Ancient is a Norwegian black metal band from Bergen, formed in 1992. The band released six full-length albums released by Metal Blade Records to date and a variety of mini-albums, EPs and special releases. Ancient used to have the classic raw black metal sound, similar to Darkthrone's works. Beginning with The Cainian Chronicle, they moved towards a more Nordic/atmospheric black metal sound, akin to Emperor and a cleaner production. After a period of turmoil concerning their line-up, they went on to add gothic-style instruments such as violins, a female vocalist, and synthesizers to their music.
Cryptopsy is a Canadian technical death metal band from Montreal, formed in 1988.
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.
Nothingface was an American alternative metal band from Washington, D.C., formed in 1993. Their best-known and most prolific line-up consisted of Matt Holt (vocals), Tom Maxwell (guitar), Bill Gaal (bass) and Chris Houck (drums). They disbanded in 2004, only to reform the following year, reuniting with Gaal and Houck, and then disband four years later. In 2017, Matt Holt died from a degenerative disease.
Paradise Lost are an English gothic metal band that formed in 1988 in Halifax, considered to be among the pioneers of the death-doom genre, and regarded as the main influence for the later gothic metal movement. Bands that have cited Paradise Lost as an influence, or have covered them, include My Dying Bride, Anathema, The Gathering, Amorphis, Cradle of Filth, Katatonia, Moonspell, Lacuna Coil, HIM, Nightwish and many others. As of 2005, Paradise Lost have sold over two million albums worldwide.
Arsis is an American heavy metal band from Virginia Beach, Virginia, formed in 2000. The band is currently signed to Nuclear Blast.
It Dies Today is an American metalcore band that formed in Buffalo, New York during September 2001. The band achieved popular success in 2004 with the release of their debut album, The Caitiff Choir. After frontman Nicholas Brooks departed in 2006, just after the release of the band's sophomore effort Sirens, It Dies Today released Lividity in 2009 before going on hiatus in 2010. The band reunited briefly for a show in 2012, but the reunion paused again in 2015.
Love Gun is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Kiss, released on June 30, 1977. Casablanca Records and FilmWorks shipped one million copies of the album on this date. It was certified platinum and became the band's first top 5 album on the Billboard 200. The album was remastered in 1997 and again in 2014.
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.
Brutality was an American death metal band from Tampa, Florida. The group was signed to Nuclear Blast Records in the 1990s.
The Human Abstract was an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 2004, the group was originally signed to the independent label Hopeless Records, the band then released the two albums Nocturne (2006) and Midheaven (2008) before signing to eOne Music and releasing Digital Veil (2011). The Human Abstract went through several lineup changes over the years, with the final consisting of founding members Dean Herrera, A.J. Minette and Brett Powell, in addition to Henry Selva and Travis Richter.
Nocturne is the debut studio album by American metal band The Human Abstract. It was recorded at The Basement in Rural Hall, North Carolina and Trax East in South River, New Jersey. On the band's MySpace page, as well as in the Metal=Life compilation CD, the last 30 or so seconds of "Desiderata" are included as part of the intro to "Vela, Together We Await the Storm". Music videos were made for "Crossing the Rubicon" and "Vela, Together We Await the Storm". Nocturne has sold roughly 40,000 units in the USA since its release in August 2006.
Cellador is a power metal band based in Denver, Colorado. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, the band was founded in 2003 by Chris Petersen, the band's primary songwriter, as a direct contrast to the overcrowded metalcore and death metal scenes of the American Midwest. The band has had multiple lineup changes since its inception, but is now rounded out by founder Chris Petersen, drummer Nick McCallister, keyboardist Diego Valadez, and guitarist Eric Meyers. In 2005 the band signed to Metal Blade Records after playing a show with The Black Dahlia Murder.
Wolves in the Throne Room is an American black metal band formed in 2003 in Olympia, Washington by brothers Aaron and Nathan Weaver. They have released seven full-length albums, two live albums, and one EP to date. They have stated one of the founding concepts of the band to be channeling the "energies of the Pacific Northwest's landscape" into musical form.
Dance Club Massacre was an American deathcore band from Chicago, Illinois. Formed in 2004, the group originated as a simple recording project between founding members Nick Seger and Kurt Latos. After recording three songs described as "Halloween-core" and distributing them to friends, the project became a complete band when friends began rehearsals with one another all while attending college.
Secret Sphere is an Italian symphonic power metal band from Alessandria, formed by guitarist Aldo Lonobile in July 1997.
The Faceless are an American technical death metal band from the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. They released their debut album, Akeldama, in November 2006, and a follow-up, Planetary Duality, in November 2008. The band's third album, Autotheism, was released on August 14, 2012. On December 1, 2017, the band released their fourth album, In Becoming a Ghost.
Digital Veil is the third album by American progressive metal band The Human Abstract. The album was released on March 8, 2011, through E1 Music. Digital Veil marks the return of founding guitarist A.J. Minette, who left in 2007, and the introduction of the new lead vocalist Travis Richter, who replaced former vocalist Nathan Ells. The first single off the album, titled "Faust," was released digitally on November 16, 2010.
Forging a Future Self is the debut studio album by American progressive metal band After the Burial. It was recorded in 2005 and released on March 1, 2006 through Corrosive Recordings.
