Manowar is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980, the group is known for lyrics based on fantasy and mythology, as well as numerous songs celebrating the genre and its core audience. The band is also known for a loud and emphatic sound. In an interview for MTV in February 2007, bassist Joey DeMaio lamented that "these days, there's a real lack of big, epic metal that is drenched with crushing guitars and choirs and orchestras... so it's nice to be one of the few bands that's actually doing that". In 1984, the band was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for delivering the loudest performance, a record which they have since broken on two occasions. They also hold the world record for the longest heavy metal concert after playing for five hours and 1 minute in Bulgaria in 2008. They also have been known for their slogan "Death to false metal". The band maintain a strong cult following.
Folk metal is a fusion genre of heavy metal music and traditional folk music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. It is characterised by the widespread use of folk instruments and, to a lesser extent, traditional singing styles. It also sometimes features soft instrumentation influenced by folk rock.
Elvenking is a heavy metal band from Sacile, Italy. As of 2019, they have released one demo and ten full-length studio albums. Elvenking's music draws their inspiration from very different genres such as metal, folk, hard rock, pop, prog and classical music.
The System Has Failed is the tenth studio album by American heavy metal band Megadeth, released on September 14, 2004. It was the band's second and final studio album to be distributed by Sanctuary Records. The System Has Failed was the first album to be released after Dave Mustaine recovered from his arm injury sustained in 2002. It is also the first of three Megadeth records not to include original bassist and co-founder David Ellefson. Instead, the album features session players, including drummer Vinnie Colaiuta and guitarist, former Megadeth member Chris Poland.
Leaves' Eyes is a symphonic metal band from Germany and Norway. They were formed in 2003 by Liv Kristine, formerly the lead singer of Theatre of Tragedy, and the entire line-up of Atrocity. To date, the band has released eight studio albums, a single, six EPs, one live album and a DVD.
Cruachan are an Irish folk metal band from Dublin that have been active since the 1990s. They have been acclaimed as having "gone the greatest lengths of anyone in their attempts to expand" the genre of folk metal. They are recognised as one of the founders of the genre of folk metal. With a specific focus on Celtic music and the use of Celtic mythology in their lyrics, Cruachan's style of folk metal is known as Celtic metal. The band named themselves after the archaeological site of Rathcroghan in Ireland also known as Cruachan.
The Winter Wake is the third studio album by Italian folk/power metal band Elvenking. It features the return of original vocalist, Damnagoras, and the departure of guitarist, Jarpen. The lyrical content of the album centers around fantasy, folklore, fairy tales, and feeling alone and being an outsider or an outcast as well as hints at the music industry with songs such as the Skyclad cover, "Penny Dreadful".
The Dethalbum is the debut album by virtual band Dethklok, from American animated sitcom Metalocalypse. It was released on September 25, 2007. The album features full length songs from the TV series, as well as previously unreleased tracks. Antonio Canobbio contributed the artwork for the record.
AFM Records GmbH is a music label based in Schwalmstadt, Germany. They focus on the heavy metal musical genre, signing bands such as U.D.O., Doro, Lordi, Kotipelto, Masterplan, Nostradameus, and Annihilator.
The Scythe is the fourth studio album by Italian folk metal band Elvenking. The Scythe was released on September 14, 2007 through AFM Records in all European countries, and November 7 in the USA by Candlelight Records.
Davide "Damna" Moras is the lead vocalist of the Italian folk/power metal band Elvenking and rock n' roll band Hell in the Club.
For Lies I Sire is the tenth studio album by British doom metal pioneers My Dying Bride, released on 23 March 2009 via Peaceville Records and 21 April 2009 in the United States. It is the first album without keyboardist Sarah Stanton since she joined My Dying Bride in 2004 for their Songs of Darkness, Words of Light album. Musically, it is their first album since 1996's Like Gods of the Sun to feature a violin, performed by new band member Katie Stone. The album was recorded during September 2008 in Manchester's Futureworks Studio.
At Donington UK: Live 1983 & 1987 is a live album from American heavy metal band Dio. It was released on November 9, 2010 as the first release from Dio's Niji Entertainment Group label. It features two appearances by Dio at the Monsters of Rock festival at Donington: the 1983 show and the 1987 show. In addition to his work with his own band, material from Ronnie James Dio's time in Black Sabbath and Rainbow is also showcased. Much of the material on these two discs is included as bonus tracks on the deluxe expanded editions of Holy Diver and Dream Evil, released in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Psalms for the Dead is the eleventh studio album by the Swedish doom metal band Candlemass, released on 8 June 2012. At the time of its release, the band stated that this would be their final album, though bassist and founding member Leif Edling has since retracted this claim. Psalms for the Dead is, however, the last Candlemass album recorded with singer Robert Lowe, who left the band just six days before its release.
Rising from Ashes is the fifth album by German power metal band Silent Force, released on December 13, 2013 via AFM Records. It is their first album since Walk the Earth in 2007. It was produced by Beyrodt himself and it was the first and only album also with singer Michael Bormann, bass guitarist Mat Sinner and Italian keyboardist Alessandro Del Vecchio, respectively instead of D. C. Cooper, Jürgen Steinmetz and Torsten Röhre.
Era is the seventh studio album released by the Italian folk/power metal band, Elvenking. The album returns more to the band's traditional sound of folk metal and power metal incorporating more folk elements into the songs that were more so lacking from previous albums such as The Scythe and Red Silent Tides. Guest appearances on vocals by Jon Oliva (Savatage),, and Netta Dahlberg as well as a guitar solo performed by Teemu Mantysaari of (Wintersun) can be heard on the album. Prior to the album's release, Damna and Aydan did a sit down via YouTube going through the album track-by-track describing to fans where each song is coming from and what went into writing and recording the songs.
The Pagan Manifesto is the eighth studio album released by the Italian folk/power metal band, Elvenking. The album is a return to the band's pagan roots and sees a return to their original idea, concept and sound both lyrically and musically.
Killection is the tenth studio album by the Finnish hard rock band Lordi. It was released on 31 January 2020, via AFM Records. The band stated that the album is considered a 'fictional compilation' and would contain songs you would normally hear in the early 1970s to mid-1990s.
The Last Viking is the eighth studio album by German symphonic metal band Leaves' Eyes. It was released on October 23, 2020, by AFM Records. It is the last album to feature longtime member Thorsten Bauer.
[1] 
