Ancient is a Norwegian black metal band from Bergen, formed in 1992. The band released six full-length albums released by Metal Blade Records to date and a variety of mini-albums, EPs and special releases. Ancient used to have the classic raw black metal sound, similar to Darkthrone's works. Beginning with The Cainian Chronicle, they moved towards a more Nordic/atmospheric black metal sound, akin to Emperor and a cleaner production. After a period of turmoil concerning their line-up, they went on to add gothic-style instruments such as violins, a female vocalist, and synthesizers to their music.
Skyclad are a British heavy metal band with heavy folk influences in their music. They are considered one of the pioneers of folk metal. The etymology behind the term "skyclad" comes from a pagan/wiccan term for ritual nudity, in which rituals are performed with the participants metaphorically clad only by the sky, as a sign of equality. The name alludes both to the band's religious leanings and to their social beliefs, as set out in the song "Skyclad" on their first album.
Barathrum is a Finnish black-doom metal band, formed in 1990. The band's name is Latin for pit or abyss. The first letters of their eight full-length albums spell "HEIL SOVA" - referring to the band's frontman, Demonos Sova, who is the only original member of the band. Their music is stylistically similar to early black metal acts such as Venom and Celtic Frost. Their lyrics deal with occult and religious themes.
Waltari is a Finnish band from Helsinki, Finland, combining alternative metal, progressive metal, death metal, hard rock, heavy metal, hip hop, industrial, pop, punk, symphonic metal, techno and thrash metal styles.
Funeral are a Norwegian funeral doom band formed in 1991 by Thomas Angell and Anders Eek; soon afterward, Einar Frederiksen joined as bassist and songwriter and Christian Loos joined as guitarist. They are known as one of the pioneers of the funeral doom genre.
Månegarm is a Swedish Viking/black/folk metal band from Norrtälje. Its name is derived from Mánagarmr, a wolf in Norse mythology.
Suidakra is a German melodic death metal band from Düsseldorf, Germany. During their twenty-year career, they have performed over 200 live shows for several European and Russian tours, as well as a North American tour. They are known for their use of traditional instruments to augment their sound, such as the bagpipe, banjo, and tin whistle.
Broken Hope is an American death metal band from Chicago, Illinois.
Alf Peter Tägtgren is a Swedish musician, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He is the founder, main songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist of death metal band Hypocrisy as well as the industrial metal band Pain in which he is the only member. He is also the owner of The Abyss recording studio and the co-founder of Lindemann, a music project between Tägtgren and Rammstein vocalist Till Lindemann. Tägtgren left Lindemann in 2020.
Draconian is a Swedish gothic/doom metal band formed in Säffle in 1994.
Deströyer 666 is an Australian extreme metal band formed in 1994 by vocalist and guitarist K. K. Warslut. The group originated in Melbourne, Australia and by 2001 had relocated to Europe.
Bride is an American Christian metal band formed in the 1980s, by brothers Dale and Troy Thompson. During the band's peak years it was known for covering a wide range of musical styles and remains popular in places like Brazil. Their song "Same 'Ol Sinner" is on the Digital Praise PC game Guitar Praise.
Theatres des Vampires is an Italian gothic metal band, mostly noted for the predominant theme of vampirism within their lyrics. The band's early material was credited as melodic black metal or symphonic black metal, but the group completely abandoned all black metal influence by the mid-2000s. Theatres des Vampires have released eleven full-length albums.
Horna is a Finnish black metal band that formed in 1993. The band has appeared on over thirty releases including splits, demos, EPs and albums since 1995, which have been released through numerous record labels.
Sadist is a death metal band from Genoa, Italy, founded in January 1991 and made their debut with an EP that was followed by three albums. The band went on hiatus after releasing the Lego album in 2000. They reunited in 2005 and released their self-titled album in 2007 and a further three albums since. In total, the band have released eight albums and an EP. They are currently signed to Scarlet Records. Guitarist and keyboardist Tommy Talamanca has been a constant feature throughout the band's existence, as the main composer and (co)-producer of their musical output. Trevor Nadir has been the main vocalist of the band since 1996.
October Tide is a Swedish death/doom metal band that was created in 1994 by Katatonia vocalist Jonas Renkse and then-Katatonia guitarist Fred Norrman. Norman revived the band after leaving Katatonia in 2009.
Sear Bliss is a Hungarian atmospheric black metal band from Szombathely, Hungary, formed in 1993 by bassist, vocalist and now also keyboardist András Nagy. Apart from the usual heavy metal instruments they adopted synthesizer and wind instruments in their songs. The Netherlands' leading metal magazine, Aardschok awarded Sear Bliss debut album Phantoms the title of "CD Of The Month". It was the first time in the magazine's history that the award went to a black metal album.
Secret Sphere is an Italian symphonic power metal band from Alessandria, formed by guitarist Aldo Lonobile in July 1997.
16, stylized as -(16)-, is an American sludge metal band from Los Angeles, California. The band is currently signed to Relapse Records. -(16)- has been cited, along with fellow pioneering acts such as Eyehategod, Crowbar and Acid Bath, as one of the subgenre's seminal outfits. In June 2020, the band released their eighth full-length album, Dream Squasher.
Wuthering Heights is a Danish-Swedish heavy metal band with a somewhat eclectic musical style which falls in somewhere between progressive metal, "folk music-into-heavy metal" and power metal, along with "a mixture of Neoclassical Metal, Melodic Speed Metal and various progressive elements.
