Folk Metal

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    Mawiza - Iñ Mongeletew (2026)

    Mawiza - Iñ Mongeletew (2026)
    Mawiza - Iñ Mongeletew (2026)

    For those fans of Wardurna and Heilung that want something less Nordic and considerably heavier, we have Mawiza. This Chilean outfit sings in Mapuzungun, the language of the Mapuches, and in this EP titled, “Iñ Mongeletew”, they deliver five tracks and over 22-minutes of Groove Metal mixed in with traditional sounds and instruments. Creating very unique mixtures of sounds, this is one of those unique bands that you can’t miss out on.

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    Saor - Caledonia (2026)

    Saor - Caledonia (2026)
    Saor - Caledonia (2026)

    Hailing from Scotland, Saor has carved a very unique path delivering some impressive Atmospheric Black/Folk Metal releases over the years. With “Caledonia”, the band revisits its first three albums with re-recorded songs from them. Bringing some of their earlier works into their more refined and cohesive sound of today, allows mastermind Andy Marshall to make them sound better than ever while keeping their original naivete alongside his current experience and polish.

    Opening with “Aura”, this release sets a pummeling pace thanks to its ravishing guitars and dreamy wind instruments. Setting a super high bar with this opener, it is clear that this release will be more than just some extra flowers on the same songs. “The Awakening” and “Carved in Stone” are next, delivering more waves of blistering drumming and the lush violins and atmospheric clean vocals, alongside their bright folky vibes. The arrangement of how the songs are ordered in this release makes them flow naturally and very effectively.

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    Velnias - Substrate Haruspex (2026)

    Velnias - Substrate Haruspex (2026)
    Velnias - Substrate Haruspex (2026)

    Hailing from the forests of Colorado, today we have the return of Blackened Doom/Folk Metal outfit Velnias with “Substrate Haruspex”. Featuring eight tracks and over 48 minutes of majestic music, this release further sets the band apart from the rest. With a certain Agalloch-esque vibe, these guys navigate crafty doomy territories with plenty of atmospherics and engaging guitarwork. Pushed for comparisons, this release is for fans of outfits like Primordial, Agalloch, Fen, and Dordeduh.

    After setting a very magical vibe with the opener “Impetus Arcanum”, featuring lush atmospherics and even some western-ish twang, the listener gets fully immersed in this release as “Divination of Simulacra” comes around. With powerful vocal harmonies and doomy riffs, this track masterfully builds momentum until the harsh vocals and heavier passages make way. Velnias excels in delivering engaging melodies that slowly progress into captivating passages, as the crafty “Resonance of the Concentric” showcases.

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    Eihwar - Hugrheim (2026)

    Eihwar - Hugrheim (2026)
    Eihwar - Hugrheim (2026)

    Crafting one of the most soothing and engaging Viking/Folk Metal-ish releases of 2026, today we have Eihwar and their latest release “Hugrheim”. Before genre purists start getting all elitist about this band, their brand of music is quite interesting, masterfully mixing Folk/Viking Metal with electronic elements, creating very engaging and dreamy atmospherics that nicely blend traditional instruments with a modern edge.

    Starting with “Nauðiz”, the band quickly sets an ethereal vibe, with a certain Heilung-esque atmosphere, but with additional catchiness and a different energy. Traditionally, Folk/Viking Metal is a genre that while complex to do well, and execute, it usually sounds very similar and gets tiring, which is not the case with Eihwar. Tracks like “Freyja's Calling”, “Ein”, and “Skuggaríki”, showcase the band’s core, and very traditional, sound, but with added dynamism and different patterns, allowing them to shine and sound very expansive.

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    Eluveitie - Ànv (2025)

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    Six years have passed since the last release from the Swiss masters of Celtic/Folk Metal Eluveitie and they sure make up for it with the awesome “Ànv”. Filled with their highly crafty and melancholic brand of Metal, this release delivers twelve tracks and over 40 minutes of the band’s highly refined music with a few extra more modern influences thrown into the mix.

