Falkenbach
Encyclopedia
Falkenbach is a Viking metal
group from Germany
that is currently signed to Prophecy Productions
. The name means "Falconbrook" in German. The one permanent member is Vratyas Vakyas
.
Most of Falkenbach’s lyrics are in English
, but some are in Old Norse, Latin
, and Old German
. Most, if not all of the lyrics in Old Norse are actually taken from heathen
literature: for example, the chorus lines in the song "Donar’s Oak
" are actually verses four and five of Grímnismál
, a poem of the Elder Edda. (Hávamál
, after which the first demo is named, is another such poem.)
In 1995, recording of the debut album Fireblade began, but due to equipment troubles, production was stopped shortly before mixing began. Fireblade was not released, and in December of the same year, recording began for ...En Their Medh Riki Fara... (Old Norse, "...And in Glory Will They Go..."). The recording for this actual debut album was completed in March 1996.
After Magni Blandinn Ok Megentiri (Old Norse, "Mixed with Strength and Proud Pomp") was released, Vratyas stopped recording music so he could focus more on his record label Skaldic Art Productions.
In 2003, Vratyas returned to the studio with three other musicians and close friends to record Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty (Old Norse, "And Name Twice Týr"). The next and most recent Falkenbach album, Heralding – The Fireblade, was recorded in August–September 2005, using the same session musicians he had used for Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty. It includes material originally intended for the never released Fireblade album and re-working of demo tracks.
In 2006 Skaldic Arts Productions released a tribute album called "An Homage to Falkenbach." It consists of two parts, each limited to 500 units. The work contains 16 covers by various bands such as Eluveitie
, Vinterriket, and Hildr Valkyrie.
Vratyas Vakyas (whose name roughly translates to the searching wanderer), the sole member of Falkenbach, currently lives in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Demos (5 of 7 known)
Viking metal
Viking metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its galloping pace, keyboard-rich anthemic sound, bleakness and dramatic emphasis on lyrical themes of Norse mythology, Norse paganism, and the Viking Age...
group from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
that is currently signed to Prophecy Productions
Prophecy Productions
Prophecy Productions is a German record label located in Zeltingen-Rachtig, founded by Martin Koller in 1996. It proclaims being a "label for eerie emotional music", which roughly comprises artists with a dark metal, black metal, or neofolk background, but a unique and unconventional approach to...
. The name means "Falconbrook" in German. The one permanent member is Vratyas Vakyas
Vratyas Vakyas
Vratyas Vakyas is the only full-time member of the folk/black/viking metal band Falkenbach. The phrase Vratyas Vakyas can be translated as "the searching wanderer". He started writing music around 1989 and between 1991 and 1993 he played guitar in a band called Crimson Gates which released two...
.
History
The band formed in 1989, when it recorded the Havamal demo, and has recorded a total of seven demos; however, only five are known. Three more were released by 1995: Skinn Av Sverði Söl Valtiva (Old Norse, "The Sun Shines on the Swords of Slaughter-Gods"), Læknishendr (Old Norse, "Healing Hands"), and Ásynja (Old Norse, "Goddess"). Of all of these except Læknishendr, only nine copies were released. The Havamal demo is allegedly clean folk music, but since then the sound has become more raw and influenced by black metal influence and matured into an epic metal sound.Most of Falkenbach’s lyrics are in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, but some are in Old Norse, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, and Old German
Old German
Old German usually refers to Old High German, but it could also refer to:*Old Low German *Altdeutsche Tracht , a dress style popular among early 19th century German radicals...
. Most, if not all of the lyrics in Old Norse are actually taken from heathen
Germanic paganism
Germanic paganism refers to the theology and religious practices of the Germanic peoples of north-western Europe from the Iron Age until their Christianization during the Medieval period...
literature: for example, the chorus lines in the song "Donar’s Oak
Thor's Oak
The Donar Oak was a legendary oak tree sacred to the Germanic tribe of the Chatti, ancestors of the Hessians, and an important sacred site of the pagan Germanic peoples....
" are actually verses four and five of Grímnismál
Grímnismál
Grímnismál is one of the mythological poems of the Poetic Edda. It is preserved in the Codex Regius manuscript and the AM 748 I 4to fragment. It is spoken through the voice of Grímnir, one of the many guises of the god Odin, who is tortured by King Geirröth...
