Nightfall in Middle-Earth is the sixth studio album by the German power metal band Blind Guardian. It was released on 28 April 1998 through Virgin Records. It is a concept album based on J. R. R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion, a book of tales from the First Age of Middle-earth, recounting the troubled history of Beleriand as the Elves battle with the Dark Lord Morgoth. The album contains not only songs but also spoken parts narrating parts of the story. The cover depicts a scene from The Silmarillion, the elf Lúthien dancing in front of the Dark Lord Morgoth.
Metalcore is a fusion genre combining elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk, that originated in the late 1980s. Metalcore is noted for its use of breakdowns, which are slow, intense passages conducive to moshing, while other defining instrumentation includes heavy guitar riffs often utilizing percussive pedal tones and double bass drumming. Vocalists in the genre typically perform screaming, more popular bands often combine this with the use of standard singing, usually during the bridge or chorus of a song. However, the death growl is also a popular technique within the genre.
Nonpoint is an American rock band from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The band currently consists of vocalist Elias Soriano, drummer Robb Rivera, rhythm guitarist Rasheed Thomas, bassist Adam Woloszyn, and lead guitarist Jaysin Zeilstra.
Sirenia is a Norwegian gothic metal band from Stavanger, founded in 2001 by Morten Veland.
Storm of the Light's Bane is the second full-length album by Swedish black metal band Dissection. It was released on 17 November 1995 by Nuclear Blast. This would be the band's last full-length album before frontman Jon Nödtveidt's 1997 incarceration for the felony murder of Josef ben Meddour. It would not be until 2006 that they would release their third and final album Reinkaos, which was followed by the breakup of the band and Nödtveidt's suicide shortly after. As with the band's debut album, Kristian 'Necrolord' Wåhlin created the artwork.
Trivium is an American heavy metal band from Orlando, Florida, formed in 1999. The band comprises vocalist and guitarist Matt Heafy, guitarist Corey Beaulieu, bassist Paolo Gregoletto, and drummer Alex Bent.
Iron Fire is a Danish power metal band that was formed in 1995 under the name Misery. The name was soon changed to Decades of Darkness and finally to Iron Fire. They have released nine albums with their debut Thunderstorm coming out in 2000.
Royal Hunt is a Danish progressive metal band. The band was founded in 1989 by keyboardist André Andersen in order to combine basic values of classic rock with progressive, current musical elements. The name originated from a painting seen in a museum by Andersen.
Icarus Witch is a heavy metal band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, formed in 2003 by bassist Jason Myers. The band has six releases through the Los Angeles–based label Cleopatra Records. They were founding members of the "New Wave of Traditional Metal" according to Metal Hammer U.K. Magazine and have since progressed into a melodic metal style merging influences of classic metal, AOR, goth and modern heavy rock.
Threat Signal is a Canadian heavy metal band from Hamilton, Ontario. The band has had numerous lineup changes, with only Jon Howard remaining from the original incarnation. Their music is often classified as metalcore, melodic death metal, or groove metal.
Secret Sphere is an Italian symphonic power metal band from Alessandria, formed by guitarist Aldo Lonobile in July 1997.
Nekrogoblikon is an American melodic death metal band based in Los Angeles, California. The group was formed in 2006, by Tim Lyakhovetskiy and Nicky Calonne. The band has released five full-length albums, Goblin Island, Stench, Heavy Meta, Welcome to Bonkers, and The Fundamental Slimes and Humours, and one EP, Power. The band's music centers on goblins.
Deus Ex Machina is a Singaporean death metal/thrash metal band, and is one of the few extreme metal acts from Southeast Asia that has gained a following in Europe and the United States. They represent a rarity in the Southeast Asian Metal scenes in favouring a more melodic musical approach and concept-based poetic lyrics in contrast to the more aggressive and brutal stylings of the region. They are also a highly internationalized band, with a background of having band members from different parts of the world.
Kobra and the Lotus (also initialized as KATL) is a Canadian heavy metal band formed in 2009 by lead vocalist and songwriter Kobra Paige.
Tombs is an American heavy metal band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2007. Thus far, the group has released five full-length records: Winter Hours, Path of Totality, Savage Gold, The Grand Annihilation, and Under Sullen Skies.
Amaranthe is a Swedish heavy metal band originally known as Avalanche. The band is notable for their blend of various metal genres and having three lead vocalists.
Devil Seed is the seventh studio album by Swedish heavy metal band Wolf, which was released on 25 August 2014 via Century Media Records.
Vimic is an American heavy metal band consisting of Jed Simon, Kyle Konkiel, Matthew Tarach, Kalen Chase, and Steve Marshall.
Nachtblut is a German gothic/melodic black metal band formed in Osnabrück in 2005. They signed a deal with Napalm Records for their third album. In 2013 they performed during Wacken Open Air and Summer Breeze Open Air. In 2014, 2017, and 2022 Nachtblut lined up Wave-Gotik-Treffen festival in Leipzig. To date, Nachtblut has released six studio albums. In October 2020 Nachtblut released their sixth album called Vanitas. Vanitas had 500 special edition wooden boxes with playing Cards, leather wrist band, a Satanic certificate in addition to the album itself.
Feeding the Machine is the eighth studio album by Swedish heavy metal band Wolf, released on 13 March 2020 via Century Media Records. It is the first album featuring band's new members, Johan Koleberg on drums and Pontus Egberg on bass guitar. The album is being produced by Wolf's Simon Johansson at SolnaSound Production and mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordström of Studio Fredman.
