# Symphonic Metal?



## Greenbunny45 (Jul 26, 2008)

Anyone like symphonic metal? If so, what are your favorite bands?

For those who don't know what symphonic metal is:

Symphonic metal is a bit of an eclectic and less known genre of metal. It has the heavyness of metal with more of a melody and usually a female singer. I guess symphonic metal isn't really a genre by itself because there is symphonic power metal, symphonic goth metal, and even symphonic black metal.

For those who know Evanescence, its kind of like that... except much less pop (I actually don't think its symphonic metal, but its the closest pop band...)

Here are some examples/my favorite songs 
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GdZn7k5rZLQ (probably the most popish example)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=P7CSr82D0Do 
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ecLWuo2UVCA

Some of the less popular bands:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=thw-vmAxjas
http://youtube.com/watch?v=amiIa3Qk7Lc
http://youtube.com/watch?v=olFchpRcgao (plus video...disturbing)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=6dW6aNAZGTM (symphonic black metal)

Sorry for the tons of examples. I just couldn't stop -_-


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## TakeWalker (Jul 26, 2008)

Uhh, you mean like Nightwish, right? Evanescence isn't symphonic, they're goth (or they were before they went alt-rock). The two are often related, but not always. Therion's a good example, though, and a decent replacement for Nightwish post-Tarja. I think Xandria might fall under the category as well.


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## Greenbunny45 (Jul 26, 2008)

Evanescence is symphonic goth, but extremely pop that it really isn't a good example. Within Temptation is a good example of symphonic goth.

I was gonna post an Xandria vid but I had to stop myself T_T


Therion's newest songs are symphonic metal, but their old ones weren't.

As for Nightwish, I actually like the new songs. I don't like Anette as much as Tarja, but they did a good job changing the music style to accommodate the new singer, and I like the style better. It sounds more... epic, and The Poet and the Pendulum could NEVER have been done with Tarja.


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## mammagamma (Jul 26, 2008)

Rhapsody, man, Rhapsody.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=oYbrt6JEdws


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## Whitenoise (Jul 26, 2008)

I always though symphonic was a secondary classification, as in you can apply it  a genre of metal by adding symphonic elements. Not really something that exists  on it's own. As for me some of the doom metal bands I like make pretty heavy use  of symphonic synths, I don't like it at all in black or death metal though.


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## TakeWalker (Jul 26, 2008)

Greenbunny45 said:


> As for Nightwish, I actually like the new songs. I don't like Anette as much as Tarja, but they did a good job changing the music style to accommodate the new singer, and I like the style better. It sounds more... epic, and The Poet and the Pendulum could NEVER have been done with Tarja.



Well, I can agree with this. Amaranth showed me that they could still make good music; they just don't stand out anymore. Tarja might be a pretentious, self-absorbed four-letter-word who can't make a decent album to save her life, but she was what made Nightwish something unique. Now, they're just like everyone else.



mammagamma said:


> Rhapsody, man, Rhapsody.



Don't you mean Rhapsody... _OF FIRE_? :V

You're right, I can't believe I forgot about them!



Whitenoise said:


> I always though symphonic was a secondary classification, as in you can apply it  a genre of metal by adding symphonic elements. Not really something that exists  on it's own. As for me some of the doom metal bands I like make pretty heavy use  of symphonic synths, I don't like it at all in black or death metal though.



This is a good point. I think it becomes a genre when you have bands that focus entirely on using symphonic orchestration in every song. I mean, hell, Metallica's done symphonic metal if you want to go by the base definition, but no one would classify them as a symphonic metal band.


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## Whitenoise (Jul 26, 2008)

TakeWalker said:


> This is a good point. I think it becomes a genre when you have bands that focus entirely on using symphonic orchestration in every song. I mean, hell, Metallica's done symphonic metal if you want to go by the base definition, but no one would classify them as a symphonic metal band.



Hmmm, I figure Metallica would just be symphonic thrash with orchestral backing,  well old Metallica anyway, new Metallica would be symphonic fail. The way I look  at it is the style of the metal being played under the synths is the genre  definition, as you can add a lot of synths to almost any genre. That way people  don't pick up an album expecting female fronted symphonic power metal and get  funeral doom metal instead =P .


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## Shadow_Stallion (Jul 26, 2008)

If you like a bit heavier stuff, Dimmu Borgir's latest album "_In Sorte Diaboli_" is a great example of Symphonic Black Metal with fantastic orchestral themes.


Especially check out the intro in The Serpentine Offering and the song The Sacrilegious Scorn.



Hope you like it!


