Folk

Nytt Land – Aba Khan Review

By Spicie Forrest on February 19, 2026 in Reviews, Folk, Not Metal, 27 comments

“I’d like to share my favorite fact about Nytt Land, the Siberian dark folk project from husband and wife, Anatoly and Natalia Pakhalenko. During my research for this review, I came across an old interview with Anatoly. He was discussing instrumental diversity on their then-upcoming release, ODAL. Of all the instruments Anatoly plays, the talharpa, an ancient Nordic bowed lyre, is his favorite. Do you know why it’s his favorite? BECAUSE HIS WIFE MADE IT FOR HIM. MADE IT. WITH HER OWN TWO HANDS.” DIY for REAL.

Panopticon – Songs of Hiraeth [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Thus Spoke on December 22, 2025 in Things You Might Have Missed 2025, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Folk, 19 comments

“I spent so long this summer submerged in Panopticon’s discography, once I came back up, I was overwhelmed by the amount of things I’d missed or needed to get a headstart on. Consequently, I didn’t spend a huge amount of time with Songs of Hiraeth when it first dropped; I listened, loved it, made a note to TYMHM it, and moved on. It was only as Autumn started to turn into Winter and the seasonal chill reminded me of not just my end-of-year writing obligations, but the snowy wildernesses of Northern America (and Northern Europe, where much of Songs of Hiraeth was conceived).” Calls of the wild.

Monograf – Occultation Review

By Creeping Ivy on November 13, 2025 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Drone, Folk, Progressive Metal, 8 comments

“In the world of academia, the ‘monograph’ reigns supreme. A book-length study of a single subject, a monograph should synthesize essay-length analyses into one argument that contributes something new to the scholar’s field. To analogize the world of music to academia: the monograph stands in for the album, demonstrating an artist’s ability to cohere individual songs into one holistic listen. Monograf, a Norwegian post-rock collective, published its first monograph in 2019. Nadir made a novel contribution to post-rock by adding Norwegian folk music to soundscapes reminiscent of Godspeed You! Black Emperor.” Book smart vs. garage smart.

Ellereve – Umbra Review

By Thus Spoke on November 3, 2025 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Folk, Post-Metal, Shoegaze, 12 comments

“In a world where “not metal” is used to deride artists as much as it is to make a factual statement about them, it’s funny how the metalsphere adopts a breadth of musical styles that borrow ‘key’ elements to various minimal degrees. Usually, they end up being grouped under post-metal. So it is that Ellereve lands in the sight of Angry Metal Guy—and more specifically, me. Their sonic palette, which has so far been defined by a largely acoustic, folk-leaning rock, now steps more confidently into post-metal and even post-black, though Elisa Giulia Teschner’s sweet, husky cleans remain the star around which everything orbits.” When not metal is metal.

AMG Goes Ranking – Panopticon

By Thus Spoke on August 13, 2025 in AMG Rankings, Blog Posts, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Folk, 69 comments

With a brand new Panopticon just days away, we felt it was time for a big ole’ ranking.

Dolven – In My Grave…Silence Review

By ClarkKent on June 13, 2025 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Folk, Not Metal, 32 comments

“In his review of Aganoor’s Doomerism, Killjoy discussed how the “myriad subgenres” of doom “can sound so wildly different from one another.” We can add to this discussion Portland, Oregon’s Dolven, who bills their latest album, In My Grave…Silence, as acoustic doom. This begs the question, what constitutes doom metal? Doom typically buries you in melancholy and despair with heavy, plodding, low-tuned guitars, or it sets you up for a good trip by adding some fuzz to the guitar tone. Can one really write doom music using acoustic instruments? Could you even call it metal, or is it just folk music?” Impending doom ruminating.

Nechochwen – Spelewithiipi Review

By Killjoy on May 8, 2025 in Reviews, Dark Neofolk, Folk, Not Metal, 25 comments

“It can be healthy for artists to periodically take time to reset and remember what first compelled them to start creating music. Aaron Carey originally founded Nechochwen in West Virginia as an unostentatious acoustic guitar project paying homage to his Native American lineage. It didn’t take long for black metal influence to emerge and with the addition of Andrew D’Cagna as the rhythm section, the two styles proved a potent pairing to explore the cultural history sewn into every note. 2015’s Heart of Akamon was well-received in the metal community and by our Vice Overlord Steel Druhm, who later went on to underrate their very good follow-up Kanawha Black. During all this time, Nechochwen had been quietly working on Spelewithiipi, a fully instrumental acoustic folk album akin to their debut full-length Algonkian Mythos.” Return to the source.

Alukta – Merok Review

By Dear Hollow on May 3, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Folk, 17 comments

“When the phrase “ritualistic” is used in metal, my immediate thought is darkness. Haunted fire, pulsing rhythms, eerie chanting, and the opaque blessings of hateful gods spring to mind, a noisy and terrifying descent into madness. Rarely do I think of the music Alukta offers. While tagged as “ritualistic black doom,” this is no Batushka or Death. Void. Terror. You won’t find the same emphasis on diminished chord progressions, the frightful voices cursing the pitch-black abyss, or the shadow of religion casting a pall across the proceedings. Alukta instead offers a sound that is transcendental and gentle, a representation of grief and passage with the dead among the living.” Rise above death and horror.

Thurnin – Harmr Review

By Carcharodon on March 14, 2025 in Reviews, Dark Neofolk, Folk, Not Metal, 45 comments

“Dutch one-man project Thurnin were unknown to me before I snagged Harmr for review. Having now investigated, I see that I’m in for a subdued time. Following a similar, winding path to that walked by Wardruna’s Einar Selvik, Thurnin main minstrel Jurre Timmer wandered away from his black metal roots, corpse paint washing off in a Dutch downpour, to arrive in instrumental neofolk land. He has now taken up permanent residence there, with two albums under his belt as Thurnin, 2021’s Menhir, followed two years later by Útiseta. I am informed (whether reliably or not) by the promo blurb for this latest platter that the Icelandic word Harmr is now understood to mean ‘sorrow.'” Sorrow of the folk hammer.

Forndom – Moþir Review

By Twelve on December 5, 2024 in Reviews, Folk, Neofolk, Not Metal, 26 comments

“I remember perfectly where I was the first time I heard Forndom’s music through the album Faþir. Very early in the Covid-19 pandemic, Faþir was a peaceful harmony at the onset of an extremely troubling time. In part because of that emotional connection—and because it is an exemplary album—it remains in my regular rotation four years later. The ambient, Nordic folk musings of Ludvig Swärd continue to offer incredible catharsis in times of joy and sorrow. To say I am excited to be reviewing the follow-up and third full-length album from the project is a severe understatement.” Of empires Forndom.