Sonata Arctica is a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, Finland. Created as a hard rock band named Tricky Beans, they later changed to Tricky Means and finally to Sonata Arctica, when they shifted to power metal. The current lineup consists of drummer Tommy Portimo, lead singer Tony Kakko, keyboardist Henrik Klingenberg, guitarist Elias Viljanen and bassist Pasi Kauppinen. All the musicians of the band's history except Portimo also acted as backing vocalists.
Ecliptica is the first full-length album by the power metal band Sonata Arctica. It was released in 1999 through Spinefarm Records in Europe and through Century Media in the United States. It is the band's only album featuring bassist Janne Kivilahti. In 2016, vocalist, keyboardist and songwriter Tony Kakko described the album as "like the extension of our demo, we didn't know what we were doing so that reflects on the album and makes kind of cute if you will."
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. The band was formed in 1991 by vocalist/guitarist Robb Flynn, who remains the only original member of the band. Machine Head's aggressive musicianship made it one of the pioneering bands in the new wave of American heavy metal. Its current lineup comprises Flynn, bassist Jared MacEachern, guitarist Wacław Kiełtyka and drummer Matt Alston. Bassist Adam Duce, guitarists Logan Mader, Ahrue Luster and Phil Demmel, and drummers Tony Costanza, Chris Kontos and Dave McClain are former members of the band; Mader and Kontos toured with the band in 2019 and 2020 as part of the 25th anniversary tour for its first album, Burn My Eyes (1994).
Immolation is an American death metal band from Yonkers, New York. They are considered one of the leaders of the New York death metal scene along with Incantation, Mortician and Suffocation, as well as one of the best bands of the death metal genre.
Unia, released on 25 May 2007, is the fifth full-length studio album by the power metal band Sonata Arctica, following the album Reckoning Night. The first single from the album was "Paid in Full", released on 27 April 2007. This is also the last album that features Jani Liimatainen, who was later replaced by Elias Viljanen after the album was released.
God Forbid is an American heavy metal band formed in 1996 in East Brunswick, New Jersey.
Alice in Hell is the debut studio album by Canadian thrash metal band Annihilator, released on April 17, 1989 through Roadrunner Records. This was the only Annihilator album for ten years to feature Randy Rampage on vocals, until he returned for their seventh studio album Criteria for a Black Widow (1999).
Trivium is an American heavy metal band from Orlando, Florida, formed in 1999. The band comprises vocalist and guitarist Matt Heafy, guitarist Corey Beaulieu, bassist Paolo Gregoletto, and drummer Alex Bent.
Matthew Kiichi Heafy is an American musician, best known as the guitarist and lead vocalist for heavy metal band Trivium. He was also the lead vocalist for the band Capharnaum, along with Trivium's former producer Jason Suecof. In 2017, Heafy was voted sixth on the Ultimate Guitar list "Top 25 Greatest Modern Frontmen".
The Crusade is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Trivium. It was released on October 10, 2006, through Roadrunner Records and was produced by Jason Suecof and the band themselves. The album marked a significant musical departure from the metalcore sound of preceding album Ascendancy, with the band instead bringing their thrash metal influences to the fore. Accordingly, vocalist and guitarist Matt Heafy sings with primarily 'clean' vocals throughout The Crusade, rather than utilizing the 'screaming' style heard on Ascendancy.
Pure Rubbish was an American rock band from Houston, Texas, United States, from late 1995 to April 2003. The band's moniker was lifted from Mick Jagger's published opinion about the 1960s rock band Herman's Hermits. Pure Rubbish had three records released between 1998 and 2001. The band also recorded a debut album produced by Mike Clink entitled Glamorous Youth (2001) that never saw an official release.
Road to Bloodshed is the first and only studio album by American heavy metal band Sanctity, released in the United States on April 24, 2007 through Roadrunner Records.
Shogunlisten (help·info) is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Trivium. The album was released worldwide on various dates between September 23, 2008, and October 1, 2008, through Roadrunner Records. It is their last release to feature drummer Travis Smith. Work on the album is noted to have begun with producer Nick Raskulinecz in October 2007, with the band stating that they chose not to work with Jason Suecof again as they wanted to explore new ideas.
Design Your Universe is the fourth full-length studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Epica, released on 16 October 2009. It was the first album to feature officially new band members Isaac Delahaye on guitar and Ariën van Weesenbeek on drums.
Mutiny Within is the debut studio album by New Jersey heavy metal band, Mutiny Within, released on February 23, 2010 in the US, and on April 26, 2010 in the UK, both through Roadrunner Records. The album was recorded at Bieler Bros. Studios in Pompano Beach, Florida, produced by Jason Bieler, and mixed by Martyn "Ginge" Ford and Jeff Rose at Not-In-Pill Studios, Newport, Wales. This album was released in two different versions: the standard edition, which was released as a CD and included eleven tracks and a small illustrated booklet with lyrics; and the special edition, which was digitally released and included the eleven album tracks plus four bonus tracks. The self-titled debut album sold around 900 copies in the US in its first week of release, landing at position No. 41 on the "Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers)" chart.
The Autumn Offering was an American metalcore band that formed in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1999. After achieving some degree of local success, the band was signed to Stillborn Records, founded by Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed, in 2003. The band released one album through this label. The Autumn Offering later signed to Victory Records in 2005 and have since then released four studio albums.
Stones Grow Her Name is the 7th full-length studio album by Finnish power metal band Sonata Arctica. It was released in Finland on May 16, 2012, in Europe on May 18, 2012, in North America on May 22, 2012 and in Japan on May 23, 2012. It was the last album to feature longtime bassist Marko Paasikoski.
"Built to Fall" is the second single of American heavy metal band Trivium's fifth studio album, In Waves. This song was released on August 16, 2011. It is the second single to feature drummer Nick Augusto. The album featured a sound closer to Ascendancy than The Crusade and Shogun and features a more metalcore sound than thrash metal. It reached 31 on the UK Rock Chart.
Jared MacEachern is an American Heavy metal musician, best known as a singer and rhythm guitarist of the American heavy metal band Sanctity. In 2013, he joined Machine Head as bassist, replacing Adam Duce.
Borealis is a Canadian power/progressive metal band from Orangeville, Ontario. Their music features soaring vocals, a focus on guitar riffs, as well as a bass-heavy backing rhythm. Their sound is likened to the more melodic realms of power metal, however, with each album they have introduced progressive elements to the mix. They are known for performing in an outstanding manner live; their first album was recorded in light of a well received opening performance for Sonata Arctica. In an interview, the band explained the origin of their name: "we were all hanging out one night and the northern lights could be seen above. We thought it would be a cool name, but with Aurora Borealis already being a successful band, we shortened it to Borealis".
