The difference, by ear
The same project with a different tradition, and a much easier technical problem - Irish modes fit the guitar.
Both are part sung, part screamed and move at much the same pace, around 110 to 170 bpm. To hear the difference, play Orphaned Land next to Cruachan. Both grew out of folk metal in the same year.
In figures
Oriental metal
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Folk metal › Oriental metal
In short
Middle Eastern modes, oud and traditional percussion built into progressive or death metal.
How it sounds
- Middle Eastern modes - hijaz, kurd - used as the basis for riffs.
- Oud, saz, darbuka and other traditional instruments built into the arrangements.
- Vocals alternating between Western technique and Eastern melisma.
Key acts
- Orphaned Land
- Melechesh
- Myrath
Start here
The pickOrphaned Land - Mabool. A concept album about the flood, told through three faiths.
Full page →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 →