Finnish primal doom metal maniacs Cardinals Folly invade The Regal Beagle in Ypsilanti with Warhorses and Saga.

Cardinals Folly bring the metal to Ypsilanti

Carrying the banner of traditional heavy metal and doom into The Regal Beagle in Ypsilanti is Cardinals Folly from Finland. Led by bassist Mikko Kääriäinen, the band is touring in support of their latest album, Live By The Sword. Dubbed the “Deranging Priests Across the US” tour, Mikko is joined by Matt Close (guitar) and Holden Caw (drums) from the Wisconsin band Zipper to bring the metal to Michigan.

Saga

Just as Saga hit the stage to get the music started at The Regal Beagle, the fog machine went on overdrive. You could not see your hand in front of your face, let alone the band. Their primal metal music had to speak for itself without the ability to see the band in action. Raw and dangerous, the band is capable, with the bass taking center stage with an attack reminiscent of the legendary John Entwisle of The Who. As the fog began to clear, you could finally see the band putting all they had into their music. If you dig the early metal of Manowar, you will dig Saga.

Warhorses

While Warhorses are certainly heavy, throwing them into this heavy metal mixer felt like an odd pairing. Nonetheless, Warhorses do what Warhorses do; they rock! In a way, I thought of them as that sweet cream in the middle of an Oreo cookie. Punchy driving rhythm helmed by the twin titans of thunder Kristin Lyn (drums) and Nathan Miller (bass) were the order of the day, making the sweet treat of their music much more delicious. Mike Alexander left his guitar at home, which meant that his entire focus was on his vocals, which were vivid and vociferous. This left the field open for the raging guitar of EZ Myers to invoke a wall of sound that resonated through us. Warhorses left us with a deep cut off their Shadow Gold album, the doomy psychedelic trance of “Tue L’Amour.”

Cardinals Folly

For the curious (like me), Cardinals Folly takes its name from a setting in Dennis Wheatley’s The Duke de Richleau book series, particularly the best-selling novel of the occult called The Devil Rides Out. This is fitting as their hard-hitting music delves into the dark abyss with themes of the occult and mysticism. What more could you ask for in a heavy metal band?

The music of Cardinals Folly reminds me of the early days of heavy metal. There is the heaviness of Trouble and Cathedral with a bit of the metal fist found in bands such as Cirith Ungol and Witchfinder General. You definitely wanted to raise a spiked gauntlet into the air when Cardinals Folly charged into the galloping beat of “Deranged Pagan Sons.” More headbang ensued with “Luciferian” of their latest album. Energetic and passionate, Cardinals Folly put on a classic heavy metal show, which was a ton of fun. They wrapped up their set with a homage to Wes Craven with the fist-pumping “Last House on the Left.”

Pictures

There are more photos in our galleries of Cardinals Folly, Warhorses, and Saga from the Regal Beagle in Ypsilanti. Check them out, and if you dig them, consider donating to help keep the lights on.

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