Symphonic black metal
Encyclopedia
Symphonic black metal is a black metal
subgenre that emerged in the mid to late 1990s. The genre is known for its symphonic
and orchestra
l elements and is centralized in Europe.
that uses symphonic
and orchestra
l elements. This may include the usage of melodic instruments found in the sections of a symphony orchestra (string instruments, brass instruments, woodwinds and keys
). Vocals can be "clean" or operatic in style, song structures are more defined or are inspired by symphonies. However, much of the characteristics of "traditional" black metal are retained, such as shrieked vocals, fast tempos and high-pitched electric guitars often played with tremolo picking
. The sound is not always literally symphonic; that simply refers to the thick-sounding instrumentation, arpeggios and dramatic soundscapes. Nor is its connection to black metal always readily audible; although nearly all of symphonic black metal bands started out playing standard black metal, symphonic black metal often bears little surface resemblance to its immediate forebear. Black metal groups began emphasizing the guitar and adding elements of progressive rock
(primarily psychedelic rock
and space rock
) and gothic metal
, with its emphasis on a chilling, eerie texture. The result is a sound usually lush, and much more accessible than standard black metal. The symphonic black metal movement remains somewhat limited, partly because of its epic ambitions and partly because it isn't traditionally metallic, but its fascinating synthesis of influences made it an instantly identifiable alternative.
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
subgenre that emerged in the mid to late 1990s. The genre is known for its symphonic
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
and orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l elements and is centralized in Europe.
Characteristics
Symphonic black metal is a style of black metalBlack metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
that uses symphonic
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
and orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l elements. This may include the usage of melodic instruments found in the sections of a symphony orchestra (string instruments, brass instruments, woodwinds and keys
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
). Vocals can be "clean" or operatic in style, song structures are more defined or are inspired by symphonies. However, much of the characteristics of "traditional" black metal are retained, such as shrieked vocals, fast tempos and high-pitched electric guitars often played with tremolo picking
Tremolo picking
Tremolo picking, also known as alternate picking or double picking, describes the musical technique of picking on a guitar or other string instrument in which a single note is played repeatedly in quick succession. It can be achieved either with the fingers or with a pick...
. The sound is not always literally symphonic; that simply refers to the thick-sounding instrumentation, arpeggios and dramatic soundscapes. Nor is its connection to black metal always readily audible; although nearly all of symphonic black metal bands started out playing standard black metal, symphonic black metal often bears little surface resemblance to its immediate forebear. Black metal groups began emphasizing the guitar and adding elements of progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
(primarily psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
and space rock
Space rock
Space rock is a subgenre of rock music; the term originally referred to a group of early, mostly British, 1970s progressive and psychedelic rock bands such as Hawkwind and Pink Floyd, characterised by slow, lengthy instrumental passages dominated by electric organs, synthesizers, experimental...
) and gothic metal
Gothic metal
Gothic metal or goth metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that combines the aggression of doom metal with the dark melancholy of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy metal music...
, with its emphasis on a chilling, eerie texture. The result is a sound usually lush, and much more accessible than standard black metal. The symphonic black metal movement remains somewhat limited, partly because of its epic ambitions and partly because it isn't traditionally metallic, but its fascinating synthesis of influences made it an instantly identifiable alternative.
List of notable symphonic black metal bands
| Band | Country | Formed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abigail Williams Abigail Williams (band) Abigail Williams is an American metal band, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, but now based in Los Angeles. Formed in 2004, the group would suffer constant changes to their line-up... |
USA | 2005 | |
| ...And Oceans ...And Oceans Havoc Unit, formerly known as ...and Oceans, is an industrial black metal band from Finland. It was formed in 1989 as a death metal outfit called Festerday, but soon changed its style to symphonic black metal. It released its first album as ...and Oceans in 1998, and in the following years it... |
Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
1995 | |
| Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia Nervosa (band) Anorexia Nervosa is a French symphonic black metal band that started as an industrial metal act from Limoges, France. The band was formed in 1995 and was active for ten years thereafter... |
France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
1995 | |
| Apostasy Apostasy (band) -History:The original lineup from 2000 consisted of Håkan Björklund and Mathias Edin of Kramfors, Sweden. They recruited Mattias' brother Fredric Edin on vocals and bass, and Lars Engström on guitar... |
Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
2000 | |
| Bal-Sagoth Bal-Sagoth Bal-Sagoth is a symphonic black metal band from Yorkshire, England, formed in 1993.Originally formed as an epic/symphonic black metal band with strong death metal elements, vocalist/lyricist Byron Roberts took the name 'Bal-Sagoth' from the Robert E. Howard short story "The Gods of Bal-Sagoth"... |
