British heavy metal bands Green Lung and Druidess are leading a revival of folk horror themes within the UK metal scene by drawing deeply on British mythology and history in their music. Green Lung’s upcoming fourth album, *Necropolitan*, scheduled for release on September 11 through Nuclear Blast, explores themes inspired by London’s historic "Magnificent Seven" cemeteries from the 19th century and the Necropolis railway, which transported the dead out of the city.

Green Lung’s singer, Tom Templar, views heavy metal’s recent evolution as a contemporary form of folk music. He highlights parallels between the two genres, noting their shared reliance on riff-based structures and recurring themes as ways to reinterpret tradition. The band’s sound, which merges influences from classic rock acts like Deep Purple with the doom-laden tones of Black Sabbath, emphasizes melody and clarity in vocal delivery, reflecting a reverence for both cult and occult histories.

Similarly, Newcastle-based band Druidess, fronted by Shonagh Brown, incorporates folk-horror elements into their work. Brown points to the British metal scene’s longstanding fascination with horror, noting that as modern audiences increasingly seek connection with the natural world, folk traditions resonate as a form of escapism from screen-centered lives. Both bands embrace a vintage analog sound that complements their thematic focus on the past.

The roots of this folk horror metal subgenre can be traced back to the early 1980s with pioneering UK acts such as Witchfinder General and Pagan Altar. Witchfinder General, from Stourbridge, initially gained attention for provocative album covers but have since been credited with founding UK doom metal. Their music, inspired by 1960s horror films and English Civil War lore, infused slow, heavy riffs reminiscent of Black Sabbath in a period that favored faster styles. Guitarist Phil Cope reflected that the band’s approach was out of step with contemporary trends, which limited their commercial success at the time.

Pagan Altar, a South London band, remained more obscure, with a limited early discography and a reputation steeped in occult rumors involving their studio’s location and onstage rituals. Guitarist Alan Jones attributes the group’s interest in the occult to his father Terry’s lyrical influence, which tapped into 1970s Britain’s fascination with folk and esoteric themes. The band’s sound incorporated elements from folk-rock artists such as Steeleye Span and Pentangle, blending mythology with heavy metal.

This intertwining of metal with British folklore evokes a broader historical and cultural context. Interviews reveal that while some European bands have co-opted folklore for nationalist or extremist agendas, British metal artists in this niche actively distance themselves from such associations. Templar, along with other figures in the scene, stresses that UK folk-inspired metal is more closely associated with new-age and countercultural elements rather than any political ideology.

Templar’s own connection to British myth derives from his upbringing in rural Norfolk, where limited entertainment options fostered an imaginative engagement with folklore and horror films like *Evil Dead* and *Dawn of the Dead*. He also credits musicians like Julian Cope for fostering his interest in ancient themes outside Britain’s major music centers.

The revival embraced by Green Lung, Druidess, and others challenges traditional perceptions of British folk culture, which has often been viewed as quaint or overly sentimental. Instead, they seek to uncover its darker, more complex aspects with a boldness that reflects both musical heritage and contemporary creativity within the British heavy metal scene.