Helloween is a German heavy metal band founded in 1984 in Hamburg, West Germany by members of bands Iron Fist and Gentry. Its first lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Kai Hansen, bassist Markus Grosskopf, guitarist Michael Weikath, and drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg. After the release of a self-titled EP and their debut album Walls of Jericho in 1985, it expanded into a quintet with the addition of singer Michael Kiske, Hansen choosing to focus on guitar instead. Under this line-up, they released the Keeper of the Seven Keys albums, which established Helloween as a notable heavy metal band and led to the creation of the power metal subgenre. Hansen left the band soon after the release of Part II and was replaced by Roland Grapow. After leaving Helloween, Hansen formed Gamma Ray.
HammerFall is a Swedish power metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden. The band was formed in 1993 by ex-Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak.
Meshuggah is a Swedish extreme metal band formed in Umeå in 1987. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Jens Kidman, lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström and bassist Dick Lövgren. Since its formation, the band has released eight studio albums, six EPs and eight music videos. Their latest studio album, The Violent Sleep of Reason, was released on 7 October 2016.
Nasum was a Swedish grindcore band from Örebro, formed in 1992. The band released four studio albums and developed into "one of that country's premier metal acts". They disbanded after the December 2004 tsunami killed the band's frontman, Mieszko Talarczyk.
Hypocrisy is a Swedish death metal band formed in October 1991 in Ludvika, Sweden by Peter Tägtgren.
Accept is a German heavy metal band from the town of Solingen, formed in 1976 by guitarist Wolf Hoffmann and former members Udo Dirkschneider (vocals) and Peter Baltes (bass). Their beginnings can be traced back to the late 1960s, when the band got its start under the name Band X. Accept's lineup has changed over the years, which has included different singers, guitarists, bassists and drummers. Their current lineup consists of Hoffmann, vocalist Mark Tornillo, guitarists Uwe Lulis and Philip Shouse, drummer Christopher Williams and bassist Martin Motnik. Hoffmann has been the sole constant member since its inception, and he is the only band member to appear on each album.
Gorgoroth is a Norwegian black metal band based in Bergen. It was formed in 1992 by guitarist Infernus, who is also the only original member remaining, and the band have since released nine studio albums. Gorgoroth are a Satanic band and have drawn controversy due to some of their concerts, which have featured impaled sheep heads and mock crucifixions. The band is named after the dead plateau of darkness in the land of Mordor from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings.
Cult of Luna is a Swedish heavy metal band from Umeå founded in 1998. They are known for post-metal music similar to the contemporary bands Neurosis and Isis. The band was signed to Earache Records in the early 2000s and released five albums, including the commercially successful albums Salvation (2004) and Somewhere Along the Highway (2006). After an extended period of inactivity, Cult of Luna returned with its Indie Recordings debut Vertikal (2013) and companion EP Vertikal II (2013), both drawing inspiration from Fritz Lang's 1927 film, Metropolis. In 2016 the band released their space-themed seventh album, Mariner, featuring American vocalist Julie Christmas.
Persuader is a Swedish power metal band from the city Umeå in the Swedish province of Västerbotten Norrland. The band was formed in 1997, and they have since released four full-length albums. They have a sound similar to bands including early Blind Guardian, Iron Savior, and Nocturnal Rites, although Persuader includes influences of thrash metal also. Members Jens and Emil joined the band Savage Circus in 2005, started by Thomen Stauch after he left Blind Guardian.
Nitro was an American heavy metal band from Hollywood, California. Formed in 1988, the group originally featured vocalist Jim Gillette, guitarist Michael Angelo Batio, bassist T. J. Racer and drummer Bobby Rock. Nitro released its debut album O.F.R. in 1989, which reached number 140 on the US Billboard 200. Rock was replaced by K. C. Comet for the album's tour and Racer would leave the band thereafter. Nitro II: H.W.D.W.S., released in 1992, featured Ralph Carter on bass and Johnny Thunder on drums. The group broke up in 1993, with a number of previously unreleased demo recordings issued on the 1999 album Gunnin' for Glory.
