Drakkars in the Mist
Drakkars in the Mist is the third album by the musical project Folkearth.-Track listing:# "Before Battle I Embrace" – 3:57# "Hoplites Awaiting Command" – 3:38# "Hugin & Munin" – 4:29# "Griminsmol " – 3:55# "Högtid" – 2:17...
was released 2007-05-28 with the biggest lineup so far. Currently, more than 30 musicians are working on the 4th album. However, some people believe, that in many cases the lineup for Folkearth has been extended unnecessarily, since a token performance on a single track will list someone on the booklet as a full-fledged member. The band members also don't make money out of the project, and do not promote it, probably because of the lack of funds.
Because of the musical project's complex structure, Folkearth has not performed live, and it's unlikely they will perform live in the future.
Style
Because of the unical structure of Folkearth, the recording is also different from the one that the usual bands do. Each song begins from one single person or band that is involved in Folkearth and later the other members add their touch to it. Sometimes the work on a single song is based on a single riffRIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
or melody; other times some artist writes a song entirely on his own and other musicians simply orchestrate
Orchestration
Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...
minor details on it. The band members also don't work all together, but rather with small groups, exchanging material they recorded with others. The music Folkearth makes is regular folk/Viking metal, while they incorporate a diverse selection of folk instruments, such as lute
Lute
Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
, nyckelharpa
Nyckelharpa
A nyckelharpa , sometimes called a keyed fiddle, is a traditional Swedish musical instrument. It is a string instrument or chordophone. Its keys are attached to tangents which, when a key is depressed, serve as frets to change the pitch of the string.The nyckelharpa is similar in appearance to a...
, shawm
Shawm
The shawm was a medieval and Renaissance musical instrument of the woodwind family made in Europe from the 12th century until the 17th century. It was developed from the oriental zurna and is the predecessor of the modern oboe. The body of the shawm was usually turned from a single piece of wood,...
, saz
Baglama
thumb|180px|Cura and bağlamaThe bağlama is a stringed musical instrument shared by various cultures in the Eastern Mediterranean, Near East, and Central Asia....
and many others.
Lyrics
The lyrics are all written in EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
with the exception of "Gryningssång". The main topic of Folkearth's lyrics are ancient history
Ancient history
Ancient history is the study of the written past from the beginning of recorded human history to the Early Middle Ages. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, with Cuneiform script, the oldest discovered form of coherent writing, from the protoliterate period around the 30th century BC...
, belief
Belief
Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true.-Belief, knowledge and epistemology:The terms belief and knowledge are used differently in philosophy....
s, and mythology, especially Norse mythology
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
. Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure...
and Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
are also present in Folkearth's lyrics. Folkearth's songs tell stories and their purpose is to entertain, not to carry a symbolic or personal message.
Current members
GreeceGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
- Polydeykis (Zion)
- Marios "Prince Imrahil" Koutsoukos (Dol Amroth)
- Stefanos Koutsoukos (Dol Amroth)
- Nikos Nezeritis (Dol Amroth)
- Thanasis Karapanos
- Hildr Valkyrie (Hildr Valkyrie)
- Faethon
Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
- Metfolvik (Ravenclaw)
Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
- Mark Erskine
Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
- Saga (Black Knight Symfonia, Folkodia)
Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
- Magnus Wohlfart (Nae'blis)
- William Ekeberg (Broken Dagger)
- Simon Frodeberg
Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
- Nostarion (Dämmerfarben, Dystertid, Throndt, Funeral Procession, Falkenbach, Folkodia)
- Morten Basse (Thulr)
- Dennis Schwachhofer (Vroudenspil, Folkodia)
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- Mark Riddick (The Soil Bleeds BlackThe Soil Bleeds BlackThe Soil Bleeds Black is a pagan Neo-Medieval band from Ashburn, Virginia.-History:The Soil Bleeds Black was conceived in the year 1992 as a project that focused on the experimental visions of twin brothers, Mark and Michael Riddick...
