Medieval music has no direct relation to Gothic music. It is listened to in the black scene not out of tradition, but out of love for the medieval goings-on. At many gothic events there is also a medieval market somewhere. This is how bands like In Extremo, Subway to Sally, Schandmaul and Corvus Corax found their fan base in the black scene.
There are points of contact here and there with New German Hardness like Ragnaröek, with Gothic Metal like Umbra et Imago or Gothic Rock like Saltatio Mortis. Lyrically, however, things are quite different. Here, the songs tell stories from times gone by, or even original texts from the Middle Ages are set to music. Old instruments like the shawm, bagpipes and flute are joined by electric guitars and keyboards. There are points of contact with neo-folk, for example, through bands like Faun or Omnia, who also perform at medieval markets. In good old medieval style, there are also medieval things to see on stage, for example fire shows, bagpipe duels, jesters and kings. Well-known representatives of medieval rock are also Letzte Instanz, Rabenschrey, Schlemisch and Tanzwut.
Medieval rock has recently opened up the black scene to another neighbouring genre, pirate folk rock. Here, best known representatives are Ye Banished Privateers.