    Starting with a mood setting atmospheric intro, the band quickly gets to business with the explosive “Taranoías”, a fierce track that sets a high-octane vibe from the get go. The hard-hitting “The Prodigal Ones” keeps the momentum going as Chrigel Glanzmann and Fabienne Erni deliver engaging alternating “Beauty and the Beast”-styled vocals, while the album title track changes the pace with an eerie ethereal piece that showcases Fabienne’s range.

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    Granitader - Schlachtenklang (2025)

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    Unleashing a crafty mixture of Melodic/Pagan/Folk Metal with atmospheric tendencies, today we have Germany’s Granitader and their latest EP “Schlachtenklang”. Showcasing 15-minutes of music in three tracks, this release shows a nice balance between power and melody, reminding us of outfits like Enid, Ensiferum, and User Ne.

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    Saor - Amidst the Ruins (2025)

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    Unleashing their best album to date, today we have Saor and their sixt full-length release “Amidst the Ruins”. Featuring nearly one hour of lush and high-octane Atmospheric Folk/Black Metal, this release delivers five majestic tracks filled with dynamic tempo changes and dreamy melodic arrangements. With each track over 8 minutes long, and most over 11 minutes in duration, this release shows a band perfectly growing into their element while incorporating more elegant elements into the mix.

    Opening with the lavish title track, Andy Marshall fiercely delivers blistering riffing and drumming that temporarily subsides for more folky and atmospheric passages. The track expertly grows into melancholic passages filled with dreamy traditional wind and string instruments. Real instruments give this release a very organic vibe as tracks like the opener and “Echos of the Ancient Land” incorporate dramatic string instruments into very harsh guitar driven melodies, and highly melancholic slower passages.

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    Ensiferum - Winter Storm (2024)

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    Reigning kings of Epic Folk Metal, Ensiferum, mark their return with “Winter Storm”, a ten track release filled with the band’s signature high-octane music perfectly blanched with folk elements and soaring vocal melodies. As anybody could expect, this release delivers 45 minutes of some of the finest music the band has ever produced. The band has been improving their style over nearly three decades and they are getting darn near perfection.

    After setting the mood with an instrumental opener, “Winter Storm Vigilantes” quickly jumps at the listener with the band’s signature catchiness, and Petri’s harsh vocals. This track is quite lively, immediately shifting the mood into all-out-battle mode. The band’s use of multiple vocalists, both on cleans and harsh vocals, allows the tracks to be more dynamic and have some extra depth, keeping things fresh and exciting, like on the magical “Long Cold Winter of Sorrow and Strife”, and the playful “Fatherland” and its folky passages.

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    Perchta - D'muata (2024)

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    Unleashing a very unique amalgamation of Black Metal with Folk influences, today we have Austria’s Perchta and their sophomore release “D'muata”. After a very powerful debut release, the band has been making live appearances on respected events like House of the Holy and Eros at Arms thanks to their unique sound and instrumentation. With this release, Perchta demonstrates their debut was not a fluke and that their sound can go even further in the intense 47 minutes of music presented here.

    Opening with the moody “Vom Verlnga”, we quickly hear the band’s use of traditional instruments on top of a vicious onslaught of Black Metal riffs and the charismatic vocals of Perchta. The music features the perfect balance of aggression, melody and melancholy, creating very engaging songs like “Ois ws man san” and “Hebamm”. While infusing lore and atmosphere with others like “Heiliges Bluat”.

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    Korpiklaani - Rankarumpu (2024)

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    The always lovely and enjoyable music of Korpiklaani is usually on our drinking party rotation. With the band releasing an album almost every three years, “Rankarumpu” arrives just in time when we need some new party songs. The band’s style has been well refined over the years and they are completely dialed in producing some superbly catchy and lively music, over 43 minutes in this release. If you are a fan of the genre or the band, this album does not disappoint.

    Led by the charismatic and talented vocals of Jonne Järvelä, the band’s Finnish folk tunes onslaught starts strong with the perkiness of “Kotomaa” and “Tapa sen kun kerkeet”. The band’s instrumentation is always quite diverse and engaging, with cool intricate details and a very epic folky vibe on songs like “Aita”, “Saunaan”, and “Mettään”. With the band always keepings things catchy and engaging, each song has its own unique soul and magic.

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