Skyforger
Template:Short description Template:About Template:Infobox musical artist Skyforger is a heavy metal band from Latvia which was formed in 1995 out of the remains of doom metal band Grindmaster Dead.
Musical style and lyrical themesEdit
Most of their songs are about Baltic mythology and warfare; they also play Latvian folk songs and their metal arrangements. Although Skyforger is known for their folk metal, the style on their demo Template:Interlanguage link is essentially black metal.<ref name="metalstorm.ee">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The band also has performed and recorded a number of folk songs, including the entirety of their acoustic fourth album Template:Interlanguage link, released in 2003.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Folk elements can be found on all of their albums. In December 2005, during the presentation of their album, Semigalls' Warchant, the band announced their next album would be experimentation with thrash metal. They later pointed out that Latvian history still has enough untold stories, meaning their lyrics will retain their folk/pagan fashion.
HistoryEdit
In 2010, Skyforger signed with American label Metal Blade Records and released their 5th studio album Kurbads about the deeds of mythical Latvian warrior Template:Interlanguage link, son of mare.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album received 2010 Annual Latvian Music Recording Award as the best rock album, as well as the 2010 Latvian Metal Music Award as the best metal album with Skyforger also winning the "Best Metal Band" category.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Skyforger was featured on BBC's series "Close-Up" episode on Latvian folk music.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 2015, the band released their 6th studio album titled Template:Interlanguage link dedicated to the now extinct Baltic people Old Prussians. Two of the album's songs are sung in Old Prussian (Ei skīja, skīja and Rāmava), while the rest are in Latvian. For the writing of the album, Skyforger recruited historian Agris Dzenis as a historical consultant. After releasing the album, the band embarked on a European tour on April 8.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2016, Senprūsija received the Annual Latvian Music Recording Award as the best hard rock/heavy metal album of 2015. In 2016, Skyforger also re-issued their 2003 album Zobena dziesma with 2 additional songs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
On June 3, 2017, Skyforger performed a one-time multi-media concert – metal opera "Kurbads. The Son of The Mare" – at Lielezers open-air stage in Limbaži as a part of a programme for 100th Anniversary of the Latvian Republic.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On February 14, 2018, the performance was awarded Kilogram of Culture award as the "Surprise of the Year".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On June 17, 2018, Skyforger played a special concert at the festival Zobens un Lemess commemorating the 20th anniversary since the release of their first full-length album Template:Interlanguage link in 1998.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 18 November 2018, the centenary for the proclamation of Latvia, Skyforger released a video directed by Kristīne Neikena and starring actress Template:Interlanguage link for their song Nekas nav aizmirsts from album Senprūsija.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ControversyEdit
Skyforger was involved in some controversy with one of their former producers who believed they were affiliated with Neo-Nazism. The reason for this was the cover of their album Pērkoņkalve, which depicts Baltic god of thunder Pērkons wearing a belt buckle adorned with a swastika and striking an anvil, as well as the swastika incorporated in Skyforger's logo. Some websites had therefore listed Skyforger as a Neo-Nazi band. The band addressed the controversy on their website, writing:
MembersEdit
- Current members
- Template:Interlanguage link ("Peter") – lead vocals, guitar, kokles, stabule (1995–present)
- Template:Interlanguage link ("Zirgs") – bass guitar, backing vocals, ģīga (1995–present)
- Alvis Bernāns – guitar (2014–present)
- Jānis Osis – drums, percussion (2022–present)
- Live/session members
- Edgars Zilberts – kokles (2017 – present)
- Geoffroy Dell’Aria – bagpipes, flutes, jaw harp (2019 – present)
- Former members
- Template:Interlanguage link – drums, backing vocals (1995–1998)
