"Hey, Dark. So what you got lined up for your Music Week?"
"Well, I thought I'd go for something unexpected. Take everyone off guard. Show them how diverse my tastes can be."
"Sounds interesting. What kind of bands are they."
"Well, one's a folk metal band..."
"...uh huh."
"...and the other one's a power metal band."
"...yeah, OK, Dark."

Yeah, so no surprises this week. Deal with it.

Album Numero Uno...

Arafel - For Battles Once Fought


Just found out about this band a few weeks ago. This album only came out a few days ago but it's some pretty freakin good (slightly blackened) folk metal. It's pretty fucking epic, and quite well produced for a fairly unknown band. Nothing revolutionary. If you don't like cheesy folk then this isn't gonna turn you (it's not overly cheesy actually). But it's really great stuff if you're into it. LOR will like this. Axe will like this. Taxer will hate this.

Also I think I recognise their singer from somewhere....




Eh. It's probably nothing.

Sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94ZokwMWjPI
Download: http://metal-krieg.blogspot.com/2011/01/arafel-for-battles-once-fought-2011.html

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's...

Cage - Science Of Annihilation


Old school heavy/power metal. Nothing much to say about them. It's not the standard "epic" power metal band (sorry, LOR), they have much more in common with Steel and Judas Priest than Blind Guardian. Put simply; this is power metal Taxer may actually like.

Sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrT6wIjmIfE
Download: http://satanprevails.blogspot.com/2009/05/cage-science-of-annihilation-2009.html

EDIT: Download links didn't work so I put in the Blogspot links instead.

The first one is the most cheesiest thing I have heard in a long time
Gettttttin it!

I'm starting to think that "folk" metal isn't even a real genre at this point. The first band clearly sounds like melodeath, specially aping Dark Tranquillity. Just because they have some flute synths and clean singing doesn't make it folk-y at all. Mind you this is just base don the sample. I'm not going to bother with it tbh.

I've heard Cage before and they were ok from what I remember, might check out the album you posted.

i just found this thread. so... i totally did not listen to anyone elses stuff before you, and to be honest, i forget who was before you. so im just gonna listen to random things now cuz im finally in a random mood, unfortunetly, i cant listen to this yet, thuogh i really want to now and will try to listen to the others i missd.

LOR...

HELGE IS IN THIS BAND!!! LISTEN TO IT GODAMNIT!!

i know, i really want to lol, but i have to get to the others first, its actually my motivation to to try and catch up. so let it be and let me try to get there, if i fail, ill just skip everyones and listen lol

Haha the first one is cool. XD I haven't listened to a whole lot of folky stuff for... over half a year wooaahh.. Well... nevermind I have listened to some folky but not REALLY folky. Reminds me of vikings. Hrm. Should listen to more sometime, weee. I like the guitarts :pp



About to listen to next artist

guitart

That's nice, LOR. *pats head*

Arafel

Eh, sounds like Dark Tranquillity with some "folk" elements (I'm using this term VERY loosely), but whatever. Not bad, but not something I would go out of my way to listen to.

Cage

Eh... I think you chose the wrong album to represent the band, but even then eh. Sounds like Iced Earth (which isn't a good thing).

Hard to impress Taxer is hard to impress.