The British band SKYCLAD will go down in heavy-music history as one of the earliest and most important founders of Folk Metal! With more than a dozen studio albums and several dozen recordings and other releases, the band have shown not only impressive productivity over more than three decades, but also a notably stable line-up – two thirds of the classic members are still in the band today. These are traits that showcase the band’s creativity and enduring quality.
Unlike many contemporary heavy folk bands, SKYCLAD’S musical backbone has always been metal – whether heavy, thrash, or progressive, built on strong guitar foundations and enriched with folk instruments: predominantly violin, with occasional mandolin, cello, and more. That is likely why the Brits’ music sounds so subtle and melodic, sharing little with polkas or kitschy folk clichés.
The band’s music also carries a distinctly Albion-esque national character. Their lyrics delve into mythology and history, while also tackling social and human concerns. And yet, first and foremost, SKYCLAD are about quality, well-crafted metal, enriched with acoustic and folk elements and drawing inspiration from their native land.
