Northern Oak Northern Oak Sheffield Founded in early 2006 during a wintry excursion to the Peak District, Northern Oak have been spreading their unique brand of flute-heavy progressive folk metal across Sheffield and the rest of the UK ever since. With a slew of gigs under their belt (including festival shows in Edinburgh, London and Nottingham) and their debut album 'Tales From Rivelin' released to positive reviews in 2008, the ban d have gone from strength to strength with their current lineup, and stand poised to unleash their second full-length 'Monuments', a darker and more complex offering than its predecessor, upon an unsuspecting public. With a rich, organic sound that evokes the lush, tranquil landscape of Derwent Valley then cascades onwards into harsh, jagged chaos reminiscent of the landscapes of the Dark Peak, the music builds from rock-solid, groove-laden foundations and thunderous double-kick work into detailed harmonic overtures as guitar, flute and keyboards complement and harmonise with each other. Overlaying this are vocals which vary from whispered to spoken and screamed to roared, as the music requires. The latest album 'Monuments' was released at the end of 2010, and followed up by gigging and touring throught the country to promote it in 2011. Lyrically, 'Monuments' deals with a number of philosophical topics through a loose, over-arching concept; each song is part of the final writings of a Victorian scholar on his death-bed, with each song discussing either an event in his own life or a historical, mythological or naturalistic story that fascinated him. The black despair he felt over his wife's death ('In These Hills') and a retelling of the myth of Gawain and the Green Knight ('Gawain') are two examples. In keeping with the band's roots, the lyrics often display a strong connection to and appreciation of the endless majesty of nature. 2012 sees Northern Oak hard at work on new material for the next release. Praised for the energetic, powerful and theatrical nature of their live performances, if you would like to see them live near you, then please get in touch! Northern Oak’s tracks Nerthus by Northern Oak published on 2014-08-13T16:51:56Z In These Hills by Northern Oak published on 2012-08-02T17:38:49Z Arbor Low by Northern Oak published on 2012-08-02T17:28:09Z Pavane In G Minor by Northern Oak published on 2012-08-02T17:14:43Z Sun God's Wrath by Northern Oak published on 2012-08-02T17:08:51Z Madness Of The Feral Moon by Northern Oak published on 2012-08-02T17:04:40Z