#49: Waylander
Pioneers, gods of Celtic metal straight from the source.
Background Info (Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives):
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Location: Armagh, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
Status: Active
Formed in:1993
Genre: Celtic Folk Metal
Lyrical themes: Celtic mythology, folklore, and history
Current label: Listenable Records
Years active: 1993-present
There are a lot of awesome Celtic metal acts that have risen post-2000s. Many of them make music using diverse folk instrumentstion, like Eluveitie for example. The music of Waylander, being one of the progenitors of the genre alongside Cruachan, however, is epic unto itself. Their sound has a certain quality, feel, effect to it, that makes it uniquely and explosively astral and adrenaline-pumping, thanks to the genius melding of grinding death metal riffs, drumming, speed and of traditional melodies from the tin whistles, bodhran, Irish bouzouki, etc.
Besides their face-melting tracks, they also play soft, purely folk songs, which makes their music diverse and perfect for all kinds of moods.
Favorite Albums:
- Kindred Spirits (2012) — I like most of the tracks in this album
- Eriu’s Wheel (2019)
- Honor Amongst Chaos (2008)
Favorite Songs:
- Echoes of the Sidhe (Kindred Spirits)
- Beltine (Eriu’s Wheel)
- To Feast at Lughnasadh (Eriu’s Wheel)
- As the Deities Clash (Honour Amongst Chaos)
- King of the Faires (Reawakening Pride Once Lost, 1998)
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