Symphonic black metal is a subgenre of black metal that emerged in the 1990s and incorporates symphonic and orchestral elements.
The Kovenant is a Norwegian industrial metal band from Hamar. The band originally formed as a symphonic black metal act known as Covenant in 1993, but in 1999 were forced to change their name to The Kovenant due to a dispute with a Swedish electronic band of the same name. The band's name change also marked a change in sound/style as well, as the band from there on began to focus more on an aggrotech/industrial metal sound heavily influenced by Europe's EBM scene. Despite their style change, The Kovenant did however later reissue their early albums under The Kovenant name.
Arcturus is a Norwegian avant-garde metal band formed in 1991. Their name, which means "Bear Guardian", references the Behenian fixed star Arcturus.
Jan Axel Blomberg, better known by his stage name Hellhammer, is a Norwegian drummer. He is best known as the drummer of the black metal band Mayhem, which he joined in 1988, and is the only member to appear on all of their albums. In 1987 Blomberg, alongside Steinar Sverd Johnsen and Marius Vold, formed the avant-garde black metal band Arcturus, which broke up in April 2007 and reunited in 2011. He named himself after the Swiss extreme metal band Hellhammer. Praised as a talented musician, Blomberg is a three-time winner of the Spellemannprisen award.
Kristoffer Rygg, also known as Garm, Trickster G. Rex and God Head, is a Norwegian vocalist, musician and producer known primarily for his work with Ulver, Arcturus, and Borknagar.
Nexus Polaris is the second studio album by the Norwegian metal band Covenant, and was released in 1998 through Nuclear Blast.
Fleurety is a Norwegian avant-garde metal band. The band was formed in 1991 by Svein Egil Hatlevik and Alexander Nordgaren.
La Masquerade Infernale is the second studio album by Arcturus. Released by Misanthropy Records in 1997, the album marks a drastic musical change from the slow, nature-influenced melodic black metal of Aspera Hiems Symfonia. Most of the songs revolve around the themes of theater, literature, and Satan. The screams characteristic of black metal utilized by Kristoffer Rygg on Aspera are replaced by a gruff, low-toned, clean vocal style. The album also features operatic singing and bizarre high-pitched singing from guest vocalist Simen Hestnæs, who nine years later would replace Rygg as the band's frontman. It was reissued by Candlelight Records in 2003.
Department of Apocalyptic Affairs is the second album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Fleurety.
Aspera Hiems Symfonia is the debut studio album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. Aspera is the only album Arcturus released to showcase a melodic black metal sound, though it still contains many of the experimental elements that would be expanded upon on their following albums, which saw the band shift permanently into the genres of avant-garde and progressive metal. Four of the album's songs are re-recorded versions of tracks from the Constellation EP, whereas the other four are new songs.
Disguised Masters is a compilation album by the Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. The album has two new songs: "White Tie Black Noise" and "Deception Genesis". Other tracks are re-mixed versions of songs from La Masquerade Infernale and "Du Nordavind" from Aspera Hiems Symfonia. Some songs received particularly significant overhauls, such as the gangsta rap version of "Master of Disguise". Due to the significant changes to several of the band's songs, it is not a typical compilation album, and is therefore more suited to existing fans of the band than new listeners.
Carl August Tidemann is a highly technical Norwegian Neo-classical metal guitarist and composer, best known for his work in progressive bands like Arcturus and Winds.
My Angel is an EP and the debut release by Norwegian avant-garde metal band Arcturus. It was released on 7" vinyl on 8 July 1991, through the record label Putrifaction Records. The EP is notable for being one of the earliest releases to be labelled symphonic black metal.
The Imaginary Direction of Time is the second full-length album by Norwegian progressive metal band Winds. It was released on July 26, 2004. Paul Stenning described the album in Terrorizer as lacking "any real sense of purpose. This seems like a 'concept' and 'avant garde' for the sake of it, turning the album into a mesh of clumsy comparisons and nothing of real worth...it's a none-too-daring experiment caught in the headlights of its own vision".
Astennu is the professional name of Australian heavy metal musician Jamie Stinson. His name is derived from a creature in Egyptian mythology.
Prominence and Demise is the third full-length album by Norwegian progressive metal band Winds, released on September 4, 2007.
Håvard Jørgensen, also known as Haavard, Lemarchand, is a songwriter, guitarist and vocalist. He was the original guitarist of the Norwegian black metal bands Satyricon and Ulver.
Stian André Hinderson, also known under the stage names Nagash and Lex Icon, is a Norwegian metal musician. He plays guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and does vocals. He is primarily known for his work with the black metal bands Dimmu Borgir and The Kovenant.
Constellation is the first EP released by Norwegian experimental black metal band Arcturus. It was released on CD on 14 August 1994, through the record label Nocturnal Art Productions, limited to 500 copies. The EP is the band's only release with guitarist/bassist Samoth, who was sentenced to 16 months in prison for his role in the arson of Skjold Church in Vindafjord, and the first with Ulver frontman Kristoffer Rygg on vocals, a position he would hold until his departure in 2002.
Hugh Steven James Mingay, also known by his stage name Skoll, is a Norwegian bassist.
