Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal band that formed in the summer of 1984. Since their formation, they have released sixteen studio albums, five DVDs and six live albums. In its history, the band has gone through many chaotic lineup changes, and after founding guitarist Timo Tolkki's departure in 2008, there are no founding members of the band that remain. Currently, the longest standing member is singer Timo Kotipelto, who joined in 1994.
Amorphis is a Finnish heavy metal band founded by Jan Rechberger, Tomi Koivusaari, and Esa Holopainen in 1990. Initially, the band was a death metal act, but on later albums they evolved into playing other genres, including progressive metal, and folk metal. They frequently use the Kalevala, the epic poem of Finland, as a source for their lyrics.
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.
Orchid is the debut studio album by Swedish progressive metal band Opeth, released on 15 May 1995 in Europe by Candlelight Records, and on 24 June, 1997 in the United States by Century Black. It was reissued in 2000 with one bonus track called "Into the Frost of Winter", an early unproduced rehearsal recording by the band. The recording sessions occurred at the old Unisound studio, in Finspång with production by Opeth alongside Dan Swanö. The band did not record a demo to get signed to a record label. Lee Barrett, the founder of Candlelight Records, enjoyed an Opeth rehearsal tape, and decided to sign the band. The album received critical acclaim.
Morningrise is the second studio album by Swedish progressive metal band Opeth. It was released on 24 June 1996 in Europe by Candlelight Records and on 24 June 1997 in the United States by Century Black. The recording sessions took place at Unisound studio, in Finspång, during March and April 1996. Morningrise was the last Opeth release with drummer Anders Nordin and bassist Johan De Farfalla, as well as the last Opeth album to be produced by Dan Swanö.
Ajattara is a sextet black metal band from Helsinki, Finland led by Pasi Koskinen. They formed in 1996, split up in 2012, and reformed in 2016. They were signed to Spinefarm Records and have released eight albums, their most recent being Lupaus, which was released in May 2017.
Alf Peter Tägtgren is a Swedish musician 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.
Controlled Bleeding was an experimental music group based in Massapequa, New York. The group was founded by Paul Lemos, the group's only consistent member. Most of Controlled Bleeding's released recordings feature two main collaborators, Chris Moriarty and vocalist Joe Papa, who both died in the late 2000s. In February 2020 Lemos announced that the band had dissolved.
Karma is the ninth studio album by Canadian industrial/electronic music group Delerium.
Esa Holopainen is a Finnish musician, currently the main songwriter, occasional lyricist, founding member and lead guitarist of the Finnish heavy metal band Amorphis. He is one out the two longest standing members of the band and one of the four original members in the band.
Angel Dust is a German heavy metal band. Initially active from 1984 to 1990 as a speed and thrash metal band, they dropped their thrash roots in favor of a power/progressive metal sound upon reforming in 1998.
Tomi Koivusaari is the current rhythm guitarist and former vocalist of the Finnish heavy metal band Amorphis. He started playing at the age of 12, his first band was Violent Solution formed in 1987, with him on guitars and vocals, Esa Holopainen on guitars and Jan Rechberger on drums. The band played thrash metal, recorded a demo and an EP. He also formed a death/doom band called Abhorrence in 1989, and recorded a demo and an EP. Both bands broke up in 1990, but Tomi was not a member of Violent Solution since he formed Abhorrence.
Metamorphosis is the first EP by Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver. Written and produced by Kristoffer Rygg and Tore Ylwizaker, the EP was issued on 27 September 1999 via Jester Records. The EP showcased Ulver's new electronic musical direction that would become more readily apparent on the album Perdition City.
Silence Teaches You How to Sing is an EP by Norwegian experimental electronica band Ulver. Recorded and mixed in February 2001, the EP was issued by Jester Records in September 2001. Loosely recorded during the sessions for the Perdition City, together with Silencing the Singing, the EP is a subtle counterpart to the more dramatic full-length, issued in March 2000.
Far Off Grace is the third full-length album by the German progressive metal band Vanden Plas. It was later re-released in 2004 as a special edition with two bonus track and multimedia material.
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.
The Celtic Winter is the first EP by the black metal band Graveland. It originally was planned as an EP for Hammer of Damnation Records, but this release failed due to financial reasons. So it was released as the 6th demo tape in 1994 on Melissa Productions. It was re-released on MCD format in 1994 with only three songs, and then re-released again on CD format in 1996 by No Colours Records. It was rereleased several times by different labels. It was indexed by the German Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons in September 2008, so it appears under the name Evarg - TCW at the No Colours Catalogue.
Penikufesin is the third EP by the American thrash metal band Anthrax. Culled from the State of Euphoria sessions, it was released in August 1989 on Megaforce Records/Island Records.
In Paradisum is the debut and only album by multinational power metal band Symfonia, released on March 25, 2011 in Japan and April 1, 2011 in Europe. In paradisum is an antiphon from the traditional Latin liturgy of the Roman Catholic Requiem Mass.
0 + 2 = 1 1⁄2 is a compilation album by Vancouver punk band Nomeansno. Recorded in 1991 and released as a digital album in 2010, it includes five outtakes and four demo tracks recorded for 0 + 2 = 1, Nomeansno's fifth full-length record and final album to feature Nomeansno's longtime guitarist Andy Kerr.
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