Heavy metal with symphonic or classical influences is known as symphonic metal. In general, the term “symphonic metal” can be combined with other terms to provide a clearer picture of the genre. Epica, Nightwish, and Trans-Siberian Orchestra can all be classified as symphonic metal, but each would require further explanation to convey a complete understanding of the band’s musical style.
Symphonic metal is a heavy metal sub-genre that features distorted and chunky-sounding guitars, riffs, and blistering guitar solos. Although Black Sabbath invented heavy metal, the term was first used to describe Led Zeppelin’s music. Metallica, Pantera, and Slayer are three well-known metal bands.
Heavy metal is further subdivided into a variety of sub-genres. For a newcomer, this can make metal music difficult to comprehend. Death metal, black metal, power metal, thrash metal, and folk metal are some of the more popular sub-genres of metal. Each of these sub-genres has its own sound, but they all use some of the same heavy metal elements. Another subgenre to add to the ever-growing list is symphonic metal.
Savatage pioneered symphonic metal with their album “Gutter Ballet.” It toyed with the idea of incorporating symphonic elements into heavy metal at first, and the band’s later work expanded on this concept. Savatage demonstrated to the metal world that combining classical elements with heavy metal can have a powerful effect, and other bands like Rage quickly followed suit.
Other bands like Nightwish, Rhapsody, and Dark Moor expanded the symphonic metal genre, which grew in popularity throughout the late 1990s. Metallica, a band with thrash roots that has since shifted to a more general style of metal, embraced the idea of using orchestral sounds. They released an album called “S & M,” which featured symphonic renditions of classic songs like “Master of Puppets” performed with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.
Symphonic metal is divided into three subgenres: symphonic power metal, symphonic death metal, and symphonic black metal. Nightwish is a symphonic power metal band that uses a female operatic vocalist and classical-influenced melodies in their music. Hollenthon and Eternal Tears of Sorrow are two symphonic death metal bands. Dimmu Borgir and Emporer are two black metal bands that incorporate symphonic elements into their music. Dimmu Borgir also uses operatic vocals on occasion, though the vocals are usually gravelly, which is more stereotypical of black metal music.