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).
Helloween is a German power metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg by members of bands Iron Fist, Gentry, Second Hell and Powerfool. It is said that the band is one of the most influential European heavy metal bands of the 1980s. Its first lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Kai Hansen, bassist Markus Grosskopf, guitarist Michael Weikath and drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg. By the time Hansen left Helloween in 1989 to form Gamma Ray, the band had evolved into a five-piece, with Michael Kiske taking over as lead vocalist. Schwichtenberg and Kiske both parted ways with Helloween in 1993; Schwichtenberg died two years later as the result of suicide. Between then and 2016, there had been numerous line-up changes, leaving Grosskopf and Weikath as the only remaining original members. As a septet, their current lineup features all of the surviving members of the Keeper of the Seven Keys lineup, in addition to the remaining members from the Keeper of the Seven Keys: The Legacy-era.
HammerFall is a Swedish power metal band from Gothenburg. The band was formed in 1993 by ex-Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak.
The music of Bulgaria refers to all forms of music associated with the country of Bulgaria, including classical, folk, popular music, and other forms.
Clutch is an American rock band from Germantown, Maryland. Since its formation in 1991, the band lineup has included Tim Sult, Dan Maines (bass), Jean-Paul Gaster (drums), and Neil Fallon. To date, Clutch has released thirteen studio albums, and several rarities and live albums. Since 2008, the band has been signed to their own record label, Weathermaker Music. Clutch is one of the pioneers of stoner rock.
Oceanborn is the second studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released in Finland by Spinefarm Records on 7 December 1998 and in the spring of 1999 worldwide. It was released by Drakkar Entertainment in the rest of Europe, and by Toy's Factory in Japan. It is their first album with bassist Sami Vänskä.
Subway to Sally is a German folk metal band founded in Potsdam in the early 1990s. Their music has clear folk and medieval influences, later also adding gothic and metal elements. With their continuous inclusion of oriental sounds and elements of classical music and the use of instruments seldom seen in metal bands such as bagpipes, shawm, violin, hurdy-gurdy and lute, Subway to Sally has acquired the label of medieval metal. The band has released 12 studio albums, two live albums, and two live DVDs. Their fame is centered mainly in the German-speaking countries, having played only a handful of concerts outside of that area.
Sevendust is an American rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1994 by bassist Vince Hornsby, drummer Morgan Rose and guitarist John Connolly. After their first demo, lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery joined the group. Following a few name changes, the members settled on the name Sevendust and released their self-titled debut album on April 15, 1997, which sold only 310 copies in its first week but ultimately achieved gold certification through touring and support from their label, TVT Records.
Tarot is a Finnish heavy metal band. They are most famous for being one of the earliest metal bands in Finland, and for the song "Wings of Darkness" from the 1986 album Spell of Iron. While having enjoyed a broad underground popularity in Finland, the band has never been notable elsewhere until gaining new success in recent years, with their singer and bassist Marko Hietala in the largely successful Nightwish for nearly two decades. With a more global audience, the band re-recorded Spell of Iron for its 25th anniversary.
Heaven Shall Burn is a German extreme metal band from Saalfeld, formed in 1995. The band consists of vocalist Marcus Bischoff, guitarists Maik Weichert and Alexander Dietz, bassist Eric Bischoff and drummer Christian Bass. They are currently signed to Century Media. They have released eight studio albums, as well as a number of other records. One of their albums, Veto, entered the German album charts at number 2 in 2013, with their latest, Of Truth and Sacrifice, reaching number 1.
Epizod is a Bulgarian heavy metal band formed in 1983 in Sofia. The first songs of the band were inspired by the French poet François Villon. Epizod are famous in Bulgaria for their concerts which include theatre, an Orthodox church choir, and an ensemble for Bulgarian folk songs and dances.
Ostava is an alternative rock band from Bulgaria. It was formed in 1991, and released a long-playing record in 2000.
Dan Reed Network is an American funk rock band formed in 1984 by Dan Reed in Portland, Oregon. They released several albums during the 1980s and achieved one top-40s hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988.
Music Idol was the Bulgarian version of the British television hit show Pop Idol. It was a talent contest to determine the superior pop performer. Its first season was aired on bTV from February 26 until June 7, 2007. During its third season, the show went international and auditions took place in neighboring Macedonia. Other major changes in the third season: minimum age for participants 13, more talk show than music, great accent on the hosts, hidden vote results, which makes it impossible to validate the result of each elimination.
Fiction is the eighth studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity. It was released by Napalm Records on 19 April 2007, and by Century Media in the UK on 23 April, and in the US on 24 April.
Jesus on Extasy is an electronic rock band from Essen, Germany, formed in 2005 by Dorian Deveraux and Chai Deveraux. The band's musical style can be described as a hybrid of rock and metal elements and electronic music. After breaking up in 2014, the band announced their reunion on their Facebook page in October 2020.
Johan Reinholdz is a Swedish musician best known for his work with the progressive metal band Andromeda, Dark Tranquillity, death metal band NonExist and the melodic death metal band Skyfire. He composed Andromeda's debut album, Extension of the Wish as well as much of its other material. He has also released four more studio albums with Andromeda and two live-album. In 2004 he joined Skyfire and made his album debut on Esoteric in 2009. Since early 2017 he plays with Dark Tranquillity.
Omega Lithium was a Croatian industrial metal/gothic metal band. It was formed in 2007 and is signed to Drakkar Entertainment, a part of Sony BMG. The band's debut album, Dreams in Formaline, was released in 2009.
Impulse is a Bulgarian rock/metal group, formed by Iliya Kunchev in March 1979. They have released six albums, the most famous being "Gladiator".
METALWINGS is a symphonic metal band from Sofia, Bulgaria.
