Category Archives: Interview

Interview with Leaves’ Eyes

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Inspiration, Nature and all things Norse!

March 22, 2024, is the scheduled release for Leaves’ Eyes nineth studio album and this year celebrates 20 years of existence.  The German based band are leaders in the symphonic metal genre and have produced another masterpiece once again merging metal, folk and classical music with ‘Myths of Fate’.
On this release, the listener is thrusted back into songs that deal with old Norse myths, sprinkled with some Slavic lore and a touching a touching elegy written in tribute to Alex Krull’s mother.
Topics from Tyrfing, Iðunn, Rán and the Midgard serpent are just a few of the lyrical themes that are explored.  Overall ‘Myths of Fate’ delivers what we expect from a Leaves’ Eyes release and recently I interviewed Elina Siirala, lead singer of the band to get more insight into what inspires her and the band with their music and production.

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Interview with The Privateer

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No Rum before playing the Drums

The Privateer was founded by Roman Willaredt and Christian Spöri in 2007. The first name of the band was “Privateer“but it had to change it to “The Privateer” due to a naming conflict with a polish band.
Soon after the first demo-CD “Tavern Tales” which contained two Songs “Stormlashed” and “Basilisk”. After the demo, The Privateer played a lot of concerts in Germany and Switzerland.  Positive feedback on “Tavern Tales” was positive and the band decided to produce the next album “Facing the Tempest” in 2012, released by Trollzorn Records. Just one year later in 2013 the LP “Monolith” was released.

In 2017 the band signed to the Austrian label NoiseArt Records and released the newest album, “The Goldsteen Lay” on 28th of July.
In October, 2017 singer Pablo Heist left the band and was replaced by Jonas Piraterie who left the band in autumn 2020.
Since the end of 2022 The Privateer are complete again with Pascal Streb joining the band.

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Still Full of Energy

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Skálmöld Interview

A cool interview with Jón Geir Jóhannson, drummer of the Icelandic band Skálmöld, about various topics.

Hi guys, welcome on Folk-metal.nl. Can you introduce yourselves to the readers? How do you describe your music to the people who don’t know you?
“I’m Jón Geir Jóhannson and I play the drums in the Icelandic heavy metal band Skálmöld. Some people want to pigeonhole us as viking metal but I don’t really know what that means. I would say that we just play heavy metal with rather classic metal influences but with a lyrical theme based on north mythology and Icelandic folklore.”

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Ūkanose Interview

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Lithuania and Folklore

We had a nice chat with Vilius Garba, drummer of the Lithuanian Baltic folk band Ūkanose, these days. Here is the complete interview. A big thank to Vilius and to the rest of the band.

Hi guys, welcome on Folk-metal.nl, I’d like to start off by asking when and why you decided to create the band, why it’s called Ūkanose and what were your objectives when you created the band.
“Hey! Good to talk to you! The band was created back in 2012 when our guitarist Linas and our ex-Accordionist Tadas met up in a pub called “Eagle-Owl” and decided that Lithuania’s music scene needs more metal bands that incorporate our Lithuanian / Baltic Folklore into their music. That was only a natural conclusion for them to come to as they were both heavily interested in our History and Folklore. The main objective was to have fun of course and while doing so remind people about our history and traditions through music.”

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Evolving all the Time

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Interview with Łysa Góra

In a distant Slavic land, a fire can be seen high upon the mountain.  As one draws closer, the melody of a female angelic voice, a violin and tambourine can be heard faintly in the distance.  You move closer to the sound, it intrigues you, stirs thoughts and emotions within your mind and soul.  As you approach, the band Lysa Gora enchants you with their music and stories.  You sit and talk about their music and other things….

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Månegarm: An Inspiration to Other Bands

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Interview with Månegarm

We saw a huge amount of releases in 2022, as bands came out of the isolation of Covid-19 to record together again and show the world that you can’t silence the metal. Månegarm was one of those bands and what a release they gave us. “Ynglingaättens öde” was named Best Album of 2022 on folk-metal.nl and it is a pleasure to interview a band I have followed since 2015. Månegarm’s inception was in 1995, and has provided some awesome metal over the past twenty-eight years.

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Interview with Heidevolk

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Heidevolk has Returned

After five years since their much-acclaimed album ‘Vuur van Verzet’, Dutch folk metal collective Heidevolk return with their seventh studio album via Napalm Records, continuing to keep the pagan flame burning! Ever since their impressive 2005 debut, De strijdlust is geboren, Heidevolk has taken the heavy music scene by storm, conquering stages throughout the world with their very own brand of folk metal. With dual clean vocals, irresistibly catchy songs, traditional instruments and fast metal riffing all fueled by their folkloric fire and pagan pride, Heidevolk delivers for an uncompromising sound and musical adventure. Their new masterpiece, ‘Wederkeer’, makes no exception, and proves why the Arnhem-based five-piece is one of the best, unrivaled and most exciting bands of their genre and beyond!

Heidevolk logo
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Interview with Elvenking

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Inspired by strong feelings

Congratulations on your latest release “Reader of the Runes –Rapture”. My first experience with your music was back in 2015 when I found “Era” at my local record store.  I picked it up and found the cover was intriguing. I also saw Jon Oliva was a guest vocalist on the song, “I am the monster”.  Since then I have been following the band and the music and I find it a great honor to interview you.

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