- Template:Interlanguage link – guitar, backing vocals (1996–2000, 2001–2004, 2006–2008)
- Template:Interlanguage link ("Mazais") – drums, percussion (1998–2015)
- Template:Interlanguage link – dūdas, kokles, backing vocals (2004–2012)
- Template:Interlanguage link – guitar, backing vocals (2000–2001, 2008–2010)
- Ģirts Kļaviņš ("Motors") – guitar, backing vocals (2004–2006)
- Egons Kronbergs – guitar (2010–2013)
- Artūrs Jurjāns – drums, percussion (2016–2022)
TimelineEdit
<timeline> ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:18 PlotArea = left:170 bottom:80 top:0 right:50 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1995 till:{{#time:m/d/Y}} TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1995 ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1995 Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
Colors =
id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:backing value:pink legend:Backing_Vocals id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:folk value:purple legend:Latvian_Folk_Instruments id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:bars value:gray(0.95) id:studio value:black legend:Studio_Album id:other value:gray(0.5) legend:Demos
BackgroundColors = bars:bars
LineData =
at:06/01/1997 color:other layer:back at:10/06/1998 color:black layer:back at:10/09/2000 color:black layer:back at:06/01/2003 color:black layer:back at:09/01/2003 color:black layer:back at:05/08/2010 color:black layer:back at:04/06/2015 color:black layer:back
BarData =
bar:Peteris text:"Pēteris Kvetkovskis" bar:Viesturs text:"Viesturs Grīnbergs" bar:Rihards text:"Rihards Skudrītis" bar:Martins text:"Mārtiņš Pētersons" bar:Girts text:"Ģirts Kļaviņš" bar:Egons text:"Egons Kronbergs" bar:Alvis text:"Alvis Bernāns" bar:Edgars text:"Edgars Grabovskis" bar:Kaspars text:"Kaspars Bārbals" bar:Imants text:"Imants Vovers" bar:Edgars2 text:"Edgars Krūmiņš" bar:Arturs text:"Artūrs Jurjāns" bar:Jānis text:"Jānis Osis"
PlotData =
width:11 bar:Peteris from:01/01/1995 till:end color:vocals bar:Peteris from:01/01/1995 till:end color:guitar width:3 bar:Peteris from:01/01/1995 till:end color:folk width:7 bar:Viesturs from:01/01/1995 till:01/01/1996 color:guitar bar:Viesturs from:01/01/1995 till:01/01/1996 color:backing width:3 bar:Rihards from:01/01/1996 till:06/01/2000 color:guitar bar:Rihards from:01/01/1996 till:06/01/2000 color:backing width:3 bar:Martins from:06/01/2000 till:04/01/2001 color:guitar bar:Martins from:06/01/2000 till:04/01/2001 color:backing width:3 bar:Rihards from:04/01/2001 till:06/01/2004 color:guitar bar:Rihards from:04/01/2001 till:06/01/2004 color:backing width:3 bar:Girts from:06/01/2004 till:06/01/2006 color:guitar bar:Girts from:06/01/2004 till:06/01/2006 color:backing width:3 bar:Rihards from:06/01/2006 till:06/01/2008 color:guitar bar:Rihards from:06/01/2006 till:06/01/2008 color:backing width:3 bar:Martins from:06/01/2008 till:07/01/2010 color:guitar bar:Martins from:06/01/2008 till:07/01/2010 color:backing width:3 bar:Egons from:07/01/2010 till:12/01/2013 color:guitar bar:Egons from:07/01/2010 till:12/01/2013 color:backing width:3 bar:Alvis from:02/01/2014 till:end color:guitar bar:Alvis from:02/01/2014 till:end color:backing width:3 bar:Edgars from:01/01/1995 till:end color:bass bar:Edgars from:01/01/1995 till:end color:backing width:3 bar:Edgars from:01/01/1995 till:end color:folk width:7 bar:Kaspars from:01/01/2004 till:06/01/2012 color:folk bar:Kaspars from:01/01/2004 till:06/01/2012 color:backing width:3 bar:Imants from:01/01/1995 till:12/10/1998 color:drums bar:Imants from:01/01/1995 till:12/10/1998 color:backing width:3 bar:Edgars2 from:12/10/1998 till:12/01/2015 color:drums bar:Arturs from:02/01/2016 till:09/04/2022 color:drums bar:Jānis from:09/04/2022 till:end color:drums </timeline>
GalleryEdit
- Band members at the Dark Troll Festival 2018
- Skyforger Dark Troll 2018 01.jpg
Singer and guitarist Pēteris
- Skyforger Dark Troll 2018 03.jpg
Guitarist Alvis
- Skyforger Dark Troll 2018 05.jpg
Bass player Edgars
- Skyforger Dark Troll 2018 10.jpg
Drummer Artūrs
DiscographyEdit
- Template:Interlanguage link (1997; demo)
- Template:Interlanguage link (1998)
- Template:Interlanguage link (2000)
- Pērkoņkalve (Thunderforge) (2003)
- Template:Interlanguage link (2003; acoustic album)
- Semigalls' Warchant (2005; expanded re-release)
- Zobena Dziesma (2006; expanded re-release)
- Kurbads (2010)
- Template:Interlanguage link (2015)
- Senprūsija Live (2015; live album)
- Teikas (Folktales) (2025)