Symphonic Metal

Symphonic metal pairs metal’s power with full orchestral arrangements — keyboards, choirs, strings, and cinematic scoring — often fronted by operatic or classically trained female vocals. Finland’s Nightwish, plus the Netherlands’ Within Temptation and Epica, became the genre’s Big Three in the late 1990s and 2000s, writing fantastical, escapist songs on a grand scale. It ranges from radio-friendly gothic romance to death-metal-tinged complexity with Latin choirs. The orchestration acts as a lead voice, not just a backdrop.