#4: Heidevolk
You seldom see this in folk metal acts — the goosebumps-inducing epic-ness of dual clean vocals.
Background Info (Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives)
Country of origin: Netherlands
Location: Arnhem, Gelderland
Status: Active
Formed in:2002
Genre: Folk/Viking Metal
Lyrical themes: History/Culture of Gelderland, Germanic mythology
Current label: Napalm Records
Years active: ?(as Hymir), 2002-present
The chant-like harmonization between the band’s two vocalists is what drew me to listen to their stuff. Their brand of folk metal may be minimalistic in terms of ethnic instrumentation, but their clean but powerful vocals coupled with their folk riffs, are just as effective in projecting forth a folk or Viking imagery from their music. In some of their songs, the entire band joins in the vocal harmony. This “chanting” style of singing usually reaches peak epic-ness when they’re accompanied by the blast beats.
Nonetheless, they do use folk instruments in their album tracks, especially the fiddle, flutes, as well as acoustic guitars (I could also hear horns in some tracks). One time, they also had a resident violinist.
Favorite albums:
- Walhalla Wacht (2008)
- Uit Oude Grond (2010) — the folk aspects of their sound, I think, is most prominent in this album, including the ones adjacent to it chronologically.
Favorite songs:
- Dondergod* (Uit oude grond)
- Nehalennia (Uit oude grond)
- Woden Heerst (Walhalla Wacht) — coz I’m kind of a fan of Norse/Germanic mythology*
- Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin cover) — pretty awesome cover!
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