TUESDAY: To many people, the massively popular Kailash Kher and Kailasa make world music. But to millions of Indians, the Sufi-informed combination of Kher's soaring vocals and the techo-tinged sounds of Kailasa (brothers Naresh and Paresh Kamath) is simply modern folk with pop twists. Their first international CD, "Yatra (Nomadic Souls)," is what brings them to the U.S., but you can bet the place will be packed with Indians shouting requests for Kher's numerous Bollywood classics.

After the jump: Listen to all of "Yatra (Nomadic Souls)."

» Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW; Tue., Nov. 10, $25-$45; 800-551-7328. (Foggy Bottom-GWU)

After the jump: Check the video for "Paisley Pattern Ground" plus some live clips for proof of the band's style-filled substance. Plus, download a free MP3 of the howler "Gloomy Monday Morning."

» The Metro Gallery, 1700 North Charles St., Baltimore, Md.; with Title Tracks, Bryan Scary, Baby Aspirin, Wed., Nov. 11, 8 p.m., $8; 410-244-0899.

Photo courtesy Big Hassle Media

After the jump: See the video for "The Show" and several other songs.

» Rock and Roll Hotel, 1353 H St. NE; with Colin Smith, Danni Rosner, Mon., Nov. 9, 7 p.m., $15; 202-388-7625.

Photo courtesy Big Hassle

IF THE PHOTO didn't tip you off, Ensiferum's name is Latin for "sword bearing," and the band does love the heavy metal.

But the group's music is self-described "heroic folk metal," and there is no better definition for the Finnish band's mixture of galloping Nordic rhythms, chugging distorted guitars and fantastical lyrics that sound like they're ripped from the "Kalevala," the country's magnum opus folk poem.

Ensiferum is part of a small but strong collection of Finnish bands who have explored their country's long heritage, musically and lyrically, under the modern umbrella of metal. The 14-year-old group's new CD, "From Afar" (Spinefarm), is another action-packed epic, soaked in blood and grain alcohol. It's pure fantasy music for those who mark down dates for the Medieval Faire a year in advance.

Ex Deo had to cancel its U.S. tour, which was to start this week at Jaxx; see explanation at the end of this story.

THE NUMBER OF metal songs about war and destruction are legion.

But an entire concept album about the mayhem, devastation and power Ancient Rome is rarefied territory.

Maurizio Iacono has chopped his way through extreme music for nearly two decades as the leader of the veteran Canadian death-metal band Kataklysm, but he adopted a new moniker for "Romulus" (Nuclear Blast), the debut album by his Ex Deo project.

"I needed to create something different," Iacono said on the new name, "that had its own life and that I could expand on."

This despite Kataklysm guitarist Jean-Francois Dagenais producing and playing on "Romulus," as do band mates Stephane Barbe (guitar) and Max Duhamel (drums). Ex Deo also features Martyr's Francois Mongrain (bass) and Blackguard's Jonathan Leduc (keyboards) as core members, and "Romulus" includes guest spots from Karl Sanders (Nile), Obsidian C. (Keep of Kalessin) and Nergal (Behemoth).

It's an all-star project, but it's all Iacono's vision, which he's been developing for several years now. In fact, he first gave a taste of "Romulus'" theme on the Kataklysm's 2001 album, "Epic: The Poetry of War."

"'Epic' was a test for me, and it was only two songs that I touched on the subject [of Rome] very vaguely," Iacono said. "As Kataklysm grew into this other monster — it took its own form and identity more into the modern world — and its concept was very different from that of ancient views."

It's not just the concept that separates Ex Deo from Iacono's other band. The music also differs quite a bit from Kataklysm's self-described "northern hyperblast" style: Iacono's Ex Deo's vocals are cleaner, the songs' build-ups are more symphonic, and its brutal death metal is balanced by more cinematic melodies.

"Romulus" isn't a chronological take on the rise and fall of Rome; it's a series of 11 well-researched tales about battles ("Storm the Gates of Alesia," "The Final War," "Cry Havor") and emperors (the title track and first single is about Romulus Augustus, the last Western emperor before the fall of Rome). The second single, "In Her Dark Embrace," is something of love song to the Roman Empire — which, despite all the blood and savagery, could also be said about the entire "Romulus" CD.

"Today's world and the ancient world of the Roman Empire are definitely similar," Iacono said. "We fight wars for the same reasons, we have the same political structures, we have recreations that are similar. It's undeniable to see the influence of ancient Rome to today's world, especially on America."

Below, Iacono further explained the literary and cinematic influences on "Romulus."

EL PERRO DEL MAR is Sarah Assbring, alone. While Rasmus Hagg is the incredibly important co-producer behind the Swedish singer-songwriter's latest, "Love Is Not Pop" (The Control Group), the lyrics, emotions and blood are Assbring's in solitary.

Yet, she feels comfortable opening up about the subject matter to a complete stranger.

"I just feel like my music is extremely close to, and parallel to, what's happening in my life," she said. "My music always goes along with what's happening in my life, so in that sense I don't feel like I have to be nothing else but open about what my music is about. It's another scope of me ... it all goes together."

The devastating words she sings on "Love Is Not Pop" leave little doubt that it's a breakup record, and the man who inspired the record knows it's all about him.

THE WIGGLES ARE sometimes called the Fab Four of children's music. But Jeff Fatt — aka, the Purple Wiggle — said you're more likely to find the Australian band warming up with cover versions from another '60s Brit-pop combo.

"We might jam on some Rolling Stones numbers, or Booker T and the MGs," Fatt said. "More Stones than Beatles at sound check, or any of those classic '60s sorta thrash, sort of guitar-type bands. That was pretty well the style of music that The Cockroaches played in the '80s."

Fatt and Anthony Field played in the garage-rock group The Cockroaches, which took its name from the one used by the Rolling Stones when it played secret gigs, and released five albums before breaking up. Then Field, original Wiggles Murray Cook and Greg Page — since retired due to illness and replaced by Sam Moran — met while studying early childhood education, and they called Fatt in 1991 to help record an album for their university project.

"When Anthony asked me to play on this album of children's music, I thought I'd just go along and amuse him," Fatt said with a laugh. "It was a very throwaway sort of thing."

Now, 18 years and millions of dollars later The Wiggles are one of the most popular children's brands in the world, and their happy teaching music, TV, videos and books have encouraged the under-7 set to eat healthy, dance and read — a lot.

» Snow Patrol, "Ray of Light" (Madonna cover, live at BBC Radio 1; unfortunately, it doesn't appear on the forthcoming comp album "Up to Now")
» Shook Ones, "Silverfish" (fab throaty punk with pop from the album "The Unquotable A.M.H.")
» Frank Turner, "Poetry of the Deed" (A call-to-arms chill-inducer from the album "Poetry of the Deed")
» Tegan & Sara, "Hell" (Peppy & live on Conan O'Brien, from the album "Sainthood")
» Fever Tree, "San Franciso Girls (Return of the Native)" (A classic bit of 1967 psychedelia from the self-titled Fever Tree album, out again on vinyl via Sundazed)