A Heavy Metal Fan’s List of Irish Traditional Music Bands

A list of traditional Irish music bands that will appeal to heavy metal fans. These bands fuse the sound of Irish traditional music with heavy metal to create a unique and powerful sound.

Celtic Punk

Celtic punk is a subgenre of Celtic rock and punk rock. It combines both traditional Irish music and punk rock. Celtic punk bands often sing in both English and Irish. The Dropkick Murphys are a well-known Celtic punk band. Other bands in this genre include Flogging Molly, The Mahones, and The Real McKenzies.

Flogging Molly

Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish American Celtic punk band from Los Angeles, California. The band’s name is derived from a sailing story told by lead singer Dave King. They are signed to their own label, Borstal Beat Records, and distributed through Vanguard Records. His wife and co-founder, Bridget Regan, plays fiddle. They are known for their heavy metal-influenced sound as well as their highly energetic live shows.

The band formed in Los Angeles in 1997 and released their first album, Swagger, in 2000. Since then they have released six more studio albums: Drunken Lullabies (2002), Within a Mile of Home (2004), Float (2008), Speed of Darkness (2011), Life Is Good (2012), and Spittin’ Image (2017). They have toured relentlessly throughout Europe, the United States, Canada, Asia, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Dropkick Murphys

The Dropkick Murphys are a Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts, USA in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing their debut album Do or Die in 1998. The band’s third studio album, which was released in 2001, peaked at number one on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart.

The Dropkick Murphys have released nine studio albums, two live albums, three compilation albums, and three EPs. They are known for their hits “I’m Shipping Up to Boston”, “Shipping Out to Boston”, and “The Warrior’s Code”.

The Dropkick Murphys were founded in 1996 by vocalist Mike McColgan and bassist Ken Casey. McColgan left the band in 1997 to become the lead singer of The Street Dogs, while Casey took over as lead vocalist. The band’s name comes from a combined reference to pork and beer; “dropkick” is a type of kick used in rugby union, while “murphy” is a slang term for potato.

The Dropkick Murphys have roots in both the Irish-American communities of Boston and New York City. They often play at Fenway Park before Red Sox home games and have played at Yankee Stadium as well.

Celtic Rock

Okay, so Celtic Rock might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of traditional Irish music. But there are actually a lot of great bands out there that fuse traditional Irish instruments and sounds with heavy metal. If you’re a fan of both metal and Irish music, then you’ll definitely want to check out these bands.

The Pogues

The Pogues were a Celtic rock band formed in London in 1982, as part of the post-punk revival. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s due to their eclectic mix of traditional Irish music with punk and rock influences, coupled with their use of profanity-laden lyrics. The band’s membership fluctuated over the years, but was centered around singer-songwriter Shane MacGowan for most of its recording career; other notable members included accordion player James Fearnley and singer Kirsty MacColl, who was married to guitarist Steve Lillywhite.

The Pogues achieved eight UK Top 30 singles between 1985 and 1991, including two UK Top 10 hits: “Fairytale of New York” (1987), which peaked at No. 2 in the UK singles chart, and “Rainy Night in Soho” (1991). The band’s final album before MacGowan’s dismissal, Pogue Mahone (1996), peaked at No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart.

The group reformed several times over the years; most recently from late 2008 until August 2018 whenFearnley retired from touring due to illness.

The Levellers

The Levellers are an English rock band, founded in 1988 and based in Brighton, England. Their name is derived from the 17th century historical faction of the same name. With little initial success, The Levellers broke through with their album Levelling the Land in 1991. The singles “One Way” and “Just the One” were both UK Top 40 hits; while “One Way” peaked at #12, “Just the One” charted at #28.

Folk Metal

Folk metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that developed in Europe during the 1990s. It combines elements of folk music with heavy metal. This can include using traditional instruments in a metal context, using metal elements in a folk context, or using metal and folk elements in a more integrated fashion. Some bands incorporate Celtic, Slavic, or Baltic influences into their music.

Cruachan

Cruachan is a folk metal band from Dublin, Ireland. The band was formed in 1992 and is currently signed to Metal Blade Records. Cruachan is known for their unique blend of traditional Irish music and heavy metal, and have been influential in the folk metal genre.

The band has released seven studio albums, with their most recent, Blood on the Black Robe, being released in 2017. Cruachan has toured extensively throughout Europe and North America, and have played at some of the biggest metal festivals in the world, including Wacken Open Air and Summer Breeze.

If you’re a fan of heavy metal and Irish traditional music, then you should definitely check out Cruachan!

Waylander

Waylander is a five-piece folk metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 2001 by vocalist Darragh Murphy, guitarist Alan Averill, and bassist Ciaran O’Hagan.

The band’s music is heavily influenced by Irish and Celtic mythology, and their lyrics often deal with topics such as Gaelic history, mythology, and folklore. They have released four studio albums: “Reign of the Olden Kings” (2002), “Honour Amongst Kings” (2006), “Eriu’s Children” (2010), and ” Age of Heroes” (2016).

Waylander has toured extensively throughout Europe and North America, performing at festivals such as Wacken Open Air, Bloodstock Open Air, Celticfest Vancouver, and Heavy Montreal.

Folk Punk

Folk punk is a subgenre of punk rock that developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It combines the fast tempos and aggressive guitars of punk rock with the folk music of Ireland, England, and Scotland. Folk punk bands are often characterized by their use of traditional instruments such as the accordion, fiddle, and mandolin.

The Mahones

The Mahones are a folk punk band from Canada, formed in 1990 by Dublin-born Finny McConnell. They are widely considered to be one of the pioneers of the Celtic punk genre. The band’s name comes from Finny’s grandmother, who was born in County Mayo, Ireland.

The Mahones combine elements of traditional Irish music with punk rock, and their lyrics often deal with Irish history and culture. They have released 11 studio albums, as well as numerous EPs and live albums. The Mahones are currently signed to Stomp Records, and their most recent studio album, The Black Irish, was released in 2016.

The Real McKenzies

The Real McKenzies are a folk punk band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The band is signed to Fat Wreck Chords and have released nine studio albums. They are known for their party-friendly brand of Celtic punk.

The Real McKenzies formed in 1992 and are fronted by Scottish-born singer and songwriter Paul McKenzie. The band’s lineup has included many different musicians over the years, but Paul McKenzie has remained the only constant member.

The Real McKenzies’ music is a blend of traditional Scottish folk music and punk rock. Their lyrics often deal with themes of Scottish culture and history, as well as drinking, fighting, and working life.

The Real McKenzies have been staples of the North American Celtic punk scene since the 1990s, and their live shows are energetic and rowdy affairs. If you’re looking for a band that knows how to have a good time, The Real McKenzies are definitely worth checking out!

Celtic Folk

Irish folk music is a genre of folk music associated with Ireland. Irish folk music has survived more strongly in the oral tradition than in the written tradition. It was partly influenced by the music of England and Scotland, but it also had an influence on the development of rock music. Celtic folk bands play a variety of instruments, including the fiddle, accordion, concertina, bodhran, and sometimes the penny whistle.

Solas

Solas is an Irish American Celtic folk band. Formed in 1994, the group is known for their unique sound which combines elements of traditional Irish music with modern influences. Their lineup has included some of the most respected names in Celtic music, including Seamus Egan, Winifred Horan, and Maura O’Connell. They have released 11 studio albums and have toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Lunasa

Lunasa is a Celtic music band formed in 1997 and composed of some of the best traditional Irish musicians. The band has toured extensively and released several albums, all to critical acclaim. If you’re a fan of Irish traditional music, or even just Celtic music in general, then Lunasa is a band you need to check out.