Skyforger are a Folk Metal band hailing from Latvia, who set the mythological tales and historical happenings of the country to music that fuses the distinctive sound of Latvian folk music with their own take on Heavy Metal that straddles the Black Metal, Thrash Metal, and Power Metal subgenres. They frequently incorporate live folk instruments (such as the Kokle
, Tās̆utaure, and Dūdas) and traditional folksinging ensembles into their performances. The subjects of their songs range from Latvian paganism and folktales to history spanning from prehistoric times to World War I. Their name itself comes from the Latvian thunder spirit Pērkons, who in some myths is said to have a great forge in the sky where his hammering and sparks beget thunder and lightning.
The band got their start in the early 1990s as a folk-influenced Doom Metal act named Grindmaster Dead. Vocalist/rhythm guitarist Pēteris "Peter" Kvetkovskis and bassist/backing vocalist Edgars "Zirgs" Grabovskis wanted to further explore the Latvian folk music they incorporated into their sound and play faster and more aggressive music, so Skyforger was born. They released their first demo, entitled Semigalls' Warchant in 1997, which would be their only release with English lyrics; their songs would be preformed exclusively in Latvian or other Baltic languages afterwards. Their debut album Kauja pie Saulesnote would follow in 1998, and featured a music video for the track "Kurshi". They would find increasing success across Europe in the following years, and even played Wacken Open Air for the first time in 2022.
Discography:
- 1997 - Semigalls' Warchant (demo)
- 1998 - Kauja pie Saulesnote
- 2000 - Latviešu Strēlniekinote
- 2003 - Pērkoņkalvenote
- 2003 - Zobena dziesmanote (all-folk album)
- 2005 - Asinslauksnote (EP)
- 2010 - Kurbads
- 2015 - Senprūsijanote
Band members:
- Pēteris "Peter" Kvetkovskis - Rhythm guitar, lead vocals, principal songwriting (1995-present)
- Edgars "Zirgs" Grabovskis - Bass, backing vocals (1995-present)
- Alvis Bernāns - Lead guitar (2014-present)
- Jānis Osis - Drums (2022-present)
Skyforger and their music provide examples of:
- Concept Album: The band has done several;
- Latviešu Strēlnieki focuses on the story of the titular Latvian riflemen of World War I, who were forced by the Russian Empire to fight as shock troops but eventually rebelled and helped win Latvia's independence in 1918.
- Kurbads retells the ancient epic of the titular Latvian folk hero Kurbads, from his miraculous birth from a white mare to his battle against the conquest of the evil Black Rider and his eventual tragic fate.
- Senprūsija retells the history and mythology of the Old Prussian peoples; the indigenous Baltic tribes of East Prussia who were wiped out by Tuetonic crusaders for refusing to convert to Christianity and abandon their pagan beliefs.
- Epic Rocking: "Migla Migla, rasa rasa" from Pērkoņkalve as well as "Nekas nav aizmirsts" and "Rāmava" from Senprūsija all clock in at nearly seven minutes.
- Horrible History Metal: When they're not about Latvian paganism or folklore, the songs chronicle the long history of Latvia, be it the Northern Crusades in which the Baltic and Finnic tribes that would eventually form Latvia resisted conquest and forced Christianization (which is heavily explored on Kauja pie Saules), or the nation's struggle for independence in the First World War which is the subject of Latviešu Strēlnieki.
- Lost Language: Many songs from Senprūsija feature passages sung or spoken in now extinct ancient languages spoken around Latvia and the Baltic region, most prominently Old Prussian and Sudovian/Jatvingian.
- Wanderlust Song: "Uz ziemeļkrastu" or "To Northern Shores" from the "Asinslauks" EP features a band of Kurshi setting out across the sea to raid a Danish port before they are blown off course into a mysterious uncharted land in the subsequent songs.
