Arka'n Asrofokor
Here are more artists who mix folk with rock and metal. This isn’t straightforward: Folk music is not about innovation, it is about familiarity and comfort, and anyone can perform it. Rock and metal are at their best when exploring new ground, and they only work when performed by top-notch musicians. These bands have found a way to make it all work.
Eluveitie (Switzerland): The Call Of The Mountains
They’ve been around almost 20 years, and cover a wide range of styles, but always with this melding of folk and rock sounds:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w2m-TeLi6I
Arka'n Asrafokor (Togo)
I find these guys mind-blowing, and I frankly can’t understand why they are not much bigger. Not really sure what else to say. Like the rest of the world, they were under lock-down, so this is from a virtual music festival. It’s a long clip and completely worth the time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnCrC24stBY
Wagakki Band (Japan)
There may be no group in the world that does this better. They are Jedi masters of their instruments, both Western and Japanese, and they sure know how to stage a show. Oh, and I’m in love with the Shamisen player:
i like the folk and rock blend of Eluveitie, but they lose me when they get to the "call of the Mountain" refrain, which sounds like every pop song playing now (Adam Lavine could be singing those exact words).
ReplyDeleteWas not expecting what i heard from Arka'n Asrafokor. The Limp Bizkit of Togo. i do want to hear more, to see where they can take the sound.
Wagakki is able to replicate many sounds from many bands. But, what the heck is the other part they are adding? That stuff in the middle seems a bit Fripp-ish (or even Sabbath with RJD). When they tour, let's go. Skibsted
I have to admit, I also find the chorus in Call of the Mountain a bit cheesy. The challenge is that this is the most “accessible” of their songs posted on youtube, and I didn’t want to scare people off with some of the more aggressive stuff.
DeleteLimp Bizkit of Togo. Love it. I do hope they bust out a bit more, I love their mashup of folk, metal and rap.
I hadn’t thought of Sabbath/Dio in connection with Wagakki Band. But their compositions do have Fripp-like complexity and excursions. I would consider going to Japan to spend a month seeing concerts there, and WB would be high on the list. If they come here, for sure, let’s go!