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Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = Cruachan| image = Cruachan at Global East Rock Festival 2010 (1).jpg| caption = Cruachan playing at Global East Rock Festival|Global East Rock Festival 2010 | image_size = 250| background = group_or_band| alias =| origin = Dublin , Republic of Ireland|Ireland | genre = Celtic metal Black metal | years_active = 1992–1997, 1999–present| label = Candlelight Records AFM Records|AFM Karmageddon Media Hammerheart Records|Hammerheart Nazgul's Eyrie Productions| associated_acts =| website = http://www.cruachan.cjb.net www.cruachan.cjb.net| current_members = Keith Fay John O' Fathaigh John Clohessy Colin Purcell John Ryan Will| past_members = Karen Gilligan Jay O'Niell Collete O'Fathaigh Leon Bias Aisling Hanrahan Joe Farrell Cruachan kroo-a-khawn is a Celtic metal band from Dublin , Republic of Ireland|Ireland that has been active since the 1990s. They have been acclaimed as having "gone the greatest lengths of anyone in their attempts to expand" the genre of folk metal . They are recognised as one of the founders of the genre of folk metal. With a specific focus on Celtic music and the use of Celtic mythology in their lyrics, Cruachan's style of folk metal is known as Celtic metal .cite web |author=Bowar, Chad |title=What Is Heavy Metal? |url= http://heavymetal.about.com/od/heavymetal101/a/101_history.htm |publisher=About.com |accessdate=March 21, 2008 The band named themselves after the archaeological site of Rathcroghan in Ireland also known as Cruachan.
Biography
Keith Fay had formed a J. R. R. Tolkien|Tolkien -inspired black metal band by the name of Minas Tirith in 1991.cite web |author=Bolther, Giancarlo |title=Interview with Keith Fay of Cruachan |publisher=Rock-impressions.com |url= http://www.rock-impressions.com/cruachan_inter1e.htm |accessdate=March 21, 2008 Around the same time, he began listening to more folk music and picked up Skyclad (band)|Skyclad 's debut album The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth . Originally released in 1990, this "ambitious" and "groundbreaking" albumcite web |author=Rivadavia, Eduardo |title= AMG The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth Review |publisher=Allmusic.com |url=Allmusic|class=album|id=r18176|pure_url=yes |accessdate=March 21, 2008 made an impact on Fay and he set out to combine black metal with the folk music of Ireland . In 1992, Keith Fay formed Cruachan with a Demo (music)|demo recording distributed in 1993.cite web |author=Sharpe-Young, Garry |title=MusicMight Cruachan Biography |url= http://www.musicmight.com/linkto/artist/{997A556B-08ED-42BA-BB39-F45D101 |publisher=MusicMight.com |accessdate=March 21, 2008 Keith Fay also credits the Irish rock band Horslips as a "huge influence on Cruachan," further noting that "what they were doing in the 70's is the equivalent of what we do now."
The year 1995 saw the release of Cruachan's debut album Tuatha Na Gael , an album that "suffered under poor production."cite web |author=Palmares, Pedro |url= http://cruachan.metalfan.nl/media_archives/interviews/diehard_inter.htm |title=Interview with Keith Fay of Cruachan |publisher=cruachan.metalfan.nl |accessdate=March 21, 2008 On the strength of this album, the band received attention from Century Media Records . The band found it amazing to receive interest from "such a big label" but were dismayed at the terms and conditions of the offered recording deal.cite web |author=Vonberg, Horst |title=Interview with Keith Fay of Cruachan |url= http://www.lordsofmetal.nl/showinterview.php? id=88& lang=en |publisher=Lordsofmetal.nl |accessdate=March 21, 2008 They refused to sign a "very poor contract" that would have given the record label "the rights to change every aspect of our music." After "lengthy negotiations failed to yield a deal with Century Media Records",cite web |author=Rivadavia, Eduardo |title=AMG Cruachan |url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p469536/biography|pure_url=yes |publisher=Allmusic.com |accessdate=March 21, 2008 the band disbanded in 1997.
