Osi and the Jupiter

Lore & Background

Earlier records were compared to the Nordic-folk sounds of Wardruna and Heilung. After 2020's Appalachia, named for the Appalachia region of the USA, the band began to lean into more Anglo folk music traditions. Kratz said of the album, 'Appalachia, these hills, have a mythical and old calling to them.' In 2021, they released Stave, whose title was inspired by galdrastafir, or Icelandic magical staves. Reviewers called the album 'reflective, sorrowful, sage and soothing' and 'an emotive and intriguing listen.'

Reader's Guide

Osi and the Jupiter occupy a distinctive niche within the neo-folk genre, bridging American and European folk traditions. Their work, released through the German label Eisenwald, has been noted for its thematic depth, exploring nature spirituality and global folklore. The band's stylistic shift after 2020's Appalachia—from Nordic-influenced sounds to Anglo folk traditions—marks a notable evolution in their discography. Their collaboration album, Songs of Origin and Spirit, with other Eisenwald artists, underscores their integration into the underground folk and metal scene. While not widely known in mainstream music, their recordings have garnered critical attention for their atmospheric and reflective qualities, as seen in reviews of Stave. The duo's use of cello and multi-instrumental arrangements contributes to their orchestral folk sound, and their consistent output since 2015 has established them as a steady presence in the genre.

Did You Know?

• They have released four records as of 2021, including Halls of the Wolf (2016), Appalachia (2020), and Stave (2021).
• They released a collaboration album, Songs of Origin and Spirit, with other bands on the Eisenwald label.

Origins & the Duo Behind the Name

Osi and the Jupiter emerged in 2015 from Kent, Ohio, as a neo-folk pairing built around two musicians with distinct roles. Sean Kratz handles songwriting and multi-instrumental performance, while Kakaphonix brings the cello to the table, giving the duo's arrangements a deep, resonant low end. The band's name is a small domestic detail made public: it honors Kratz's two German Shepherd dogs, Osiris and Jupiter. Rather than a grand mythological reference, the title traces back to a pair of pets in a Midwestern household, which lends the project an intimate, grounded quality from the very start. This personal naming choice sits in interesting contrast to the band's later thematic preoccupations with ancient folklore and spiritual mysticism. The Kent, Ohio base also anchors the group firmly in the American heartland, a geographic identity that would later surface explicitly in their album choices and sonic direction.

Sound, Influences & Thematic Core

Critics have characterized the duo's output as paganistic folk layered with orchestral grandeur, praising the recordings as authentic and beautiful tributes to traditional mysticism. In interviews, Kratz has pointed to a surprisingly eclectic set of influences: the American singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt, the Italian progressive rock ensemble Goblin, and the experimental Norwegian project Ulver. This mix of roots-country storytelling, cinematic Italian rock, and avant-garde Norwegian sound helps explain the band's willingness to blend intimate vocal delivery with sweeping, atmospheric production. Thematically, the records orbit two central ideas: the spiritual journey of reconnecting with the natural world, and folklore drawn from cultures around the globe. The result is music that feels simultaneously personal and archetypal, as though a single songwriter in Ohio is channeling a much older, more universal tradition of human beings making meaning out of landscape, season, and story.

Discography & the Shift Toward Anglo Folk

Since their 2015 formation, Osi and the Jupiter have issued five releases, including the 2016 record Halls of the Wolf, the 2020 album Appalachia, and the 2021 follow-up Stave. Early in their catalog, reviewers drew comparisons to the Nordic-folk projects Wardruna and Heilung, suggesting a sound rooted in Scandinavian ritual and drone. That trajectory shifted noticeably with Appalachia, an album named for the American mountain region and its deep cultural heritage. Kratz described the hills as carrying a mythical and old calling, signaling a deliberate turn toward Anglo folk traditions. The next release, Stave, took its title from galdrastafir, ancient Icelandic magical staves, and was received as reflective, sorrowful, sage, and soothing, an emotive and intriguing listen. Across these records the duo has demonstrated a clear arc: from a broad, pan-European folk palette to a more focused engagement with the specific landscapes and musical lineages of the English-speaking world.

Eisenwald & the Underground Folk-Metal Circuit

A significant portion of Osi and the Jupiter's output has been released through Eisenwald, a German label specializing in underground folk and metal. This partnership places the Kent, Ohio duo squarely within a European independent scene that values traditional instrumentation, mythic subject matter, and a DIY ethos. Working with Eisenwald has meant not only distribution for their solo records but also a collaborative opportunity: the label-compiled album Songs of Origin and Spirit, which pairs Osi and the Jupiter with fellow artists on the roster. This kind of cross-band collaboration is characteristic of the underground folk and metal community, where labels function as creative hubs rather than mere distribution channels. For a two-piece from the American Midwest, the Eisenwald connection underscores how the band's sound, cello-driven, mystically themed, and rooted in oral tradition, resonates with a European audience that has long cultivated similar aesthetic values. It also highlights the transnational nature of contemporary neo-folk, where geographic origin matters less than shared reverence for old forms.