Sodom is a German thrash metal band from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981. They have gone through many lineup changes, leaving bassist/vocalist Tom Angelripper as the only constant member. The band is currently composed of Angelripper, guitarists Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik and Yorck Segatz, and drummer Toni Merkel. Along with Kreator, Destruction and Tankard, Sodom has been referred to as one of the "Big Four" of Teutonic thrash metal. Sodom heavily influenced the German black metal scene. In addition, the band is regarded as a pioneer of early death metal. Mike McPadden wrote that the most Venom-blackened of German "Three Kings", Sodom further merged thrash and death metal into a "wicked and decadent sound".
Marko Tapani "Marco" Hietala is a Finnish heavy metal vocalist, bassist and songwriter. Internationally, he is best known as the former bassist, male vocalist and secondary composer to Tuomas Holopainen, of the symphonic metal band Nightwish. He is also the vocalist and bassist as well as composer and lyricist for the heavy metal band Tarot.
Destruction is a German thrash metal band formed in 1982. They have been credited as one of the "Big Four" of the German thrash metal scene, the others being Kreator, Sodom and Tankard. In addition to helping pioneer black metal, Destruction was part of the second wave of thrash metal in the mid-to-late 1980s, along with American bands like Testament, Sacred Reich, Death Angel and Dark Angel. For most of the 1990s, the band was not signed to a record label and was forced to self-produce their albums until they signed a contract with Nuclear Blast in the early 2000s.
Rage is a German heavy metal band formed in 1984 by Peavy Wagner. They were part of the German heavy/speed/power metal scene which emerged in the early to mid-1980s, and have been referred to as one of the country's so-called "big four" of power metal, along with Grave Digger, Helloween and Running Wild.
Pro-Pain is an American heavy metal band based in New York City, formed in 1991 by vocalist and bassist Gary Meskil and drummer Dan Richardson, both former members of Crumbsuckers.
Pedro Henrique "Kiko" Loureiro is a Brazilian guitarist. He has been a member of several heavy metal bands, including Angra and Megadeth.
Hirax is an American thrash metal band from Cypress, California. Starting in 1984 under the leadership of vocalist Katon W. De Pena, the band played in Los Angeles and San Francisco with several of their thrash metal peers such as Metallica, Exodus, and Slayer. The band was an early example of thrash metal, speed metal and crossover thrash, yet inspired by cross-genre influences including blues vocalist Sam Cooke, who De Pena once cited as "the greatest vocalist [De Pena] has ever heard."
Vicious Rumors are an American power metal band, originally formed in 1979 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was conceived by founder and guitarist/vocalist Geoff Thorpe, and has been actively recording and touring worldwide since their full-length recording debut in 1985. The band is signed to the Germany-based label SPV/Steamhammer.
Crematory is a German gothic metal band formed in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg in 1991.
Dead Again is the seventh and final studio album by the American gothic metal band Type O Negative, released before the death of frontman Peter Steele in 2010, and subsequent dissolution of the band. It was released on March 13, 2007, through record label Steamhammer, a subsidiary of SPV.
Soundchaser is the 17th studio album by the German heavy metal band Rage, released in 2003 by SPV/Steamhammer.
Strings to a Web is the 20th studio album by German heavy metal band Rage, released in Europe on 5 February 2010 through Nuclear Blast Records. The American and Japanese editions of the album were released in a special two-disc set, which included a DVD with live performances and videos.
21 is the 21st studio album by German heavy metal band Rage, released on 24 February 2012 through Nuclear Blast Records. The production was once again helmed by Charlie Bauerfeind, who had worked with the band for at least 10 years at that point.
Unity is the 16th studio album by the German heavy metal band Rage, released in 2002 by SPV/Steamhammer.
Pagan's Mind is a progressive metal band from Skien, Norway. They have released five studio albums, and the current line-up feature only original members.
The Devil Strikes Again is the 22nd studio album by German heavy metal band Rage, released on 10 June 2016 through Nuclear Blast Records. Videos are made for the singles "My Way" and "The Devil Strikes Again".
Zero Days is the twelfth studio album by American heavy metal band Prong. It was released on July 28, 2017 through Steamhammer/SPV record label. The record was produced by the band's guitarist/vocalist Tommy Victor and longtime collaborator Chris Collier, the latter also engineering the album.
Seasons of the Black is the 23rd studio album by German heavy metal band Rage, released on 28 July 2017 through Nuclear Blast Records. Videos were made for the singles "Blackened Karma" and "Seasons of the Black". A bonus disc, Avenger Revisted, are re-recording of songs from Prayers of Steel, Rage's first album under the name "Avenger".
Night Demon is an American heavy metal band from Ventura, California. Performing as a power trio, the band is among several bands participating in the resurgence of traditional, old-school heavy metal in the 2010s. Night Demon has released three studio albums on independent record labels plus a live concert album and regularly performs at heavy metal festivals worldwide.
Resurrection Day is the 25th studio album by German heavy metal band Rage, released on 17 September 2021 through SPV/Steamhammer. It marks the first Rage album with a new line-up featuring two guitarists, Jean Bormann and Stefan Weber, making it the band's first album as a quartet since Ghosts. Videos were made for the singles "Virginity" and "Monetary Gods".
