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Heavy Metal Thunder Symphonic Metal

Genres Heavy Metal Doom Metal Gothic Metal Symphonic Metal

Symphonic Metal

Where the orchestra is an instrument rather than a garnish — full choirs, cinematic scale, and a trained voice out front.

Active years
1995 – present
Origin
Sweden / Finland / Netherlands
Family
Gothic Metal
Bands here
13

Start here

Three records in order of how easy they are to get into — which is not the same as best first.

  1. Theli Therion, 1996 The landmark

    The record that separated symphonic metal from the gothic and power strains around it, by making the choir the lead instrument rather than an effect. Christofer Johnsson hired an actual choir and let the guitars accompany them, which is the whole idea in one decision.

    Listen to Theli

  2. The Silent Force Within Temptation, 2004

    The genre at its most confident and most commercial. Orchestral arrangements written first and the band fitted around them — the opposite of how metal is usually assembled.

    Listen to The Silent Force

  3. Neverworld’s End Xandria, 2012

    The modern template, executed better than most. If you want to know what the genre sounds like now rather than in 1996, this is the record.

    Listen to Neverworld’s End

What it sounds like

Where the orchestra is the band. Full choir and string sections written as the primary material rather than as backing, a classically trained lead vocal, and guitars that often double the orchestral lines instead of leading. Song structures come as much from opera and film scoring as from rock. Growled vocals appear occasionally for contrast but the register is grand rather than extreme. Compared with symphonic gothic it is less mournful and more triumphant; compared with symphonic power it is less concerned with speed. This is the most ambitious arranging in metal and the least apologetic about it. The guitars are frequently the least interesting thing in the mix, which would be a failure anywhere else on this site and is the intention here.

  • Heaviness 3 out of 5
  • Speed 3 out of 5
  • Aggression 2 out of 5
  • Technicality 4 out of 5
  • Darkness 3 out of 5
  • Melody 5 out of 5

Where the name came from

From the Greek symphonia, 'sounding together'. Therion's Theli (1996) applied choirs and orchestration to death metal foundations, and Nightwish's Oceanborn (1998) fixed the template with Tarja Turunen's operatic soprano. The umbrella now covers a large slice of European metal.

The bands

Hear these first

  • Therion Sweden
  • Within Temptation Netherlands
  • Xandria Germany
  • Delain Netherlands
  • Sirenia Norway

And 8 more

  • Nightwish Finland
  • Epica Netherlands
  • Leaves' Eyes Germany
  • Kamelot USA
  • Amberian Dawn Finland
  • Tarja Finland
  • Beyond the Black Germany
  • Battle Beast Finland

Where it happened

Counting this genre and everything descended from it.

  • Netherlands Dutch Symphonic, Gothic & Death Metal 3 bands

If you liked this

Closest in sound outside this family, leaning towards the similar or the gentler rather than straight into the deep end.