It’s folk. It’s metal. It’s six Finnish guys covered in leather, mesh and black and red body paint. It’s Turisas. Started in 1997 by frontman Mathias Nygard and guitarist Jussi Wickstrom (two of only three remaining original members after a dozen have come and gone), the band spent years keeping to themselves before releasing their first full-length in 2004, Battle Metal. Since there’s no other way to describe the band’s blend of ambitious metal and elective violin breakdowns, their album title became a genre. With 2007’s The Varangian Way, Turisas expanded its European following and spent three years touring worldwide on the sophomore album before returning to the studios for Stand Up and Fight. A maturation of their metal style, the third record introduces full classical horn and string sections to reinforce the opera-style vocals. In the works and expected out this May is the band’s unnamed fourth album, the first for the current lineup after losing a drummer and bassist last year. (Nikki Hunt)