Celtic Metal

Some Celtic Metal Bands:
There are a number of bands today that have embraced the Celtic Metal genre today. Here are some of them. We have Moonsorrow, Agalloch, In Flames, Cruachan, Opeth, Bran Brar, Minotaurus, Mag Mel, Eluveitie, Nightwish, Dark Tranquillity, Finntroll, Mael Mordha among others.

Celtic Metal Beginnings:
It was Skyclad, the band from England that kick started the trend. “The Widdershins Jig” from their album, The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth” shook up the music world and set the path for a new genre. It was their very first album and they rocked the world with it. It was the inspiration for the formation of the Tolkien-inspired band, Minas Tirith by Keith Fay. What probably set Skyclad apart was the use of instruments like the fiddle and the way they used it so that the Celtic flavor wove itself into the hard sounds of metal – making it a bit more molten and melodic. The style had a bit of a folksy twist to it and the fiddle was very often played instead of the lead guitar in the breaks.

What Keith Fay did was to try and merge black heavy metal with the wealth of Celtic music that Ireland had as a legacy. He approached it like a burning mission and the band he formed – Cruachan – was a true crusader for the folk music and metal merger. From the music genre as far as style was concerned, this has moved to incorporating Celtic mythology and legends into its lyrics.

The Irish band Primordial is also very much in the forefront where Celtic Metal is concerned and has ably carried the genre into the second wave or movement. The music is a wonderful combination of the sound of metal and the sound of the music of Ireland.