Trail of Tears is a Norwegian gothic/symphonic black metal band originally formed in 1994 by Terje Heiseldal, Kjell Rune Hagen, Jonathan A Perez, Michael Krumins, and Ronny Thorsen, under the name of Natt. Through most of their career the band emphasised the use of contrasting soprano and death grunt vocals, except for the release of Free Fall into Fear in 2005, in which the band switched this contrast mostly to tenor and growls, with less frequent soprano passages. The band disbanded in 2013, being succeeded by Thorsen's project Viper Solfa. In 2020, they reformed with old and new members, including previous Sirenia vocalist Ailyn.
Exciter is a Canadian speed metal band from Ottawa, Ontario, formed in 1978. Named after a song by Judas Priest, they are considered to be one of the first speed metal bands and a seminal influence of the thrash metal genre; the band was heavily influenced by a variety of music styles, including Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Deep Purple, Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Motörhead, Rush, Jethro Tull and Grand Funk Railroad. Despite many changes in personnel as well as two breakups, Exciter has managed to keep a small but dedicated following over the years.
Rhapsody of Fire is an Italian symphonic power metal band formed by Luca Turilli and Alex Staropoli, widely seen as a pioneer of the symphonic power metal subgenre.
The Duskfall is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Luleå, Sweden, formed in 1999. The band released four full-length studio albums and, shortly afterwards, split in 2008; however, they reformed in 2014.
Sadist is a death metal band from Genoa, Italy, founded in January 1991 and made their debut with an EP that was followed by three albums. The band went on hiatus after releasing the Lego album in 2000. They reunited in 2005 and released their self-titled album in 2007 and a further three albums since. In total, the band have released eight albums and an EP. They are currently signed to Scarlet Records. Guitarist and keyboardist Tommy Talamanca has been a constant feature throughout the band's existence, as the main composer and (co)-producer of their musical output. Trevor Nadir has been the main vocalist of the band since 1996.
Dead by April is a Swedish metalcore band from Gothenburg, formed in February 2007 by Pontus Hjelm and Jimmie Strimell. The current band lineup consists of Pontus Hjelm, Christopher Kristensen, Marcus Wesslén and Marcus Rosell (drums). Despite many line up changes throughout their career, both Marcus Wesslén and Pontus Hjelm have remained consistent since their debut album.
Veil of Maya is an American metalcore band, formed in Chicago, Illinois, by members Marc Okubo and Sam Applebaum in 2004. They are currently signed to Sumerian Records and have released six studio albums. Their first four albums are considered to be deathcore, but their fifth album, Matriarch, is considered to be metalcore. They have also been associated with djent.
Chelsea Grin is an American deathcore band from Salt Lake City, Utah. Formed in 2007, the group have released two EPs and five full-length albums.
Oracles is a Belgian band formed, by the couple Sven de Caluwé and Miri Milman and featuring members from Israel, Netherlands, Greece and the US. On March 13, 2014, the band had announced an indefinite hiatus and disbanded after a messy divorce between Sven and Miri, but reformed in December 2014 as Oracles, with Sanna Salou, from Dimlight, on vocals. In 2020, Miri Milman reformed System Divide,and released a new single.
Twelve Gauge Valentine was an American post-hardcore band from Bastrop and Monroe, Louisiana, with their debut album Shock Value released on October 3, 2006. The band was initially supported by the Sound Vs. Silence label, with whom they released their debut EP, Exclamationaire. They have toured with bands, such as Haste the Day, From Autumn to Ashes, It Dies Today, Alesana, War of Ages, Demise of Eros, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Inhale Exhale, Anam Cara, Vanna, Once Nothing, Gwen Stacy, Society's Finest, The Handshake Murders, and Memphis May Fire.
