Skyclad is an English heavy metal band heavily influenced by folk. They are considered pioneers of folk metal. The term "skyclad" originates from a pagan/wiccan concept referring to ritual nudity, where rituals are performed with participants metaphorically clothed only by the sky, symbolising equality. The name reflects both the band's religious inclinations and their social beliefs, as expressed in the song "Skyclad" on their debut album.
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The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth is the debut album by British folk metal band Skyclad. Though still rooted in thrash, it is regarded as one of the first folk metal albums, with the track "The Widdershins Jig" in particular pointing the way for the genre. Front cover artwork is by Garry Sharpe-Young.
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, Dutch Heidevolk, Danish Sylvatica and Spanish Stone of Erech). It also sometimes features soft instrumentation influenced by folk rock.
The earliest folk metal bands were Skyclad from England and Cruachan from Ireland. Skyclad's debut album The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth was released in 1991 and would be considered a thrash metal album with some folk influences, unlike Cruachan’s early work which embraced the folk element as a defining part of their sound. It was not until 1994 and 1995 that other early contributors in the genre began to emerge from different regions of Europe and beyond. Among these early groups, the German band Subway to Sally spearheaded a different regional variation that over time became known as medieval metal. Despite their contributions, folk metal remained little known with few representatives during the 1990s. It was not until the early 2000s when the genre exploded into prominence, particularly in Finland with the efforts of such groups as Finntroll, Ensiferum, Korpiklaani, Turisas, and Moonsorrow.