Neofolk Music Guide: 3 Characteristics of Neofolk Music

Neofolk music is a musical genre that merges traditional folk rock, neoclassical, and industrial music. Also known as dark folk, folk noir, and apocalyptic folk, it blends acoustic folk instruments like violin and acoustic guitar with electronic music mainstays like synthesizers and samplers.

Popular artists on the neofolk scene include Sol Invictus, Current 93, Death in June, Empyrium, Blood Axis, Of the Wand & the Moon, Spiritual Front, Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio, and Rome. The roots of these neofolk bands range from acoustic folk to black metal to 1980s post-punk to 1990s industrial music.

Neofolk music emerged from the broader rock music scene in the late 1990s.

• English roots: Neofolk’s early practitioners were Tony Wakeford (leader of Sol Invictus), Douglas Pearce (leader of Death in June), and David Tibet (leader of Current 93). Wakeford, Pearce, and Tibet are all Englishmen, and the neofolk music scene was initially centered in the UK.
• Early controversy: The ideology of early neofolk groups came under scrutiny when it was revealed that Sol Invictus leader Tony Wakeford was a former member of the British National Front, a fascist far-right group. Wakeford has since vehemently disavowed the movement and embraced an anti-fascist ideology.
• Emergent subgenres: The neofolk movement has spawned its own subgenres, including martial industrial (also known as military pop). Martial industrial music blends samples of military marches with neoclassical melodies. It also recalls the darkwave movement of the 1980s post-punk scene.
• Continued niche popularity: Although neofolk music has never topped Billboard charts, it retains a dedicated following. Neofolk holds particular currency in the twenty-first-century goth scene. It also remains popular among certain far-right nationalist groups in Europe—a source of consternation for some of the genre’s fan base.

Neofolk musicians tend to be united by a few core elements.

1. 1. Blended instrumentation: Neofolk bands frequently feature both traditional instruments like acoustic guitar and electronic instruments like samplers.
2. 2. Paganism and occultism: Neofolk culture frequently embraces pre-Christian forms of spirituality. Many neofolk releases make reference to the occult, heathenry, paganism, and Eastern religious traditions.
3. 3. Cultural fringe: Neofolk and related genres (like martial industrial and apocalyptic folk) enjoy their most devoted following within niche cultural scenes. In particular, the music is popular with followers of goth culture, neoclassical music, and alternative religion.

A great number of neofolk artists have thrived in the musical underground.

1. 1. Sol Invictus: Sol Invictus, one of the most commercially successful neofolk bands, has been described by founder Tony Wakeford as a "cabaret band from Hell for the fin-de-siècle." Wakeford prefers the term "folk noir" to describe Sol Invictus's music.
2. 2. Current 93: Led by David Tibet, Current 93 has existed since 1982 and counts Andrew W.K. as an alumnus. Songs like "All the Pretty Little Horses" invoke mystery and dread while emphasizing acoustic guitar and subtle synth pads.
3. 3. Tenhi: A Finnish neofolk act, Tenhi works in minimalist musical textures and embraces traditional folk instrumentation.
4. 4. Forseti: Forseti embraces the acoustic side of neofolk. The group is known for numerous folk songs driven by acoustic guitar, violin, flute, and melodica.
5. 5. Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio: Swedish neofolk musicians Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio exemplify the military pop subgenre on tracks like "Let the Words of My Murder Be the Last Words You Hear."

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