Gamma Ray is a German power metal band from Hamburg, founded and fronted by Kai Hansen after his departure from power metal band Helloween, in 1989. He is the band's lead vocalist, guitarist and chief songwriter. Between 1990 and 2014, Gamma Ray recorded eleven studio albums.
Henjo Oliver Richter, is a guitarist and keyboardist in Gamma Ray, the German power metal band formed by Kai Hansen.
Dino Cazares is an American musician, known for being the guitarist and one of the co-founders of industrial metal band Fear Factory. He is also the co-founder of the metal bands Divine Heresy, Asesino, and Brujeria. Cazares popularized the use of digital amp modelling processors, as well as the use of seven and eight-string guitars in metal music.
Jari Mäenpää is a Finnish heavy metal multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. He is the founder of Wintersun for which he records all instruments except the drums. Before forming Wintersun, Mäenpää was best known for his role in the folk metal band Ensiferum, which he joined in 1996 after leaving his prior band named Immemorial. Wintersun was initially planned as a parallel project alongside Ensiferum, but in January, 2004 he was forced to leave Ensiferum due to clashes between their touring schedule and the studio recording time he had booked for Wintersun.
The Ibanez Universe is the first mass-produced solid body seven-string electric guitar, developed by Steve Vai and manufactured by Ibanez. The Universe is a seven-string version of the Ibanez JEM series, Vai's signature model. It slightly differs from the JEM due to the absence of a "monkey grip" cut-out handle on the body.
Mårten Hagström is a Swedish musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist for the extreme metal band Meshuggah. He joined the band after the release of their first album, which allowed Jens Kidman to focus on his vocal performances and give up rhythm guitar duties. He and fellow Meshuggah guitarist Fredrik Thordendal are known for their complex rhythm guitar playing. Hagström has cited Rush, James Hetfield, Squarepusher, Autechre, Strapping Young Lad, and GISM as influences.
Olli "Ollie" Tukiainen is a Finnish musician and the guitarist of the rock band Poets of the Fall.
Elias "E.Vil" Einari Johannes Viljanen is a Finnish musician from Tampere, Finland, known for being the guitarist for Sonata Arctica since 2007. Viljanen joined Sonata Arctica in spring 2007 in order to replace Jani Liimatainen, who left the band in August 2007 to fulfill his civil duties in Finland. The decision was only made official on 8 August 2007, but Elias Viljanen had been known to replace Liimatainen in concerts during the spring and summer tour. Viljanen cites Kiss, Metallica, Slayer, and Whitesnake as his musical influences.
Amberian Dawn is a Finnish symphonic power metal band, formed in 2006 by Tuomas Seppälä and Tommi Kuri. As of 2023, Amberian Dawn has released nine studio albums, four singles and twelve music videos.
Mark Hamilton is a British lead guitarist who played for UK rock band Quench,. He has also played for Warner Bros' Top 40 artist Doug Walker and features on Doug's debut album Fear Together (2009) as well as ex Dum Dums frontman Josh Doyle in the US, Vicky Beeching and Martyn Layzell. He has also appeared with various other artists for TV and recording sessions including Italian superstar Elisa, on the same bill as Destiny's Child at an MTV Live event. He also joined Josh Doyle's band on his UK tour in 2009. Current projects include King Awesome, a tribute to late 80s 'Hair Metal' and rock covers band Inner City Sumo.
Matias Kupiainen is a Finnish guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is the current guitarist in Stratovarius.
River of Tuoni is the debut full-length studio album by Finnish symphonic power metal band Amberian Dawn.
The Clouds of Northland Thunder is the second full-length studio album by Finnish symphonic power metal band Amberian Dawn. It was released 13 May 2009. Its single, "He Sleeps in a Grove", was the third Amberian Dawn song to have a music video produced.
Mike Lerner is an American metal guitarist best known for his work with Behold... The Arctopus.
End of Eden is the third studio album by Amberian Dawn, and the first released on Spinefarm Records, previous albums having been released on KHY Suomen Musiikki. The album was released on 20 October 2010, but was preceded by its online single "Arctica" on 23 August.
Heidi Parviainen is a Finnish heavy metal singer and lead vocalist of symphonic metal band Dark Sarah.
Circus Black is the fourth full-length album by Finnish symphonic power metal band Amberian Dawn.
Dark Sarah is a Finnish symphonic metal band created by Heidi Parviainen, after her departure from Finnish metal band Amberian Dawn in 2012. Their style is often described as "cinematic metal".
Beast in Black is a Finnish power metal band that was founded in 2015 in Helsinki by lead guitarist and songwriter Anton Kabanen.
Dark Connection is the third studio album by Finnish power metal band Beast in Black, released on 29 October 2021. Similar to their debut album Berserker, several songs reference well known science fiction series like Blade Runner. The album charted well, ranking number one in their home country, and did well in Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. Four videos were produced for the tracks "Moonlight Rendezvous", "Hardcore", "One Night in Tokyo" and "Blade Runner". The album was dedicated to Kentaro Miura, the author of Berserk.
