Suffocation is an American death metal band formed in 1988 in Centereach, New York, currently consisting of lead guitarist Terrance Hobbs, bassist Derek Boyer, rhythm guitarist Charlie Errigo, drummer Eric Morotti, and vocalist Ricky Myers. The band rose to prominence with their 1991 debut album Effigy of the Forgotten, which became a blueprint for death metal in the 1990s. Since then, Suffocation has recorded eight albums. These feature growled vocals with downtuned guitars, fast and complex guitar riffs and drumming, open chord notes and occasional breakdowns.
Helix is a Canadian hard rock and heavy metal band. They formed in 1974, and are best known for their 1984 single "Rock You". The original lineup was formed by drummer Bruce Arnold, and consisted of lead vocalist Brian Vollmer, guitarists Ron Watson and Rick "Minstrel" Trembley, keyboardist Don Simmons, and bassist Keith "Bert" Zurbrigg. However, their most well known lineup, and the one that recorded "Rock You", was the 1980s version of the band: Vollmer on vocals, accompanied by guitarists Brent "The Doctor" Doerner and Paul Hackman, bassist Daryl Gray, and drummer Greg "Fritz" Hinz. The history of the band has been marked by many lineup changes, with Vollmer being the sole constant member and only remaining member of the original lineup. Although Hackman was killed in a tour bus accident in 1992, the surviving members of the 1980s lineup reunited in 2009 for an album and have continued to tour since 2011. Watson died in 2019. Simmons died in 2021. Hinz died in 2024.
Symphonic metal is a cross-generic style designation for the symphonic subsets of heavy metal music subgenres. It is used to denote any metal band that makes use of symphonic or orchestral elements. The style features the heavy drums and guitars of metal with different elements of orchestral classical music, such as symphonic instruments, choirs and sometimes a full orchestra, or just keyboard orchestration.
Bengt Mikael Stanne is a Swedish musician, best known as the vocalist, primary lyricist and a former guitarist for the melodic death metal band Dark Tranquillity. Since the departure of original drummer Anders Jivarp in 2021, Stanne is the only remaining original member of the band. Stanne is also the vocalist for bands Grand Cadaver, the Halo Effect and Cemetery Skyline, which formed in 2020, 2021 and 2023, respectively. He was also an ex-vocalist for HammerFall and In Flames.
Deathcore is an extreme metal subgenre that combines death metal with metalcore. The genre consists of death metal guitar riffs, blast beats, and metalcore breakdowns. While there are some precursors to the concept of death metal fused with metalcore/hardcore elements seen in the 1990s, deathcore itself emerged in the early 2000s and gained prominence beginning in the mid-2000s within the southwestern United States, especially Arizona and inland southern California, which are home to many notable bands and various festivals.
Embodyment was a Christian rock band from Arlington, Texas. The group formed in 1992 and were first known by the name Supplication where they originally played death metal, later turning to deathcore with the release of their debut album Embrace the Eternal, which in turn is credited as one of the earliest deathcore releases of all time. Following their debut full-length the band would completely abandon all their extreme metal elements thereafter, pursuing instead an alternative rock/nu metal style with their album The Narrow Scope of Things and subsequently became lighter with each proceeding album.
Icarus Witch is a heavy metal band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, formed in 2003 by bassist Jason Myers. The band has six releases through the Los Angeles–based label Cleopatra Records. They were founding members of the "New Wave of Traditional Metal" according to Metal Hammer U.K. Magazine and have since progressed into a melodic metal style merging influences of classic metal, AOR, goth and modern heavy rock.
Amanda Somerville is an American singer-songwriter and vocal coach who resides in Wolfsburg, Germany. She is known primarily for her work with many European symphonic metal bands.
Veil of Maya is an American metalcore band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 2004. The group consists of guitarist Marc Okubo, drummer Sam Applebaum, bassist Danny Hauser and vocalist Lukas Magyar. They are currently signed to Sumerian Records and have released seven studio albums. Their seventh studio album, Mother, was released on May 12, 2023.
The Browning is an American electronicore band formed in Kansas City, Missouri in 2005. The band's musical style is characterized by an eclectic blending of electronicore and deathcore. The group currently consists of vocalist Jonny McBee, drummer Cody Stewart, and bassist/guitarist Akeem Bivens. They are currently signed to Spinefarm Records. The band has released six studio albums and two EPs.
Alissa White-Gluz is a Canadian singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy, and former lead vocalist and founding member of the Canadian metalcore band The Agonist. Her vocal style includes both growling and clean vocals (singing). Although primarily associated with melodic death metal and metalcore, she has appeared as a guest vocalist for power metal, symphonic metal and deathcore bands, notably Kamelot, Delain, Carnifex and Powerwolf, and has performed live with Nightwish and Tarja Turunen.
