National imagery in Finnish folk metal : lyrics, Facebook and beyond

Abstract

Folk metal is a music genre originated from heavy metal music. For many artists and fans, folk metal is more than just music: it is a way of revitalising tradition. Folk metal is then a genre which is closely related to individual’s cultural identities. As part of popular culture, heavy metal has been investigated for instance in the fields of cultural studies and psychology. Andrew Brown investigates how heavy metal emerged as subject for academic research. Deena Weinstein approaches heavy metal as culture and behaviour that is shared by individuals from different cultural backgrounds. However, subgenres like folk metal have not yet been explored in depth by academics. Analysing folk metal’s nuances in specific national contexts would provide further knowledge on national cultures and identities. One example of folk metal reflecting elements of national culture is Finnish folk metal. The bands whose works belong to this genre usually draw from Finnish culture to compose their works, which usually feature stories from a variety of traditional sources such as the epic book Kalevala. Such stories are then transposed into new media, disseminating the artists’ concept of Finnishness. By applying Henry Jenkins' transmedia theory and Matthew Jockers' macroanalysis, this study will focus on how bands make use of traditional narratives to build Finnish culture to their fans via lyrics and Facebook pages. It has been concluded that Finnish artists not only base their works on traditional sources, but also collectively reshape their tradition through and for their fans.