The history of Europe is a history of war. Throughout the centuries, men have waged war, fought valiantly – and died. Some are remembered in song and story, but most are cast aside by history. This history of violence and … Continue reading Ignoto Militi: remembering the fallen
KAELTE: Lieblingslieder Release year: 2021Label: self-released You can hardly be faulted for asking “Kaelte who?” – this German neofolk act aren’t household names even in the neofolk scene. I don’t have any recollection of how I first discovered them, but … Continue reading Kaelte revitalizing the old
PYHÄ KUOLEMA: Uusi panssaroitu Suomi Release year: 2021Label: Anima Arctica Whilst there is neofolk from elsewhere too, in many ways the genre is a very European phenomenon. As a genre, it has always been tied to tradition, history and the … Continue reading A holy death and an armoured Finland
IGNOTO MILITI: Presente Release year: 2020Label: self-released Martial industrial is a genre that forever lurks somewhere in the distance, beyond “regular” industrial and neofolk, the two genres it is most closely related to. Even the more illustrious names of the … Continue reading Unknown Italian Soldiers
DARKWOOD: Twilight Garden Release year: 2020Label: HeidenVolk There are only a precious few neofolk acts in the world who’ve managed to truly break out from the decidedly esoteric confines of the genre – apart from the old guard of Death … Continue reading Twilight Darkwoods
ULVER: Trolsk Sortmetall 1993-1997 Year: 2014/2019Label: Century Media Records Ulver are certainly one of those artists who should need no introduction to any extreme metal fan. Though their time as a black metal band was limited and yielded only a … Continue reading The bewitching black metal of Ulver
So, Only Death Is Real has witnessed the first year-end, and it is time to jot down some thoughts as summary for 2019 and a plan of action of sorts for 2020. The site was created in mid-May, and since … Continue reading A year in summation: 2019
ROME: Flowers From Exile Release year: 2009/2019Label: Trisol/Strict In 2009, Luxembourgian neofolk-project Rome, alias of Jerome Reuter, released their fourth album, Flowers From Exile. In the decade since, not only has the album risen to become a genuine modern classic … Continue reading Rome’s decade of exile
Release year: 2019Label: Out Of Line When I reviewed Swedish Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio’s teaser EP for this album ( Ménage À Quatre, said review here), during summer, I predicted the full album would be another solid addition to ORE’s discography. … Continue reading ORDO ROSARIUS EQUILIBRIO: Let’s Play (Two Girls & A Goat)
ORDO ROSARIUS EQUILIBRIO: Ménage À Quatre Release year: 2019Label: Out Of Line I have long been a fan of neofolk, and the artist that got me into the genre originally was Swedish Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, whose split with Italian Spiritual … Continue reading Foursomes with Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio
Only Death Is Real 