Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka Nevalainen, and then bassist Sami Vänskä after the release of their debut album, Angels Fall First (1997). In 2001, Vänskä was replaced by Marko Hietala, who also took over the male vocalist role previously filled by Holopainen or guest singers. Although Nightwish have been prominent in their home country since Angels Fall First, they did not achieve wider success until the release of the albums Oceanborn (1998), Wishmaster (2000) and Century Child (2002).
Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal band. Formed in 1984, they have released sixteen studio albums, five DVDs and six live albums. The band's line-up has changed many times, with no founding member left since the departure of drummer Tuomo Lassila in 1995, and no member from their early recording days left following guitarist Timo Tolkki's departure in 2008. Currently, the longest standing member is singer Timo Kotipelto, who joined in 1994.
Angra is a Brazilian power metal band formed in 1991. They have released ten regular studio albums, five EPs, and three live CD/DVDs to date. Led by Rafael Bittencourt, the band has gained a degree of popularity in Japan and Europe.
Adagio is a French progressive metal band formed in 2000 by guitarist Stéphan Forté that disbanded in 2018.
Timo Tapio Tolkki is a Finnish musician best known as the former guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer of the power metal band Stratovarius. With his tenure lasting for more than twenty years, he was the longest standing member of the band before his departure in 2008. After leaving Stratovarius he formed two supergroups named Revolution Renaissance and Symfonia, both of which have since disbanded. In a 2011 article by Guitar World magazine, Tolkki was included in the all-time top 50 list of the world's fastest guitarists.
Floor Jansen is a Dutch singer and songwriter. She is the third and current lead vocalist of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish.
Firewind is a Greek power metal band formed in Thessaloniki in 1998. The group is currently signed to AFM records and was originally a small project created by guitarist Gus G. to showcase his demo, Nocturnal Symphony, in 1998. Firewind later became a full band over three years later when they recorded their debut album, Between Heaven and Hell. To date, the band has released ten studio albums and has been met with international success.
Michael Kiske is a German singer who is the co-lead vocalist for the power metal band Helloween. Kiske has also released four solo albums, two albums with the hard rock band Unisonic, has participated on various metal and rock related projects such as Avantasia, Place Vendome and Kiske/Somerville, and has performed with numerous bands as a guest vocalist.
Fabio Tordiglione, known professionally as Fabio Lione, is an Italian singer who has worked with many bands in the metal genre. He was known for being the singer of Italian symphonic power metal band Rhapsody of Fire for 21 years. He later formed his own band Turilli / Lione Rhapsody with former Rhapsody of Fire guitarist Luca Turilli. He is also the current lead vocalist of Angra, and was the original singer of Labyrinth and Vision Divine.
Crashdïet is a Swedish sleaze rock/glam metal band formed in Stockholm in 2000. The group consists of Martin Sweet, Peter London, Michael Sweet and John Elliot. They have released six albums: 2005's Rest in Sleaze, 2007's The Unattractive Revolution, 2010's Generation Wild, 2013's The Savage Playground, 2019's Rust, and 2022's Automaton.
Robert Lowe is an American singer.
Dominate is the third album by French progressive metal band Adagio. It was produced by Stéphan Forté and Kevin Codfert and mixed at House of Audio Studios in Germany by Dennis Ward. It is the first and only Adagio album to feature Gus Monsanto on vocals.
Archangels in Black is the fourth studio album by French progressive metal band Adagio. According to their website, the mastering of Archangels in Black was completed on 3 September 2008. After numerous delays, the album was officially released on 2 February 2009 in Europe. The band stated that "the compositions are the ultimate balance between melodic and extreme metal and can be considered as a more brutal version of Underworld". Archangels in Black is Adagio's first and only album to include Christian Palin on vocals, but the backing vocals were sung by Gustavo Monsanto, Adagio's former vocalist who sang on Dominate.
Stuart Block is a Canadian singer who is the lead vocalist of progressive death metal band Into Eternity and a former lead singer of heavy metal band Iced Earth. Before joining Into Eternity in 2005, he began his musical career singing for various bands in Vancouver. After two albums with Into Eternity, he joined Iced Earth in 2011 and recorded three albums during his ten-year tenure with the band: Dystopia (2011), Plagues of Babylon (2014) and Incorruptible (2017). He was the second-longest-tenured vocalist in Iced Earth after Matt Barlow.
Revolution Renaissance was a multinational power metal band founded by guitarist Timo Tolkki after he left Stratovarius in 2008. The band released three studio albums before disbanding in 2010.
Age of Aquarius is the second studio album by the Finnish power metal band Revolution Renaissance. It is the first album featuring singer Gus Monsanto, drummer Bruno Agra, bassist Justin Biggs and keyboardist Mike Khalilov. It was released on 25 March 2009 in South-East Asia by JVC/Victor Entertainment and on 23 March 2009 in the rest of the world by Scarlet Records. A promotional video clip for the title track was recorded and produced in late 2008. The band released the song"Age of Aquarius" and "Ghost of Fallen Grace" as a free, high-quality mp3 download on their website.
Christian Palin is a Finnish-Uruguayan singer. He is the lead singer of the metal bands Random Eyes and Panorama. He is also the former lead singer of the neoclassical metal band Adagio, among others.
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.
Hanna Elise Isabell Maj Höstblomma Ryd, known professionally as Elize Ryd, is a Swedish singer, best known as one of the three vocalists and co-lyricist in the heavy metal band Amaranthe. She also gained some popularity prior to the band's inception by performing guest vocals for the American power metal band Kamelot, both on tour and in the studio. She sings in the soprano range.
