Waylander are an Irish

folk metal Folk metal is a fusion genre of heavy metal music and traditional folk music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. It is characterised by the widespread use of folk instruments and, to a lesser extent, traditional singing styles (for example ...

band influential in the realms of

Celtic metal Celtic metal is a subgenre of folk metal that emerged in Ireland during the early 1990s. It fuses the intensity of heavy metal with traditional Celtic music, incorporating instruments such as the tin whistle, bodhrán, and uilleann pipes. The g ...

. Formed in 1993, the band blends traditional Irish folk with 1990s heavy metal.

History

Formed in 1993, Waylander released their debut demo, '' Once Upon an Era'', in early 1995, mixing Irish folk music with

extreme metal Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal, and visual tran ...

. Waylander were soon dubbed folk, Celtic and

pagan metal Pagan metal is a genre of heavy metal music which fuses extreme metal with " the pre-Christian traditions of a specific culture or region" through thematic concept, rustic melodies, unusual instruments or archaic languages, Wiederhorn 2009, p. 6 ...

. In 1996, with the addition of a full-time

tin whistle The tin whistle, also known as the penny whistle, is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is a type of fipple flute, a class of instrument which also includes the recorder and Native American flute. A tin whistle player is called a whistl ...

player, Waylander released their second demo, '' Dawning of a New Age'', which soon gained the band a prominent position in the folk metal scene. This was cemented when Waylander signed to

Century Media Records Century Media Records is a German heavy metal record label with offices in Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom. In August 2015, Century Media was acquired by Sony Music for US$17 million. Background Century Media was founded by R ...

, and in 1998 their debut album was released, entitled '' Reawakening Pride Once Lost''. A handful of gigs were undertaken to promote this album but label problems and internal strife blunted the potential somewhat. After overcoming some line-up changes, Waylander signed with Blackend Records and released their '' The Light, the Dark and the Endless Knot'' album in early 2001. Again internal strife reared up, culminating in numerous line-up changes for several years. Despite this Waylander managed to perform some notable gigs, including the Bloodstock and Day of Darkness festivals, as well as gigs with Ancient Rites,

Cathedral A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...

, Sabbat and Skyforger. In 2005, joining original members ArdChieftain O' Hagan, Michael Proctor, and Den Ferran were Saul McMichael and Gareth Murdock on guitars. Waylander have signed a deal with

Listenable Records Listenable Records is an independent metal label officially founded in 1997 in France. The label specializes in metal, with a focus on extreme metal music. Releasing 7inches by soon to be legendary bands like Immortal, My Dying Bride, in its e ...

and Waylander's new third album, entitled '' Honour Amongst Chaos'', is "more powerful and beautiful than ever, using a vast array of Irish folk instruments and armed with their passion for metal in its truest form", according to a press release. "Blending epic atmospheres and relentless brutality, ''Honour Amongst Chaos'' reflects the heart and soul of pagan warriors worldwide." Waylander's debut album, ''Reawakening Pride Once Lost'', has been re-released by Midhir Records on CD and vinyl. In 2009, Gareth Murdock left the band to be the new bassist for Alestorm.

Discography

Studio albums

* '' Reawakening Pride Once Lost'' (1998) * '' The Light, the Dark and the Endless Knot'' (2001) * '' Honour Amongst Chaos'' (2008) * '' Kindred Spirits'' (2012) * ''Ériú's Wheel'' (2019)

Demo albums

* '' Once Upon an Era'' (1994) * '' Dawning of a New Age'' (1996)

Members

Current members

*Ciaran O'Hagan –

vocals Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define sing ...

*Saul McMichael –

guitars The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

*Dave Briggs –

Irish bouzouki The Irish bouzouki () is an adaptation of the Greek bouzouki (Greek: μπουζούκι). The newer Greek ''tetrachordo'' bouzouki (4 courses of strings) was introduced into Irish traditional music in the mid-1960s by Johnny Moynihan of ...

mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...

bodhrán The bodhrán (, ; plural ''bodhráin'') is a frame drum used in Irish music ranging from in diameter, with most drums measuring . The sides of the drum are deep. A Goatskin (material), goatskin head is tacked to one side (synthetic heads or ot ...

*Tor Dennison – guitars *Lee McCartney –

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

*Murzo McMurzo –

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...

Former members

*Den Ferren – drums *Jason Barriskill – bass *Baylers – guitars *Peter Boylan – guitars *Dermot O'Hagan – guitars *Michael Proctor – bass *Máirtín Mac Cormaic – tin whistle, bodhrán *Bo Murphy – drums *Owen Bowden – guitars *Nick Shannon – drums *Kevin Canavan – guitars *Fearghal Duffy – guitars *Alan Connolly – guitars *Gareth Murdock – guitars *Ade Mulgrew – guitars *Hugh O'Neill – guitars *Steve Reynolds – bass Timeline

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Waylander Heavy metal musical groups from Northern Ireland Celtic metal musical groups British black metal musical groups British folk metal musical groups British musical sextets Musical groups established in 1993 Listenable Records artists Century Media Records artists