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## Greenbunny45 (Jul 26, 2008)

Oh, I forgot Avantasia!!! 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POUXUMVs_vw



mammagamma said:


> Rhapsody, man, Rhapsody.
> 
> http://youtube.com/watch?v=oYbrt6JEdws



I never really liked the fantasy symphonic metal bands. Except for Blind Guardian.



Whitenoise said:


> I always though symphonic was a secondary classification, as in you can apply it a genre of metal by adding symphonic elements. Not really something that exists on it's own. As for me some of the doom metal bands I like make pretty heavy use of symphonic synths, I don't like it at all in black or death metal though.



Yeah, I agree.




Shadow_Stallion said:


> If you like a bit heavier stuff, Dimmu Borgir's latest album "_In Sorte Diaboli_" is a great example of Symphonic Black Metal with fantastic orchestral themes.
> 
> 
> Especially check out the intro in The Serpentine Offering and the song The Sacrilegious Scorn.
> ...



Wow, I like it. I'm starting to like symphonic black metal more now that I have bought a cradle of filth album.


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## Whitenoise (Jul 26, 2008)

Spiritual Black Dimensions always struck me as their best, that and the first and third songs off Godless Savage Garden. They were never serious but they decended into painful self parody after that, and their older stuff wasn't really as dark.

Here, best song from Spiritual Black Dimensions. The part from 2 minutes to 4 minute still gives me chills =P .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vxTuJQUjao

And the best song from Godless Savage Garden, probably the best song they've ever done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GQTDUMMSys


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## Whitenoise (Jul 26, 2008)

Also Tidfall's first album. The second song on here is from that release, I don't think they managed much else.

http://www.myspace.com/tidfall


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## Diego117 (Jul 27, 2008)

What about Apocalyptica. Sorry I don't have a link. Look them up on Youtube. They're labeled as classical metal. That would be about the same as symphonic metal, right? Correct me if I'm wrong.


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## Shadow_Stallion (Jul 27, 2008)

Diego117 said:


> What about Apocalyptica. Sorry I don't have a link. Look them up on Youtube. They're labeled as classical metal. That would be about the same as symphonic metal, right? Correct me if I'm wrong.



Yeah, it's almost the same, Classical Metal is often more like traditional classical music than Symphonic Metal. 
You could say that Classical Metal is like Classical music with metal influences, and Symphonic Metal is like Metal with classical music influences.



Apocalyptica is a nice band though. I don't listen to them that much but they're defiantly worth checking out.


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## Bryantacious (Jul 29, 2008)

hey if you like symphonic metal then you seriously need to check out *ABIGAIL WILLIAMS*!! 

they are a symphonic death metal/black metal band

and they are epic as fuck

here is a link to their myspace http://www.myspace.com/abigailwilliams

(although honestly they used to be alot better than they are now, check out the songs "watchtower" and "Like Carrion Birds Picking"

>


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## Greenbunny45 (Aug 2, 2008)

Wow I'm really liking Dimmu Borgir. Progenies of the Great Apocalypse is such a friggin awesome song. I love the symphony in it.

I'll have to look into Tidefall and Abigail Williams too, because I liked what I heard.

Thanks 

Also, I can't believe I never posted this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40cLOS9Lr5k

Amberian Dawn is a new band with only one album, but their music is so awesome...


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## Cmdr-A (Aug 2, 2008)

Stratovarius, I'm surprised they haven't popped up into this thread. They have a lot of good songs. Too many favorites that I can't just pick one.  Anthem of the world. Which las time I checked wasn't on youtube. Visions as well. Destiny same. They just have a lot of good stuff that you can't not enjoy their stuff.

EDIT: Just went searching.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs16gYQzcf0 Anthem of the World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnH46jE5odo Eternity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cq9Z3T2FxA Destiny

Could find those but not visions :/ ah well.


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## Greenbunny45 (Aug 5, 2008)

I didn't really like Tidfall and Stratovarius (thanks for your suggestions though), but Abigail Williams sounds intriguing. I'll be on the lookout for their album coming this fall, but I might buy the EP. Not sure really. Their new songs sound better than the ones in the EP, IMO.


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## TakeWalker (Aug 5, 2008)

Greenbunny45 said:


> I didn't really like Tidfall and Stratovarius (thanks for your suggestions though)



Just to interject, I never realized that power metal could be anything but awesome until I listened to Stratovarius. I still like some of their songs, mind, but I listened through a number of their albums all at once and just laughed.


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## Whitenoise (Aug 5, 2008)

Greenbunny45 said:


> I didn't really like Tidfall



Really, 'cause their first CD is almost exactly like Dimmu Borgir, their demo  wasn't very good and their newer CDs are too progressive "progressive in the bad  way" but Circular Supremacy is almost indistinguishable from mid era Dimmu  Borgir. It was the middle song you listened to right? 

http://www.myspace.com/tidfall


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