What's with the lack of Irish Martial Industrial and Neofolk groups?

HarbinSnowfall

I noticed this was a rather Irish forum after I joined. Howdy, I think your culture is gorgeous along with many around the world!

I'd just noticed something, there's lots of English Neofolk and Martial Industrial groups. Lots of Russian and French and Scandinavian ones as well. But I don't really know of any Irish ones, offhand.

Which is funny, because Irish culture has a lot of what Black Metal/Neofolk/Neoclassical/Dark Ambient groups are in the niche of culturally. Celtic languages are rather threatened and a gem of Europe. The people who rallied around protecting Tara Hill are of the same mentality of the sorts of people who join heathen neofolk groups. And Celtic Mythology is as influential, or close to as influential as Norse Mythology.

So why the lack of Irish contribution to these genres? Sure, there's heavy metal groups like Geasa, but not any Martial Industrial. Why is this, does it give even Nationalistic Celts the willies because of Ireland's history at the hands of Imperialists? Coincidence? What?

judas101

HarbinSnowfall wrote: »

What?

Exactly

HarbinSnowfall

Well, that was a confusing reply.

teekayd25

OP, I must admit I know very little about these genres, but maybe "Neofolk" might be slow taking root here because our old, traditional folk music is still extremely prevalent. I'm not sure if Martial Industrial music generally has lyrics . . . this artist / band from Dublin seems to be mainly instrumental.

http://www.reverbnation.com/areabombardment

There are also these groups, Cruachan and Mael Mordha, both of whom play their own brands of folk / Gaelic metal.

CinnamonGirl

Hey there

Check out:

GRABSTEIN

http://www.reverbnation.com/grabstein

http://www.facebook.com/pages/GRABSTEIN/143611084227?v=info

and

FROM THE BOGS OF AUGHISKA

www.myspace.com/fromthebogsofaughiska

www.facebook.com/fromthebogsofaughiska

Executive Steve

Not a huge metal fan myself, but Primordial and Mael Mordha probably capture more about what it means to be Irish than pretty much anyone else in music apart from the lad who wrote "Put Em Under Pressure" for Italia 90

Executive Steve

Scary Eire - "Dole Q" does a great job of evoking Celtic mysticism too...


(this thread belongs in the rock and metal forum though)

lordgoat

Executive Steve wrote: »

Scary Eire - "Dole Q" does a great job of evoking Celtic mysticism too...
\

That's a piece of turd. crappy wanna lyrics and a beat you could get off a radio alarm clock. Awful awful group- give irish hip-hop a bad name.

Ralf and Florian

HarbinSnowfall wrote: »

I noticed this was a rather Irish forum after I joined. Howdy, I think your culture is gorgeous along with many around the world!

I'd just noticed something, there's lots of English Neofolk and Martial Industrial groups. Lots of Russian and French and Scandinavian ones as well. But I don't really know of any Irish ones, offhand.

Which is funny, because Irish culture has a lot of what Black Metal/Neofolk/Neoclassical/Dark Ambient groups are in the niche of culturally. Celtic languages are rather threatened and a gem of Europe. The people who rallied around protecting Tara Hill are of the same mentality of the sorts of people who join heathen neofolk groups. And Celtic Mythology is as influential, or close to as influential as Norse Mythology.

So why the lack of Irish contribution to these genres? Sure, there's heavy metal groups like Geasa, but not any Martial Industrial. Why is this, does it give even Nationalistic Celts the willies because of Ireland's history at the hands of Imperialists? Coincidence? What?

By Neo-folk do you mean like Currrent 93 and Death In June?There has a distinct lack of Industrial-experimental groups in this country generally.In the 80s there were The Virgin Prunes who I see as pretty Industrial despite them generally being lumped in as goth.The same with Princess Tinymeat who were a spinoff group from The VPs.

Anesthetize

Area Bombardment is the only Irish martial industrial project I know of. The album In Hoc Signo Vinces is worth a listen but it's nothing ground-breaking or anything.

Irish Aris

Dark alternative genres seem to be lacking completely in Ireland.
It occured to me when I first moved here 3 years ago, back then mainly around the EBM genre, but it goes for all "dark" styles.
There doesn't seem to be enough people interested in these styles.
I am into dark ambient myself and I know of only one musician that plays dark ambient (bumped into him accidentally on Facebook).

There is a new party happening every couple of months in Fibber Magees (I think it is called Total War) and the DJs play martial industrial, neofolk, dark ambient and noise, but that's practically it.

Anesthetize

Irish Aris wrote: »

Dark alternative genres seem to be lacking completely in Ireland.
It occured to me when I first moved here 3 years ago, back then mainly around the EBM genre, but it goes for all "dark" styles.
There doesn't seem to be enough people interested in these styles.
I am into dark ambient myself and I know of only one musician that plays dark ambient (bumped into him accidentally on Facebook).

There is a new party happening every couple of months in Fibber Magees (I think it is called Total War) and the DJs play martial industrial, neofolk, dark ambient and noise, but that's practically it.

Since you've mentioned EBM, I find it extremely puzzling that I've never seen any mention of VNV Nation in the Irish media, and this is a band who were founded by a native Dubliner Ronan Harris. They have a huge cult following in mainland Europe, particularly in Germany where they are now based, and are one of the biggest names in EBM. Realistically artists who want to make a name for themselves in music like this have no real option but to move to places like Germany where there's a bigger market for it.

darkdubh

Roger Doyles Operating Theatre and early Stano are quite Industrial but again this is from the 80s.

darkdubh

This is something which will appeal to fans of Coil/Current 93.I have this myself,not easy to track down as it was pressed in a very limited run but there might still be copies out there.

http://www.compulsiononline.com/BrianConniffe_Landslide.htm

darkdubh

Very interesting new Cork act who have a strong dark ambient/neo classical vibe.

http://fracturedair.com/2014/11/11/step-right-up-second-moon-of-winter/

Burdizzo O

Irish Aris wrote: »

There is a new party happening every couple of months in Fibber Magees (I think it is called Total War) and the DJs play martial industrial, neofolk, dark ambient and noise, but that's practically it.

Just to let you know, Total War is still going strong in Fibber Magee's. We do play plenty of martial industrial, neo-folk, dark ambient and noise, as stated, but also power electronics, and sometimes medieval/ ethereal - and latterly we've broadened it out to include regular DJ sets of black metal.

We've also organised gigs featuring English neo-folk singers Ian Read and Andrew King, as well as Irish act, From The Bogs Of Aughiska.

For the last couple of years we've given away music at our events, and have had support from all big labels in the scene (Tesco, Steinklang, Unrest, Equilibrium, Folkworld, Old Europa Café, Freak Animal, Death Continues, to name a few) who send us promos on vinyl, CD, and as digital downloads. For the next one, we are due to get some promos from Cold Spring, and we also have CDs to give away from the Irish martial-industrial project, Area Bombardment.

We generally get a decent enough crowd of around 30-40 or so. Of course, it's still a small scene, but Total War is a good outlet for those interested in the genres covered. The next one is on Friday 7th December, it's free to get in, and there's an event page on Facebook.