Neofolk, also known as apocalyptic folk, is a music genre that emerged in the 1980s, blending acoustic folk instrumentation with elements of dark wave and industrial music, often originating from post-punk circles. Its sound draws influences from 1960s folk artists like Leonard Cohen and Comus, with early pioneers including Death In June, Current 93, and Sol Invictus, and later embraced by bands like Swans.
The genre is characterized by its heavy use of archaic, cultural, and literary references, often exploring local traditions, indigenous beliefs, esoteric topics, and various forms of neopaganism and occultism. Runic alphabets, heathen European sites, and an interest in ancient and ancestral themes are common motifs in its aesthetics and lyrics. Sociologist Peter Webb interprets this as a legacy of romantic poetry, serving as a reaction against Enlightenment rationalism.
While many artists align with a broader neopagan revival, figures like David Tibet of Current 93, a foundational band, also delve into apocalyptic and apocryphal literature, sometimes with eccentric spiritual interpretations. The term "apocalyptic folk" itself was initially used by Tibet in the late 1980s and early 1990s to describe his band's music, referring to "apocalyptic folk[s]" (people) rather than the folk music genre directly.