Cruachan reformed in January 1999 and after signing a recording deal with Karmageddon Media|Hammerheart Records , they released a second album The Middle Kingdom (album)|The Middle Kingdom in 2000. By this time, the band had dropped the black metal style in favor of a more traditional metal sound. They also expanded the roster by inviting guest vocalist Karen Gilligan to be a full-fledged member of the group. Their subsequent album Folk-Lore was co-produced by Shane McGowan of The Pogues fame.cite web |author=Stefanis, John |title=Interview with Keith Fay of Cruachan |url= http://www.getreadytorock.com/pure_metal/cruachan.htm |publisher=Getreadytorock.com |accessdate=February 21, 2008 Shane McGowan also contributed vocals to two covers of traditional Irish songs, " Spancill Hill " and "Ride On." The latter was released as a single and the band experienced a small taste of commercial success when it entered the Irish charts.cite web |author=Eldefors, Vincent |title=Interview with Keith Fay of Cruachan |url= http://www.tartareandesire.com/interviews/cruachan.html |publisher=Tartareandesire.com |accessdate=March 21, 2008
The band released their fourth studio album Pagan (album)|Pagan in 2004 with cover artwork by John Howe (illustrator)|John Howe .cite web |title=CRUACHAN Announce Album-Launch Celebration |date=2004-03-10 |url= http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx? mode=Article& newsitemID=20215 |publisher= Blabbermouth.net |accessdate=2008-12-13 The production on the album was subsequently criticized by frontman Keith Fay as "terrible".cite web |title=CRUACHAN Frontman Explains Russian Concert Cancellations |date=2006-11-12 |url= http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx? mode=Article& newsitemID=62065 |publisher= Blabbermouth.net |accessdate=2008-12-13 In 2005, the band parted ways with their label Karmageddon Media "on good terms."cite web |title=CRUACHAN Part Ways With KARMAGEDDON MEDIA - May 27, 2005 |date=2005-05-27 |url= http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx? mode=Article& newsitemID=37289 |publisher= Blabbermouth.net |accessdate=2008-12-13 For the band's fifth album, Cruachan returned to the same Sun Studios where they had recorded their first three albums.cite web |title=CRUACHAN Prepare To Record New Album |date=2006-01-10 |url= http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx? mode=Article& newsitemID=46636 |publisher= Blabbermouth.net |accessdate=2008-12-13 The result was '' The Morrigan's Call '', an effort that Keith Fay described as their "best work to date, in every aspect." The album was released in November 2006 through AFM Records .cite web |title=CRUACHAN Confirmed For Belgium's NEPHEREX FEST II |date=2008-01-08 |url= http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx? mode=Article& newsitemID=87986 |publisher= Blabbermouth.net |accessdate=2008-12-13 Drummer Joe Farrell left the band shortly thereafter due to "personal reasons" and was replaced by Colin Purcell.cite web |title=CRUACHAN Parts Ways With Drummer, Announces Replacement |date=2007-01-16 |url= http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx? mode=Article& newsitemID=65377 |publisher= Blabbermouth.net |accessdate=2008-12-13
A further line-up change occurred in December 2008 as vocalist Karen Gilligan left the band "on good terms for various reasons."cite web |title=Female Singer KAREN GILLIGAN Quits Ireland's CRUACHAN |date=2008-12-07 |url= http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx? mode=Article& newsitemID=110384 |publisher= Blabbermouth.net |accessdate=2008-12-13 Keith Fay announced that he "will take over full-time vocal duties while John Ryan and John O' Fathaigh will take on backing vocal roles."
A demo was recorded in 2010 which showed Cruachan's return to a much harder more Black Metal influenced style. This demo was sent to specific record labels only and Candlelight Records UK signed Cruachan in June 2010. Their next album was released in 2011.
On the morning of February 20, 2011, Keith Fay was brutally assaulted by about 15 men after leaving a nightclub in Dublin. Fay survived the attack with a broken rib, a knife-wound, and extensive bruising.cite web |title=CRUACHAN Frontman 'Savagely Attacked' In Dublin |date=2011-03-04 |url= http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx? mode=Article& newsitemID=154922 |publisher= Blabbermouth.net |accessdate=2011-03-16
Discography
Studio albums
Tuatha Na Gael (1995)
The Middle Kingdom (album)|The Middle Kingdom (2000)
Folk-Lore (2002)
Pagan (album)|Pagan (2004)
'' The Morrigan's Call (2006)
Blood on the Black Robe (2011)
Singles
"Ride On" (2001)
"The Very Wild Rover" (2006)
Demos
Celtica (Demo, 1994)
''Promo '97 (Demo, 1997, also included with 2001 bootleg of Tuatha Na Gael )
Untitled (Demo, 2010, led to new record deal with Candlelight records)
Compilations
A Celtic Trilogy (2002 boxed set of Tuatha Na Gael , The Middle Kingdom and Folk-Lore in picture LP album|LP format, limited to 500 copies)
http://www.cruachanireland.com/ Cruachan - Official Site - cruachanireland.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cruachan/123071141091065 Cruachan - Official Facebook Page
http://www.myspace.com/cruachanfanpage/ Cruachan - Official MySpace
DEFAULTSORT:Cruachan Category:Celtic fusion groups Category:Celtic metal musical groups Category:Irish heavy metal musical groups Category:Irish black metal musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 1992 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1997 Category:Musical groups reestablished in 1999 Category:Musical quintets
