Comus

Comus represents the absolute fringe of the 1970s British folk-rock movement. While contemporaries like Fairport Convention explored traditional ballads, Comus delved into the macabre and the mythological, taking their name from Milton's masque of a lecherous sorcerer.

Their 1971 debut, 'First Utterance', is a landmark of 'freak folk' and progressive folk, characterized by complex time signatures, hand-percussion-heavy arrangements, and a complete lack of keyboards or electric guitars, which was radical for the 'progressive' label at the time. The band's influence is massive within extreme metal and experimental circles; Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth has frequently cited them as a primary influence, even lifting lyrics for album titles. Their sound is defined by a tension between delicate woodwind arrangements and violent, rhythmic acoustic guitar work. Despite a brief, commercially unsuccessful initial run, their cult status grew exponentially through the 1990s and 2000s, leading to a successful reformation that proved their uncompromising vision remained intact decades later.