Medieval rock or Medieval metal (a literal translation of the German terms Mittelalter-Rock and Mittelalter-Metal) is a stylistic blend of hard rock or heavy metal music with folk and medieval music.
History
In the 1970s, progressive rock bands such as Jethro Tull and Camel performed music with slight touches of medieval.[1] [2] In Germany, Ougenweide used medieval instruments and forms extensively with their blend of progressive folk rock music.[3] The 1980s saw the Australian duo Dead Can Dance diverging from their gothic rock beginnings into medieval territory, culminating in their landmark 1990 album Album. The album featured a medieval dance number Saltarello that Brendan Perry has since described as "medieval rock and roll".[4] A year earlier in 1989, the German band Corvus Corax formed and released their first album Ante Casu Peccati, also featuring the same medieval dance number Saltarello.[5] The band performed entirely on medieval instruments with an emphasis on bagpipes and percussion but the music was heavier and faster than traditional or authentic medieval music, or in their own words "louder, dirtier and more powerful".[6] Another German band Subway to Sally form in 1990 but only released their debut album in 1994. Their music was a fusion between hard rock and heavy metal with folk and medieval music.[7] Other bands began to emerge in the second half of the 1990s, notably In Extremo, Schandmaul and the Corvus Corax side project Tanzwut. In 1997, former Deep Purple and Rainbow guitarist, Ritchie Blackmore formed the Renaissance inspired band Blackmore's Night with vocalist Candice Night in 1997.
Characteristics
Medieval rock commonly makes use of medieval instruments, such as the bagpipe, the shawm, the hurdy-gurdy and the harp with varying degree of rock or heavy metal music. Electronic instruments can also be found among a few bands such as Tanzwut. Cover versions of traditional folk or medieval music are commonly found. Lyrics are generally preoccupied with medieval or renaissance themes.
Medieval rock bands
References
