KORPIKLAANI and ENSIFERUM: Folkfest of the North

Korpiklaani (Finnish: The Backwoods Clan) is a folk metal band from Finland who were formerly known as Shaman. While other folk metal bands began with metal before adding folk music, Korpiklaani started with folk music before turning metal. The roots of Korpiklaani can be traced back to a Sami folk music group under the name of "Shamaani Duo", an "in house restaurant band" created by Jonne Järvelä in 1993. An album of folk music (Hunka Lunka) was released under this name before Järvelä relocated and "Shamaani Duo" morphed into "Shaman". Shaman was the second incarnation of Korpiklaani, formed in 1996 which is notable for the heavy use of original native Sámic music elements and lyrics in Northern Sámi.

Ensiferum (Latin ēnsiferum, n adj., meaning "sword bearing") is a Finnish folk metal band from Helsinki. The members of the band label themselves as "melodic folk metal." Metal and folk melodies are played on lead guitar or keyboard, overlaying heavier heavy metal backing rhythms such as the classic gallop. The band also include fairly frequent use of acoustic guitars, usually at the beginnings of songs. The lyrical themes of their music most often relate to fantastical, archaic, or historic stories that can most often be grouped in with Nordic concepts, usually with heroic sentiment.

Trollfest (stylized as TrollfesT) are a Norwegian folk metal band. The band released their first full-length album, Willkommen Folk Tell Drekka Fest, on the Solistitium Records label on 15 March 2005. The album name translates roughly to "Welcome Folk To The Drinking Feast" in English. Their second album, Brakebein (2006), was released by Omvina on 24 May 2006. The band performed at the 2007 Barther Metal Openair festival in Germany, which was their first-ever live appearance; in 2008 they played at the pagan metal Ragnarök Festival.