I don't know who can help you with that. Maybe Brandan (Necrotica) or Gordy.

Edited by Cristi - October 26 2022 at 02:01

I'm guessing you know and don't consider symphonic enough Epica, Nightwish, Within Temptation, After Forever, Tristania, Therion, Rhapsody of Fire? I would think in most of their albums they have a bit more than just a few strings in the background... and some of their albums do have interconnected songs... at least thematically if not musically.

Symphonic Metal bands on Prog Archives:-

edefakiel wrote: Dellinger wrote: I'm guessing you know and don't consider symphonic enough Epica, Nightwish, Within Temptation, After Forever, Tristania, Therion, Rhapsody of Fire? I would think in most of their albums they have a bit more than just a few strings in the background... and some of their albums do have interconnected songs... at least thematically if not musically. Maybe I choose unwisely my words. All those bands are really good... They are just not the kind of greater than life, ambitious music that I seek. The albums I mentioned evoque some response that I only get from Mozart, Schubert, Brahms, Dvorak, Wagner... I don't know how to explain it.

I don't know so many of the bands you mentioned. I do know Wilderun, though not their last album. I know Sleep at the Edge of the Earth, and I mostly find the epic really something special (despite the fact I'm not really fond of growling)... I think I gave the next album a listen and didn't do much for me. I also do Know Empath... and I do love some Devin Townsend, but I didn't find that albus as greater than life... from the little I have heard of him, I do love Terria much more, but I believe there must be other albums from around that period (00's I guess) that should be just as great. From the ones I mentioned, from Within Temptation I find Mother Earth to be among my favourite albums overall and think is something really special. From Nightwish it's Imaginaerum. And from Therion Secret of the Runes. Otherwise, it's mostly the collection of songs throughout their discographies more than some particular albums.

This is excellent also:

Edited by bardberic - November 05 2022 at 15:05

Thanks, bardberic, I'm slowly listening to your recommendations. I wasn't expecting to hear microtonalism and Sephardic influences in symphonic metal. I can say that I'm pleasantly surprised. One day I must open a thread about microtonalist prog. 

edefakiel wrote: Thanks, bardberic, I'm slowly listening to your recommendations. I wasn't expecting to hear microtonalism and Sephardic influences in symphonic metal. I can say that I'm pleasantly surprised. One day I must open a thread about microtonalist prog.

Well it's more Mizrachi than Sephardic, but yes.

In any case let's also try Diablo Swing Orchestra. It's a bit of a different approach but still "truly symphonic:"

https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe257tS-1d4&list=PLrt9SDnUYUmKE7-BXQGnh9zNDObWP4aNq&index=1

If you liked that there's that one f**king Accented Sevenfold song lol:
A Little Piece of Heaven

This is not for what you're looking (which is why I'm not embedding it), but this performance by Unlucky Morpheus is worth checking out:
Quadratum

I also don't know how I managed to miss X Japan's Art of Life; this is the holy grail of for what you're looking!:


I'm stopping it here because Art of Life is the peak of "truly symphonic metal." It does not get better than that lmao



(I'll probably add more later lol)

Edited by bardberic - November 06 2022 at 07:55

I have a Rhapsody of Fire album that is pretty symphonic sounding. What about Angra?

It must be this, bal sagoth:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=2Su7AgQZzl0&feature=share

Edited by SambaTisst - November 14 2022 at 00:18