The difference, by ear
The Norse equivalent, and it writes its own melodies rather than borrowing traditional ones.
Both are part sung, part screamed and move at much the same pace, around 120 to 180 bpm. To hear the difference, play Cruachan next to Bathory. Both grew out of folk metal, Viking metal first and Celtic metal four years after.
In figures
Celtic metal
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Folk metal › Celtic metal
In short
Irish melodies and traditional instruments over black or heavy metal.
How it sounds
- Tin whistle, bodhrán and fiddle woven into black or heavy metal arrangements.
- Melodies taken from the traditional Irish repertoire, often directly.
- Epic atmosphere with lyrics from Celtic myth and history.
Key acts
- Cruachan
- Primordial
- Waylander
Start here
The pickPrimordial - The Gathering Wilderness. No tin whistle, and the most Celtic of the lot.
Full page →Viking metal
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Folk metal › Viking metal
In short
Norse themes, male choirs and marching tempos. It sounds like a longship, not a tavern.
How it sounds
- Massive male choirs singing in unison, for the effect of an army.
- Marching tempos, heavy drums and broad keyboards underneath.
- Lyrics about Norse mythology, battle and the sea.
Key acts
- Bathory
- Enslaved
- Amon Amarth
- Týr
Start here
The pickBathory - Twilight of the Gods. The title track is fourteen minutes of solemnity.
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