Symphonic Metal Heaven

Symphonic metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that combines the heavy drums and guitars of metal with different elements of orchestral classical music, such as symphonic instruments, choirs and sometimes a full orchestra. Keyboards reminiscent of power metal are also sometimes featured.

Symphonic metal bands often feature classically trained female vocalists, giving rise to the nickname opera metal or operatic metal, and it is not uncommon for them to feature a second vocalist performing growls, a more common characteristic of gothic metal. Perhaps the most typical and prominent examples of symphonic metal bands are Dutch bands Epica and Within Temptation, Finnish band Nightwish, and Swedish band Therion. All four bands place a large focus on elements prevalent in film scores in addition to the more basic classical components utilized more widely in the genre.

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - March 09 2023 at 16:08

^^ Many thanks for posting that amazing video from the two goddesses of Symphonic Metal - Sharon Den Adel & Tarja Turunen. I love female-fronted Symphonic Metal bands and Within Temptation and Nightwish are two of my favourite bands in the genre. I also like all of those other bands you mentioned too. 

Edited by Psychedelic Paul - November 21 2019 at 08:23

TheH wrote: I would recommend the following Albums:   The Gathering - Mandylion (Anneke van Giersbergen on vocals) (Dutch band) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HUMwinV2AQ Akin (they only have two Albums) (Adeline Gürtner on vocals) (French Band) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqeOtc7Dv1I Alchem (way darker, from Italy) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOnuOPlkua0

TheH wrote: Cristi wrote: TheH wrote: I would recommend the following Albums:   The Gathering - Mandylion (Anneke van Giersbergen on vocals) (Dutch band) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HUMwinV2AQ Akin (they only have two Albums) (Adeline Gürtner on vocals) (French Band) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqeOtc7Dv1I Alchem (way darker, from Italy) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOnuOPlkua0   I don't think The Gathering are symphonic metal like Nightwish and the rest of the bands mentioned above. Mandylion was a gothic/doom album and so was the next one Nighttime Birds.   They are less operatic than the others. But all the bands emtioned have a strong Gothic touch, Within Temptation where even a full blown Gothic Metal band on their first Album.   I simply see The Gathering being very important for the trend of female fronted Metal bands with Prog touches.

Other lesser known bands

EDENBRIDGE - Live in Germany (2004)

I just discovered this superb version of Genesis' Entangled by the Brazilian Symphonic Metal band, Hydria.

^ That's bagpipes with attitude!