Folkearth

Folkearth
Origin International
Genres Folk metal
Viking metal
Black metal (recent)
Years active 2003–present
Labels Stygian Crypt Productions
Associated acts Folkodia
Website

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.[1] 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 began in February 2003 when the idea for creating a project which could unite musicians from different countries who play folk and pagan metal originated from some musicians. A Nordic Poem album was released in 2004.

[2] Because of the bad quality of this record, the band decided to remaster and reissue their debut.[3] On 2006-09-01, shortly after the reissue of A Nordic Poem the second album titled By the Sword of My Father was released. Many bands, such as Van Langen, Thiasos Dionysos, Hildr Valkyrie, Death Army, The Soil Bleeds Black joined Folkearth in the production of this album, so the total line-up consisted of 31 musicians from 8 different countries. Folkearth's album Drakkars in the Mist was released 2007-05-28[3] with the biggest lineup then to date. More than 30 musicians worked on the 4th album.[1] However, a token performance on a single track will list someone on the booklet as a full-fledged member.[4] The band members also don't make money out of the project, and do not promote it, probably because of the lack of funds.[5]

Because of the musical project's complex structure, Folkearth has not performed live, and it's unlikely they will perform live in the future.[6]

On 30 June 2013, the founder and leader of the band Ruslanas Danisevskis (Metfolvik) died after battling cancer.

Style

Because of the structure of Folkearth, the recording is also different from that of most bands. Each song begins from an individual 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 riff 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 in small groups, exchanging material they record with others.[1] 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. The extent that traditional instruments and elements are used varies greatly between songs.

Lyrics

The lyrics are all written in English with the exception of "Gryningssång". The main topic of Folkearth's lyrics are ancient history, beliefs, and mythology, especially Norse mythology. Celtic mythology and Greek mythology are also present in Folkearth's lyrics.[1] Folkearth's songs tell stories and their purpose is to entertain, not to carry a symbolic or personal message.

Band members

Current members

Greece

  • Marios "Prince Imrahil" Koutsoukos (Dol Amroth, Folkodia)
  • Hildr Valkyrie (Hildr Valkyrie, Folkodia)

Argentina

  • Juan Churruarin (Juskko/Zrymgöll, Folkodia)

Monaco

  • Saga (Black Knight Symfonia, Folkodia)
  • Anaïs Chevallier (Black Knight Symfonia, Folkodia)

Germany

  • Nostarion (Dämmerfarben, Dystertid, Throndt, Funeral Procession, Falkenbach, Folkodia)
  • Dennis Schwachhofer (Vroudenspil, Folkodia)

United States

  • Kyle Freese (Anno Domine)

Italy

  • Gianluca Tamburini (Folkodia)

France

  • Emily Cooper

Russia

  • Yanina Zelenskaya

Former members

Lithuania

  • Metfolvik (Ravenclaw)

Greece

  • Polydeykis (Sacred Blood, Athlos, Zion)
  • Faethon
  • Stefanos Koutsoukos (Dol Amroth)
  • Nikos Nezeritis (Dol Amroth)
  • Thanasis Karapanos (Winters Dawn)

Austria

  • Alex "Hugin" Wieser (Uruk-Hai, Hrossharsgrani)

Great Britain

  • Athelstan (Forefather)
  • Wulfstan (Forefather)
  • Owain ap Arawn (Annwn)

Switzerland

Sweden

  • Magnus Wohlfart (Yggdrasil, Nae'blis)
  • William Ekeberg (Broken Dagger)
  • Simon Frodeberg
  • Jeremy Child (Yggdrasil)
  • Jonas Fröberg (Trymheim)
  • Kristofer Janiec
  • Michelle Maas
  • Niklas Olausson (Broken Dagger)
  • Daniel Fredriksson (Otyg)
  • Daniel Pettersson (Pettersson & Fredriksson)

Germany

  • Tobias Andrelang
  • Achim Eberle
  • Ralf Gruber
  • Bernd Intveen (Van Langen)
  • Sabine Stelzer (Van Langen)
  • Marcus Van Langen (Van Langen)
  • André Groschopp (Thiasos Dionysos)
  • Morten Basse (Thulr)

United States

  • Dreogan (Peordh)
  • Shea Martinsson (Mag Mell)
  • Billy Knockenhauer (Folkodia)
  • Mark Riddick (The Soil Bleeds Black)

Italy

  • Becky (Furor Gallico)
  • Alessandro Caruso (Hysterya)
  • Francesca Crotti
  • Igor Saviola
  • Fabio Drovandi (Furor Gallico)
  • Axel (Death Army)
  • Raven
  • Ulven (Draugen)

Belgium

  • Roman Samonin (Morituri)
  • Ralf Goossens (Morituri)

Croatia

  • Vojan Koceic (Koziak)
  • Filip Vučković

Poland

  • Shav (USOP)
  • Yode (USOP)
  • Raju (USOP)

Norway

  • Haavard Tveito (Vetter)

Russia

  • Orey (Pagan Reign)
  • Vetrodar (Pagan Reign)

Spain

  • Autumn (Hordak)
  • Winter (Hordak)
  • Antonio Mansilla (Last Deception)
  • Jesus Sierra (Last Deception)
  • Jose Luis Frias
  • A. Pangin
  • GG Karman

Australia

  • Matthew Bell (Troldhaugen, Seventh Sword, Folkodia, Menelvagor, KnightQueste)
  • Sean "Forneus" Falconer (Forneus, KnightQueste, Troldhaugen, Folkodia)
  • Simon Batley (KnightQueste, Troldhaugen, Seventh Sword, Folkodia)

Discography

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Metalglory interview with Ruslanas Danisevskis". 2006-06-11. Retrieved 2007-09-16.
  2. "Holy Sword By the Sword of My Father note". 2006-08-04. Retrieved 2007-09-18.
  3. 1 2 "Folkearth Myspace profile". Retrieved 2007-09-16.
  4. "Deadtide A Nordic Poem review". Retrieved 2007-09-18.
  5. "Rockpages interview with Marios "Prince Imrahil" Koutsoukos". Retrieved 2007-09-16.
  6. "fourteen g interview with Marios "Prince Imrahil" Koutsoukos". 2007-05-15. Retrieved 2007-09-16.

External links

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