Lorna Shore is an American deathcore band formed in New Jersey in 2009. The group currently consists of lead guitarist Adam De Micco, drummer Austin Archey, rhythm guitarist Andrew O'Connor, vocalist Will Ramos, and bassist Michael Yager. The band is most known for their 2021 single "To the Hellfire". They have released four studio albums Psalms (2015), Flesh Coffin (2017), Immortal (2020), and Pain Remains (2022). The band has also released four EPs. Since 2011, no original members remain in the band, with the longest-running member being Adam De Micco since joining in 2010. Lorna Shore has been referred to as one of the "big four" bands of symphonic deathcore, along with Shadow of Intent, Mental Cruelty, and A Wake in Providence.
Gidim is the fifth studio album by American deathcore band Rings of Saturn. It was released on October 25, 2019, through Nuclear Blast. The album features the return of Dingir and Lugal Ki En guitarist Joel Omans According to figures provided by MetalInsider, the album sold 4,850 units in its first week. The album debuted at #22 on the Billboard Top Current Albums chart.
Shadow of Intent is an American deathcore band from Connecticut. They formed in 2013 as a Halo-themed studio project by Ben Duerr and Chris Wiseman. The band's name is a reference to a Covenant ship in the Halo series. They are not signed to a label and have released all their albums independently. They have released four studio albums to date, along with two instrumental versions of previous releases, and a deluxe album. Their fourth studio album, Elegy, was released independently on January 14, 2022. Shadow of Intent has been described as one of the "big four" bands of symphonic deathcore, alongside Lorna Shore, Mental Cruelty, and A Wake in Providence.
A Wake in Providence is an American deathcore band formed in 2010 in Staten Island, NYC. The band currently consists of vocalist Adam Mercer, guitarist/vocalist D'Andre Tyre, guitarist Jordan Felion and drummer Jessie McEnneny. The band has released four studio albums with their latest being I Write to You, My Darling Decay, released on July 26, 2024, through Unique Leader Records. The band has also released two EPs. Lorna Shore vocalist Will Ramos was the band's former vocalist from 2016 to 2018. Shadow of Intent vocalist Ben Duerr was a guest in two tracks by A Wake in Providence. Those three bands and Mental Cruelty make up what is considered the "big four" of the new wave of symphonic deathcore.
Paleface Swiss is a Swiss deathcore band formed in 2017 in Zurich. The band's lineup currently consists of vocalist of Marc "Zelli" Zellweger, guitarist Yannick Lehmann, bassist Tommy Lee and drummer Cassiano "Cassi" Toma. The band have released three studio albums with their latest being Cursed, released on January 3, 2025 through Blood Blast Distribution.
Ov Sulfur is an American deathcore band formed in 2020 in Las Vegas. The band's lineup currently consists of Vocalist Ricky Hoover, guitarist Chase Wilson, bassist James "Ding" William and drummer Levi "Leviathvn" Xul. The band has released only one studio album titled The Burden Ov Faith released on March 24, 2023 through Century Media Records and one EP. The band is known for their very anti-religious lyrical themes.
Mental Cruelty is a German deathcore band formed in 2014 in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg. The band's lineup currently consists of vocalist Lukas Nicolai, guitarists Marvin Kessler and Nahuel Lozano, bassist Viktor Dick and drummer Danny Straßer. The band have released four studio albums with their latest being Zwielicht, released on June 23, 2023 through Century Media Records. They have also released one EP and one demo. Mental Cruelty are currently signed to Century Media Records. They are considered one of the "big four" symphonic deathcore bands along with Shadow of Intent, Lorna Shore, and A Wake in Providence.
Aversions Crown is an Australian deathcore band formed in 2009 in Brisbane, Queensland. The band is know for their fast and technical deathcore style and for their lyrical themes of aliens invading the earth and the human impact on the environment. They are currently signed to Nuclear Blast. The band has released four studio albums with their latest being Hell Will Come For Us All, released on June 12, 2020, through Nuclear Blast.
A Hill to Die Upon is the third studio album by German deathcore band Mental Cruelty. It was released on May 28, 2021, through Unique Leader Records. It is the band's first album to feature guitarist Nahuel Lozano and drummer Danny Straßer, and their last album with vocalist Lucca Schmerler who was fired from the band in 2022 due to sexual abuse allegations. A music video for the track "King ov Fire" was released on April 29, 2021.
