Skyforger

Kurbads (Metal Blade)

Latvian pagans Skyforger describe sixth folkloric Kurbads as “about a young lad who was born from a bear and a human, became very strong, and went out into the world to fight evil and monsters.” Bagpipes solo (“Son of the Mare”), acoustic underpinnings on a post-Motörhead roots rumble (“Bewitched Forest”), galloping shredfest (“The Devil Slayer”), and Finntroll-like sea shanty intros (“In the Underworld”): Baltic republicans endure.

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This article appears in June 18 • 2010.

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San Francisco native Raoul Hernandez crossed the border into Texas on July 2, 1992, and began writing about music for the Chronicle that fall, debuting with an album review of Keith Richards’ Main Offender. By virtue of local show previews – first “Recommendeds,” now calendar picks – his writing’s appeared in almost every issue since 1993.