UK | 1993 | |
| Carpathian Forest Carpathian Forest Carpathian Forest is a Norwegian black metal band formed by Nattefrost and Nordavind in 1990.-Biography:Carpathian Forest emerged with the demo tape "Bloodlust and Perversion" in 1992. In 1993 the band released a second demo: Journey Through the Cold Moors of Svarttjern... |
Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
1992 | |
| Catamenia | Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
1995 | |
| Ceremonial Castings Ceremonial Castings Ceremonial Castings are an American black metal band from Washington. They describe themselves as "American Deathphonic Black metal", but predominantly play symphonic black metal with prominent use of keyboards and some death metal influences. To date, their most notable live performance has been... |
USA | 1996 | |
| Chthonic Chthonic (band) Chthonic is a Taiwanese metal band, formed in 1995 in Taipei. The group incorporates influences from traditional Taiwanese music including the classical Asian instrument erhu... |
Taiwan Taiwan Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following... |
1995 | |
| Cradle of Filth Cradle of Filth Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily... |
UK | 1991 | |
| Crimson Moonlight Crimson Moonlight Crimson Moonlight is a Swedish Christian black metal band which was formed in the summer of 1997 with the mere intention of recording a primitive old school black metal demo and playing one show before breaking up. However, the breakup never happened, and they have since recorded two EPs and two... |
Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
1997 | |
| Darzamat Darzamat Darzamat is a Polish symphonic black metal band formed in 1995. Although there is a claim about Darzamat being a name of a Slavonic forest god, it comes from Latvian mythology denoting garden goddess . Their latest album, Solfernus' Path, was released on August 28, 2009... |
Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
1995 | |
| Diabolical Masquerade Diabolical Masquerade Diabolical Masquerade was a Swedish one-man black metal band with progressive influences. The band was formed in 1993 in Stockholm as side project of Anders Nyström , known for his work as the guitarist of Katatonia.- History :... |
Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
1995 | |
| Dimmu Borgir Dimmu Borgir Dimmu Borgir is a Norwegian black metal band from Oslo, Norway, formed in 1993. Dimmu borgir means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, Faroese and Old Norse. The name is derived from a volcanic formation in Iceland, Dimmuborgir... |
Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
1993 | |
| Dragonlord Dragonlord (band) Dragonlord is an American symphonic black metal band that was formed in 2001 as a side project by Eric Peterson & Steve DiGiorgio of Testament, and Steve Smyth of Nevermore. The band is a result of Eric Peterson's interest in darker music, and not being able to do that with Testament he formed... |
USA | 2000 | |
| Emperor Emperor (band) Emperor was a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991. They dissolved in 2001, but reunited in 2006 and again in 2007 for a few festival dates and brief US tours. The group was founded by Samoth and Ihsahn .-Biography:... |
Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
1991 | |
| Equilibrium Equilibrium (band) Equilibrium is a Folk metal band from Germany. The band's music combines elements of folk and symphonic metal with various instruments including electric guitars, strings and flutes. Their riffs reflect traditional Germanic melodies.... |
Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
2001 | |
| Graveworm Graveworm Graveworm is a symphonic black metal band from Bruneck, Italy with strong influences from gothic metal .-History:... |
Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
1992 | |
| Hecate Enthroned Hecate Enthroned Hecate Enthroned are a symphonic black metal band from Cheshire, England.-Biography :The band formed in 1993 under the name Daemonum by singer Jon and guitarist Nigel, as a black/death metal hybrid. After a few practices and recording a demo, vocalist Jon left the band after taking up an offer to... |
UK | 1993 | |
| Limbonic Art | Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
1993 | |
| Opera IX Opera IX Opera IX is an Italian pagan symphonic black metal band, founded in the city of Biella by the guitarist Ossian, in 1988.- Early years: 1990-1995 :... |
Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
1988 | |
| Shade Empire Shade Empire Shade Empire is a Finnish symphonic black metal band, formed in 1999 in the city of Kuopio.Shade Empire's prevalent lyrical subjects are Satanism, anti-religion, death, destruction, hatred and pain... |
Finland | 1999 | |
| Stormlord Stormlord (band) Stormlord is an epic black metal band from Rome, Italy. They have released four full-length albums, which are: Supreme Art Of War , At The Gates Of Utopia , The Gorgon Cult , and Mare Nostrum... |
Italy | 1991 | |
| Tiamat Tiamat (band) -Biography:Initially, the band played straightforward black metal under the name Treblinka. After having recorded the album Sumerian Cry in 1989, vocalist/guitarist Johan Edlund and bassist Jörgen Thullberg parted ways with the other two founding members, and subsequently changed the name to Tiamat... |
Sweden | 1988 | |
| Twilight Ophera Twilight Ophera Twilight Ophera is a symphonic black metal band from Finland. The band formed in 1996, and signed with British label Cacophonous the following year... |
Finland | 1996 | |
| Vaakevandring Vaakevandring Vaakevandring is a Norwegian unblack metal band that was active from 1996 to 2001. The name in Norwegian is a reference to the resurrection of Jesus. Vaakevandring played atmospheric, epic unblack metal with keyboards and folk melodies. Their self-titled EP was produced by Stian Aarstad of Dimmu... |
Norway | 1999 | |
| Vesania Vesania Vesania, , is a Polish symphonic black metal/blackened death metal band. They were formed in 1997 by Orion, Daray, and Heinrich. Later members were Annahvahr and Hatrah, who left the band in 1999 and was replaced by Siegmar.... |
Poland | 1997 |