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Skyforger (LV)

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(facebook) Skyforger has been forging their music in the smithy of the Thundergod since 1995.

For the last two decades, the band has been fighting under the flag of Latvian Pagan Metal, an extreme blend of traditional Baltic Folk music and various Metal influences ranging from Norwegian inspired Black Metal through to 80s-rooted Heavy Metal. The band's unique combination of ancient and modern influence has given them a wide appeal throughout both the Metal and Folk scenes, and has brought great variety to their song writing over the course of the six Skyforger albums.

The first of these was unleashed from the forge in 1997. Titled 'Semigalls' Warchant', the demo tape told tales of the last free Pagan tribes of the Baltic peoples; and their struggles with Christian invaders throughout the thirteenth century.

These tales of ancient tribal Latvia and its Heathen tradition were to be expanded upon in 1998 with Skyforger's first full-length album, 'Kauja pie Saules' ('The Battle of Saule'). Later, in 2000, band followed with their third release, the First World War themed album 'Latvian Riflemen'.

Skyforger signed to the German label Folter Records and soon the world saw the release of their newest Pagan Metal masterpiece, - 'Thunderforge', which was a fine return to their old themes of ancestral culture and Heathen gods. The next album in line, recorded also in 2003, was the self-released 'Sword Song', - an album of purely acoustic Latvian Folk music and a long coming tribute to their ancient forefathers' heritage. In 2005 Folter Records released re-mastered demo album 'Semigalls' Warchant' on CD format, with additional EP 'Asinslauks'.

Skyforger spent next few years working on a conceptual album about the legendary Latvian fairytale hero, Kurbads. The album, similarly entitled 'Kurbads', was released worldwide via Metal Blade Records in 2010.

Through the years, band has also been busy on festival stages all over Europe and Skyforger is well known for their non-compromising live performances.

Skyforger will release their new album 'Old Prussia' on 6th of April, 2015, on Thunderforge Records.

(lastfm.de) Skyforger ist eine lettische Folk Metal-Band.

Biographie

Die Band entstand 1995, nachdem die Mitglieder Erfahrungen in diversen Death Metal-Bands gesammelt hatten. Die Musik Skyforgers vereint Elemente des klassischen Heavy Metals mit Einflüssen aus dem Black Metal und ist zudem durch den Einsatz traditioneller Instrumente (v. a. Flöten) geprägt. Die Texte in lettischer Sprache behandeln Aspekte der lettischen Geschichte, des lettischen Volkes und der regionalen Mythologie.

Semigalls’ Warchant und Kauja pie Saules thematisiert den Widerstand der Litauer und Semgallen gegen den Schwertbrüderorden und insbesondere den Sieg über selbigen in der Schlacht von Saule (1236). Latviešu strelnieki widmet sich den lettischen Männern, die während des Ersten Weltkrieges in der russischen Armee kämpften. Die nachfolgenden Alben behandeln größtenteils die lettische Mythologie.

Die Gruppe führte bis 2007 eine Swastika im Bandlogo, distanziert sich aber von rechtsextremistischen Gedankengut und beschreibt sich als „unpolitisch“.