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).
Hypocrisy is a Swedish death metal band formed in October 1991 in Ludvika by Peter Tägtgren. The band has released thirteen studio albums since their inception, with Tägtgren remaining the band's only continuous member.
In Flames is a Swedish heavy metal band, formed by guitarist Jesper Strömblad in Gothenburg in 1990 out of the Swedish death metal scene. Their lineup has changed several times, with vocalist Anders Fridén and guitarist Björn Gelotte being the only consistent members since 1995. In Flames helped pioneer melodic death metal along with fellow Swedish bands At the Gates and Dark Tranquillity. The band has sold over two million records worldwide.
Floor Jansen is a Dutch singer and songwriter. She is the third and current lead vocalist of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish.
Lordi is a Finnish hard rock and heavy metal band. Formed in 1992 by the band's lead singer, songwriter and costume maker Mr Lordi, Lordi are known for wearing monster masks and using horror elements with pyrotechnics during concerts and music videos. The band rose to fame in 2002 with their hit single "Would You Love a Monsterman?", and won the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with their song "Hard Rock Hallelujah".
Visions of Atlantis is an Austrian symphonic metal band from Styria, founded in 2000. Inspiration came both from successful Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish and from the myth of Atlantis, as well as a pirate theme in recent albums.
Alestorm are a Scottish heavy metal band formed in Perth, Scotland in 2007. Their music is characterised by a pirate theme, and as a result, they have been dubbed a "pirate metal" band by many critics and their fanbase. The group currently consists of lead vocalist/keytarist Christopher Bowes, bassist Gareth Murdock, drummer Peter Alcorn, keyboardist/harsh vocalist Elliot Vernon and guitarist Máté "Bobo" Bodor.
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.
Whitechapel is an American deathcore band from Knoxville, Tennessee. The band is named after the Whitechapel district in East London, England, where Jack the Ripper committed a series of murders. The group comprises vocalist Phil Bozeman, guitarists Ben Savage, Alex Wade, and Zach Householder, bassist Gabe Crisp and drummer Brandon Zackey. Founded in 2006 by Bozeman and Savage, the band has released eight studio albums and fourteen music videos, and it's currently signed to Metal Blade Records. Whitechapel's 2010 album A New Era of Corruption, sold around 10,600 copies in the United States in its first week of release and debuted at position No. 43 on the Billboard 200 chart. The band's self-titled fourth album was released in 2012 and debuted at No. 47 on the Billboard 200, selling roughly 9,200 copies in its first week. In 2014 the band released their fifth full-length album, Our Endless War to generally positive reviews. The album sold roughly 16,000 copies in its first week and debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200. They released their sixth full-length album Mark of the Blade in 2016 to greater critical acclaim, selling roughly 8,000 copies in the first week of its release. In 2019, Whitechapel released their seventh album, The Valley, which debuted at No. 143 on the Billboard 200 also to critical acclaim. Their newest album, Kin, was released on October 29, 2021.
Hollywood Undead is an American rap rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 2005. All of the band members use pseudonyms and previously wore their own unique mask, most of which were based on the common hockey goaltender design. The band currently consists of five members: J-Dog, Funny Man, Johnny 3 Tears, Charlie Scene, and Danny. They released their debut album, Swan Songs, on September 2, 2008, and their live CD/DVD Desperate Measures, on November 10, 2009. Their second studio album, American Tragedy, was released April 5, 2011. Their third studio album, titled Notes from the Underground, was released on January 8, 2013.
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.
Battle Beast is a Finnish heavy/power metal band established in Helsinki in 2008 by Anton Kabanen, Juuso Soinio and Pyry Vikki. The initial line-up consisted of guitarists Soinio and Kabanen, and drummer Vikki, who were high school friends. The rest of the original lineup, bassist Eero Sipilä, keyboardist Janne Björkroth and lead singer Nitte Valo, joined the band after auditions.
Steel is the first full-length album recorded by the heavy metal band Battle Beast. It was released on January 27, 2012 and reached No. 7 on the Finnish Album Chart. It is also the first album and only album to feature Nitte Valo on lead vocals.
Battle Beast is the second full-length album recorded by the heavy metal band Battle Beast, released in May 2013. The album peaked at No. 5 in the Finnish Albums Chart.
Endless Forms Most Beautiful is the eighth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released on 25 March 2015 in Japan, 27 March in Argentina and most of Europe, 30 March in the UK and 31 March in the US. The album is the band's first featuring singer Floor Jansen and the first with Troy Donockley as a full-time member. It was also the first without drummer Jukka Nevalainen, who took a break from the band due to severe insomnia. Drumming was by Kai Hahto of Wintersun and Swallow the Sun. The album includes only five Nightwish members, despite its being their first album release as a sextet.
Bringer of Pain is the fourth full-length album by the heavy metal band Battle Beast, released on February 17, 2017. It is the first album without lead guitarist, backing vocalist, and lead songwriter Anton Kabanen.
Amaranthe is a Swedish heavy metal band from Gothenburg, known for their combination of pop rock and death metal. Their discography consists of seven studio albums, one compilation album, one extended play, thirty-six singles, and thirty-three music videos. To date, the band has sold 500,000 album copies worldwide.
Beast In Black is an International heavy power metal band, which was formed in Helsinki in 2015 by guitarist and songwriter Anton Kabanen. The band's blend of power metal, 80s pop and electronic music as well as their energetic live performances have made them pioneers of their genre. Beast In Black's current lineup consists of founding member and primary songwriter Anton Kabanen, lead vocalist Yannis Papadopoulos, guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen, bassist Mate Molnar and drummer Atte Palokangas. The band's original drummer Sami Hanninen left the band in 2017 because of the changing circumstances in his life and issues related to the nerve system on his left hand.
Human. :II: Nature. is the ninth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on 10 April 2020 by Nuclear Blast. It is the band's first double album, with the second CD complete with orchestral music rather than metal.
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 with several songs containing direct references to the anime Armitage III. 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 after his death earlier that year.
