I'm looking for some metal (or other genres if you want, like ambient, folk, etc, but preferably metal) that takes obvious inspiration from natural settings. The sort of thing that can put you in the place they're describing.

Examples include The Days In September which is inspired by Autumn, Alpenland II which is inspired by mountains, or Ode To the Nightsky, which is inspired by outer space.

if you need more examples, there you go.

Darkspace, Alrakis, Vinterriket (Ambient most of the time)..

hm, based on the things you described (less from the examples you've given), I would recommend this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmBbGpsUOIU
and this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd6DAZD2s9I

enjoy

Is Agalloch too obvious?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ave0TvPi0DI

If Agalloch isn't setting-specific enough, you can also try Wolves in the Throne Room.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvnCLkeHtL8

Then there's October Falls' latest album "A Collapse of Faith."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm1zjGrsO_U

Immortal Souls also plays a style of Melodic Death metal that the band describes as 'Winter metal' which I think is entirely appropriate, check out their album "Wintereich."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjAiOuJAHds

There's also the German BM band Geist, their theme is the sea, and they do it with a very compelling amount of subtlety in their album "Galeere."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4sgIo33 ... ure=relmfu

If you don't mind some rather quirky Folk metal, Dalriada's "Ígéret" is very reminiscent of summery meadows (I mean, look at that album cover).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo-QYcdX ... re=related (P.S. the song didn't get cut out, it's really just 4:32 and the video just goes on anyway for some reason)

EDIT: Spaaaaaaace!

There are tons of black metal, black ambient and pagan bands that put you in the setting of a forest or fields that I don't know where to start.

Forest Stream's debut album is a doom band that puts you in the setting of the band name.
Paysage D'hiver puts you in a cold blizzard. Same goes for I.C.E., Immortal's Battles in the North, and Blut Aus Nord's debut.
Wyrd's Heathen is a single song epic album putting you in the setting of raw nature in a warm way.

Those are some just for starters.

Progenie Terrestre Pura. Awesome space-themed atmospheric BM:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBGsv048OPc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOy27k7SWIs
Best part? The demo's free on their bandcamp page.

Non-metal: Mike Oldfield - Hergest Ridge.

Well, here is a band with a lot of lyrics about space.

Aurora Borealis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIDD71otOzA

I know Aurora Borealis, one of my favorite bands, actually. \m/ The funny thing about Aurora Borealis is that they really don't have an atmosphere except for maybe a minute on one or two songs per album, but they still give me, personally, that feeling of atmosphere in most of their songs anyway.

That sounds nice. Especially the fields part. Find a place to start and name a few.

I've checked out some of the suggestions people have put, I really liked them so far. (Even though I already knew a few, but that could be helpful for others that are into this style, too.)

'Blood of the Black Owl' is a Black Doom one-man band out of Washington who has a very heavy handed nature theme about his music complete with nature samples, flutes, hand drums and other naturey stuff over some actually pretty sinister sounding metal. It's very repetitive (as goes with most Doom) so it requires some patience but I find this music quite rewarding. Hopefully you do too.

http://youtu.be/i4TuxjaNlrI
http://youtu.be/S9atk5_z-WM
http://youtu.be/lfyTX3D3oW8
http://youtu.be/AixeNYyn6qg

Seconding Darkspace, of course! They're essential.

For fields, how about Empyrium's "Songs of Moors and Misty Fields"? It's definitely nature-inspired, but in terms of atmosphere, I think it's more devoted to melancholy itself than to conveying the fieldy-ness. But still, it does evoke those images and so on.

Ah, right. Actually, all Empyrium is nature-inspired. Also Vintersorg and Borknagar, both for "earthly" nature and space.

Canada's Black Lotus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-hVPajQe5A

Nice list you've compiled

Wow, good list. Covered pretty much anything I was going to rec. Looks like I myself will be busy looking through those for the next little while. Cheers!

You should listen to Askival and Woodensthrone.. Great bands imo!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCCnL0XQAtM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LecYsiGeauc

Hope you like it

[quote="ClaymanOnFire"]Is Agalloch too obvious?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ave0TvPi0DI

If Agalloch isn't setting-specific enough, you can also try Wolves in the Throne Room.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvnCLkeHtL8

Then there's October Falls' latest album "A Collapse of Faith."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hm1zjGrsO_U

Immortal Souls also plays a style of Melodic Death metal that the band describes as 'Winter metal' which I think is entirely appropriate, check out their album "Wintereich."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjAiOuJAHds

There's also the German BM band Geist, their theme is the sea, and they do it with a very compelling amount of subtlety in their album "Galeere."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4sgIo33 ... ure=relmfu

If you don't mind some rather quirky Folk metal, Dalriada's "Ígéret" is very reminiscent of summery meadows (I mean, look at that album cover).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo-QYcdX ... re=related (P.S. the song didn't get cut out, it's really just 4:32 and the video just goes on anyway for some reason)

Thanks for mentioning October Falls. I'm listening to this album now, it is such beautiful music. I just came home from hiking all day and this matches my mood perfectly. Thanks again!

Tenhi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu9YFMuz17U


Just do it.

Appalachian Winter is an epic black metal band that is obsessed with mountains and obviously winter. This one man band has a lot of Ensiferum-esque clean choruses and gives its music for free download.

Seconding the "Looming Resonance" link by Wolves in the Throne Room. That band creates some of the best atmosphere in all of music

You might also check out Vindensang. The full-length is mostly on their ambient side.

Here's a sample of Vindensang

I would also recommend Falls of Rauros
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax7qTj0a ... re=related