American folk music can range from light, airy and something reminiscent of a Thomas Kinkade painting to foot stompin’ country tunes. But Nordic folk music is something different—some of the most metal music ever to be played on traditional and acoustic instruments. Skald is a perfect example. Formed in 2018, this Pagan folk band is visceral, heavy and ritualistic. Their music summons the old gods, calls upon the ancestors and hails the shadows that live behind the trees. This is the type of music to slay one’s enemies and simultaneously celebrate the victory with an animal hide filled with mead while wearing an elk skull and dancing around an infernal fire.
Wed, July 1, 7pm, $25-$30
The Ritz, San Jose