, a poem of the Elder Edda. (Hávamál
Hávamál
Hávamál is presented as a single poem in the Poetic Edda, a collection of Old Norse poems from the Viking age. The poem, itself a combination of different poems, is largely gnomic, presenting advice for living, proper conduct and wisdom....
, after which the first demo is named, is another such poem.)
In 1995, recording of the debut album Fireblade began, but due to equipment troubles, production was stopped shortly before mixing began. Fireblade was not released, and in December of the same year, recording began for ...En Their Medh Riki Fara... (Old Norse, "...And in Glory Will They Go..."). The recording for this actual debut album was completed in March 1996.
After Magni Blandinn Ok Megentiri (Old Norse, "Mixed with Strength and Proud Pomp") was released, Vratyas stopped recording music so he could focus more on his record label Skaldic Art Productions.
In 2003, Vratyas returned to the studio with three other musicians and close friends to record Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty (Old Norse, "And Name Twice Týr"). The next and most recent Falkenbach album, Heralding – The Fireblade, was recorded in August–September 2005, using the same session musicians he had used for Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty. It includes material originally intended for the never released Fireblade album and re-working of demo tracks.
In 2006 Skaldic Arts Productions released a tribute album called "An Homage to Falkenbach." It consists of two parts, each limited to 500 units. The work contains 16 covers by various bands such as Eluveitie
Eluveitie
Eluveitie is a folk metal band from Winterthur, Switzerland. The band formed in 2002 and their first EP, Vên came out in 2003. The band then released a full-length album, Spirit in June 2006. In November 2007, Eluveitie was signed by Nuclear Blast....
, Vinterriket, and Hildr Valkyrie.
Vratyas Vakyas (whose name roughly translates to the searching wanderer), the sole member of Falkenbach, currently lives in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Discography
Albums- ...En Their Medh Riki Fara......En Their Medh Riki Fara......En Their Medh Riki Fara... is a 1996 album by the Viking metal band Falkenbach.-Track listing:#"Galdralag" – 6:19 #"Heathenpride" – 8:42 #"Læknishendr" – 6:18 #"Ultima Thule" – 3:23#"Asum ok Alfum naer..." – 7:45...
(1996) - ...Magni Blandinn Ok Megintiri......Magni Blandinn Ok Megintiri......Magni Blandinn ok Megintiri... is a 1998 album by the one-man Folk Viking metal band Falkenbach. It was recorded in Blue House Studios located in Germany. The layout arrangement was done by Vratyas Vakyas...
(1998) - Ok Nefna Tysvar TyOk Nefna Tysvar TyOk Nefna Tysvar Ty is a 2003 album by Viking metal band Falkenbach.-Track listing:#"Vanadis" - 9:25#"...As Long as Winds Will Blow..." - 4:02#"Aduatuza" - 4:35#"Donar's Oak" - 4:48#"...The Ardent Awaited Land" - 3:28#"Homeward Shore" - 5:31...
(2003) - Heralding - The FirebladeHeralding - The FirebladeHeralding – The Fireblade is the fourth album for the Viking metal band Falkenbach. This record is made up of songs originally intended to be Falkenbach's debut album Fireblade, which was shelved in 1995...
(2005) - TiuridaTiuridaTiurida is the fifth studio album for the Viking metal band Falkenbach, released in January 2011 via Napalm Records. It was recorded with the same session musicians as the previous two Falkenbach records, Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty and Heralding - The Fireblade...
(2011)
Demos (5 of 7 known)
- Havamal (1989)
- Laeknishendr (1995)
- Promo '95 (1995)
- Skinn Af Sverði Söl Valtiva... (1996)
- Asynja (1995)
Session members
- Hagalaz - Guitars on Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty, Heralding - The Fireblade and Tiurida.
- Tyrann - Vocals on Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty, Heralding - The Fireblade and Tiurida.
- Boltthorn - Drums on Ok Nefna Tysvar Ty, Heralding - The Fireblade and Tiurida.
- Albion - Bass on Tiurida.
External links
- Official website
- Falkenbach at Napalm RecordsNapalm RecordsNapalm Records is an Austrian independent record label focused on heavy metal and hard rock.Originally, Napalm Records focused mainly on black metal acts such as Abigor and Summoning and folk metal bands such as Falkenbach and Vintersorg....
- Falkenbach at Encyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia MetallumEncyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives is a website which lists bands from various forms of heavy metal music...