) - Kyle Freese (Anno Domine)
Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
- Axel (Death Army)
- Raven
- Ulven (Draugen)
Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
- Roman Samonin (Morituri)
- Ralf Goossens (Morituri)
Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
- Vojan Koceic (Koziak)
- Filip Vučković
Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
- Haavard Tveito (Vetter)
Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
- Orey (Pagan Reign)
- Vetrodar (Pagan Reign)
- Janina Zelenskaya
Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
- Autumn (Hordak)
- Winter (Hordak)
- Antonio Mansilla (Last Deception)
- Jesus Sierra (Last Deception)
- Jose Luis Frias
- A. Pangin
- GG Karman
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
- Matthew Bell (Troldhaugen, Seventh Sword, Folkodia, Menelvagor, KnightQueste)
- Sean "Forneus" Falconer (Forneus, KnightQueste, Troldhaugen, Folkodia)
- Simon Batley (KnightQueste, Troldhaugen, Seventh Sword, Folkodia)
Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
- Shav (USOP)
- Yode (USOP)
- Raju (USOP)
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Former members
AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
- Alex "Hugin" Wieser (Uruk-Hai, Hrossharsgrani)
Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
- Athelstan (ForefatherForefatherForefather are a folk metal band from Surrey, England.-History:The Forefather project was born in September 1997 in Surrey, England by founding members and brothers Athelstan and Wulfstan...
) - Wulfstan (Forefather)
- Owain ap Arawn (Annwn)
Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
- Chrigel GlanzmannChrigel GlanzmannChristian "Chrigel" Glanzmann is a vocalist in the folk metal band Eluveitie. He also plays mandola, whistles and bagpipes in Branâ Keternâ.-Equipment:*Throat/Shure SM58*Mandola *Tin & low whistles *Uilleann pipes*Gaita*Acoustic guitar...
(EluveitieEluveitieEluveitie is a folk metal band from Winterthur, Switzerland. The band formed in 2002 and their first EP, Vên came out in 2003. The band then released a full-length album, Spirit in June 2006. In November 2007, Eluveitie was signed by Nuclear Blast....
)
Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
- Jeremy Child (Yggdrasil)
- Jonas Fröberg (Trymheim)
- Kristofer Janiec
- Michelle Maas
- Niklas Olausson (Broken Dagger)
- Daniel Fredriksson (OtygOtygOtyg was a folk metal band from Sweden, featuring Andreas Hedlund, the frontman for Vintersorg.During their existence, Otyg released two albums with songs written in traditional Scandinavian folk style, featuring traditional Scandinavian instruments not frequently heard in heavy metal, such as the...
) - Daniel Pettersson (Pettersson & Fredriksson)
Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
- Tobias Andrelang
- Achim Eberle
- Ralf Gruber
- Bernd Intveen (Van Langen)
- Sabine Stelzer (Van Langen)
- Marcus Van Langen (Van Langen)
- André Groschopp (Thiasos Dionysos)
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- Dreogan (Peordh)
- Shea Martinsson (Mag Mell)
Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
- Becky
- Alessandro Caruso (Hysterya)
- Francesca Crotti
- Igor Saviola
- Fabio Drovandi
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Discography
- A Nordic PoemA Nordic PoemA Nordic Poem is the first studio album of the musical project Folkearth. Because of the bad sound quality it was remastered and reissued. There was around 60 minutes of material, but some of it got lost.-Track listing:...
(2004) - By the Sword of My FatherBy the Sword of My FatherBy the Sword of My Father is the second studio album of the musical project Folkearth.-Track listing:# "Introduction" — 4:24# "The Lady's Gift" — 3:48# "By the Sword of My Father" — 5:26# "Naglfar Sets Sail" — 5:18# "The Death of Beowulf" — 6:04...
(2006) - Drakkars in the MistDrakkars in the MistDrakkars in the Mist is the third album by the musical project Folkearth.-Track listing:# "Before Battle I Embrace" – 3:57# "Hoplites Awaiting Command" – 3:38# "Hugin & Munin" – 4:29# "Griminsmol " – 3:55# "Högtid" – 2:17...
(2007) - Father of VictoryFather of VictoryFather of Victory is the fourth studio album by the international folk metal project Folkearth, released in December. Its name comes from an epitaph of Odin .-Track listing:# The Forlorn Knight - 3:34# The Purest Breed - 4:26...
(2008) - Songs of YoreSongs of YoreSongs of Yore is the fifth studio album by the worldwide musical project Folkearth. It is Folkearth's first acoustic album. Many acoustic instruments were used for the recordings...
(2008) - Fatherland (2008)
- Rulers of the Sea (2009)
- Viking's Anthem (2010)
- Sons of the North (2011)
- Minstrels by the River (2011)