Skyforger
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| Skyforger | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Riga, Latvia |
| Genre(s) | Folk metal Pagan metal[1] Black metal[2][3][4] |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Label(s) | Folter Mascot |
| Website | www.skyforger.lv/ |
| Members | |
| Pēteris Kvetkovskis Edgars Grabovskis Edgars Krūmiņš Kaspars Bārbals Rihards Skudrîtis |
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| Former members | |
| Mārtiņš Pētersons Viesturs Grīnbergs Konstantīns Švedovs Linda Bēce Imants Vovers Girts "Motors" Kļaviņš |
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Skyforger is a heavy metal band from Latvia which was formed in 1995 out of the remains of doom metal band Grindmaster's Death. Most of their songs are about pagan gods and warfare, as well as traditional Latvian folk songs and their metal covers. Although Skyforger is known for their folk metal tradition, their style overlaps with black metal on later releases.[5][6][7] The band also has performed and recorded a number of non-metal folk songs, as was the case with their fourth album Zobena Dziesma (Swordsong), released in 2003, which is a folk metal album with black metal influences.[8] Folk elements can be found on all of their albums. Skyforger is also one of the best-known folk/pagan metal bands in Europe. In December 2005, during the presentation of their latest album, Semigalls' Warchant (2005), the band announced their next album would be rather an experimentation with thrash metal, which was somewhat of a disappointment for their pagan black metal fans. However, they pointed out, that Latvian history still has enough untold stories, meaning their lyrics will probably retain their distinct folk/pagan fashion.
Skyforger was also involved in a minor scandal with one of their former producers, who believed they were affiliated with Neo-Nazism. (See Skyforger's official website.) The reason for this was the cover of their album Thunderforge (depicts a pagan god striking an anvil, bearing a pendant resembling depictions of Nazi "ancient Aryans"), as well as the swastika, or sunwheel, incorporated in Skyforger's logo. Some websites have therefore listed Skyforger as a Neo-Nazi band. The band denies any such claims and doesn't display any Nazistic tendencies in their lyrics, meaning the scandal was most likely a result of the producer's poor knowledge of ancient Indo-European symbols.
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[edit] Discography
- Semigall's Warchant (1997) (demo)
- Kauja pie Saules (Battle of the Saule) (1998)
- Latviešu Strēlnieki (Latvian Riflemen) (1999) (dedicated to the 80th Anniversary of Latvian War of Liberation of 1919, in which the Latvian Riflemen actively took part)
- Pērkonkalve (Thunderforge) (2003) (the album that involved Skyforger in a scandal with their producer, who considered the CD cover to bear Nazi symbols)
- Zobena Dziesma (Sword Song) (2003) (the album contains mostly unaltered Latvian folk songs)
- Semigalls' Warchant (2005) (re-release of the 1997 demo with four additional new songs)
[edit] Line-up
[edit] Current members
- Pēteris Kvetkovskis – vocals, guitar, Latvian folk instruments
- Edgars Grabovskis – bass guitar, backing vocals, Latvian folk instruments
- Edgars Krūmiņš – drums, percussion
- Kaspars Bārbals – Latvian folk instruments, backing vocals
- Rihards Skudrîtis – guitar
[edit] Former members
- Mārtiņš Pētersons – guitar (1995)
- Viesturs Grīnbergs – guitar (1995 - 1996)
- Konstantīns Švedovs – vocals (1995 - 1996)
- Linda Bēce – flute (1995 - 1997)
- Imants Vovers – drums (1995 - 1998)
- Girts "Motors" Kļaviņš – guitar (2004 - 2006)
[edit] References
- ^ Metalcoven review of Kauja pie Saules
- ^ Lordsofmetal review of Semigalls Warchant demo
- ^ Skyforger biography page at metalstorm.ee
- ^ Metalcoven review of Semigalls' Warchant reissue
- ^ Lordsofmetal review of Semigalls Warchant demo
- ^ Skyforger biography page at metalstorm.ee
- ^ Metalcoven review of Semigalls' Warchant reissue
- ^ Metalcoven review of Pērkonkalve (Thenderforge)
[edit] External links
