--- title: "Symphonic Metal" type: "MusicGenre" url: "https://themetalnet.com/genre/symphonic-metal" parent: "Metal" bands: 382 era: "mid 1990s" --- # Symphonic Metal **Symphonic Metal** is a metal sub-genre, formative in the mid 1990s. TheMetalNet maps 382 bands and 1,003 albums under it. 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. ## Facts | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Genre | Symphonic Metal | | Level | Sub-genre | | Parent genre | Metal | | Formative era | mid 1990s | | Bands | 382 | | Albums | 1,003 | | Formation span | 1960 to 2026 | ## Notable bands (top 60 by prominence) - [Apocalyptica](https://themetalnet.com/band/apocalyptica) (Finland, 1993) - [Nightwish](https://themetalnet.com/band/nightwish) (Finland, 1996) - [Within Temptation](https://themetalnet.com/band/within-temptation) (Netherlands, 1995) - [Therion](https://themetalnet.com/band/therion) (Sweden, 1988) - [Tarja](https://themetalnet.com/band/tarja) (Finland, 1977) - [Epica](https://themetalnet.com/band/epica) (Netherlands, 2002) - [Xandria](https://themetalnet.com/band/xandria) (Germany, 1994) - [Trans‐Siberian Orchestra](https://themetalnet.com/band/trans-siberian-orchestra) (United States, 1996) - [Delain](https://themetalnet.com/band/delain) (Netherlands, 2002) - [Edenbridge](https://themetalnet.com/band/edenbridge) (Austria, 1998) - [Visions of Atlantis](https://themetalnet.com/band/visions-of-atlantis) (Austria, 2000) - [Haggard](https://themetalnet.com/band/haggard) (Germany, 1991) - [Battlelore](https://themetalnet.com/band/battlelore) (1999) - [Amberian Dawn](https://themetalnet.com/band/amberian-dawn) (Finland, 2006) - [Leaves’ Eyes](https://themetalnet.com/band/leaves-eyes) (Germany, 2003) - [Amy Lee](https://themetalnet.com/band/amy-lee) (United States, 1981) - [After Forever](https://themetalnet.com/band/after-forever) (Netherlands, 1995) - [Coronatus](https://themetalnet.com/band/coronatus) (Germany, 1999) - [Hecate Enthroned](https://themetalnet.com/band/hecate-enthroned) (United Kingdom, 1993) - [Crystal Ball](https://themetalnet.com/band/crystal-ball) (Switzerland, 1995) - [D](https://themetalnet.com/band/d) (Japan, 2003) - [Virgin Black](https://themetalnet.com/band/virgin-black) (Australia, 1993) - [Aesma Daeva](https://themetalnet.com/band/aesma-daeva) (United States, 1999) - [Indica](https://themetalnet.com/band/indica) (Finland, 2001) - [Luca Turilli](https://themetalnet.com/band/luca-turilli) (Italy, 1972) - [Arjen Anthony Lucassen](https://themetalnet.com/band/arjen-anthony-lucassen) (Netherlands, 1960) - [Imperia](https://themetalnet.com/band/imperia) (Netherlands, 2004) - [Stream of Passion](https://themetalnet.com/band/stream-of-passion) (Netherlands, 2005) - [Kingfisher Sky](https://themetalnet.com/band/kingfisher-sky) (Netherlands, 2001) - [Atargatis](https://themetalnet.com/band/atargatis) (Germany, 1997) - [黒崎真音](https://themetalnet.com/band/band-7b8c4e81) (Japan, 1988) - [Anette Olzon](https://themetalnet.com/band/anette-olzon) (1971) - [Thy Majestie](https://themetalnet.com/band/thy-majestie) (Italy, 1998) - [Aeternitas](https://themetalnet.com/band/aeternitas) (Germany, 1999) - [Break of Reality](https://themetalnet.com/band/break-of-reality) (United States, 2003) - [Тінь Сонця](https://themetalnet.com/band/band-485008c9) (Ukraine, 1999) - [Angtoria](https://themetalnet.com/band/angtoria) (United Kingdom, 2004) - [Opera Magna](https://themetalnet.com/band/opera-magna) (Spain, 1997) - [Unlucky Morpheus](https://themetalnet.com/band/unlucky-morpheus) (Japan, 2008) - [Wildpath](https://themetalnet.com/band/wildpath) (France, 2001) - [Katra](https://themetalnet.com/band/katra) (Finland, 2006) - [The Murder of My Sweet](https://themetalnet.com/band/the-murder-of-my-sweet) (Sweden, 2008) - [Ancient Bards](https://themetalnet.com/band/ancient-bards) (Italy, 2006) - [Luna Obscura](https://themetalnet.com/band/luna-obscura) (Greece, 2000) - [Macbeth](https://themetalnet.com/band/macbeth-06245e55) (Germany, 1985) - [Marko Hietala](https://themetalnet.com/band/marko-hietala) (Finland, 1966) - [Dawn of Oblivion](https://themetalnet.com/band/dawn-of-oblivion) (Sweden, 1992) - [Diabulus in Musica](https://themetalnet.com/band/diabulus-in-musica) (Spain, 2006) - [Liv Moon](https://themetalnet.com/band/liv-moon) (Japan, 2009) - [Luca Turilli’s Dreamquest](https://themetalnet.com/band/luca-turilli-s-dreamquest) (Italy, 2006) - [Season's End](https://themetalnet.com/band/season-s-end) (United Kingdom, 1998) - [Where Angels Fall](https://themetalnet.com/band/where-angels-fall) (2003) - [Brymir](https://themetalnet.com/band/brymir) (Finland, 2006) - [Kadenzza](https://themetalnet.com/band/kadenzza) (Japan, 1993) - [MaYaN](https://themetalnet.com/band/mayan) (Netherlands, 2010) - [Pythia](https://themetalnet.com/band/pythia) (United Kingdom, 2007) - [Russell Allen](https://themetalnet.com/band/russell-allen) (United States, 1971) - [Whyzdom](https://themetalnet.com/band/whyzdom) (France, 2007) - [Charlotte Wessels](https://themetalnet.com/band/charlotte-wessels) (Netherlands, 1987) - [Dismal](https://themetalnet.com/band/dismal) (Italy, 1995) ## Where it is played - [Italy](https://themetalnet.com/country/it): 29 bands - [Germany](https://themetalnet.com/country/de): 26 bands - [Netherlands](https://themetalnet.com/country/nl): 24 bands - [United States](https://themetalnet.com/country/us): 22 bands - [France](https://themetalnet.com/country/fr): 21 bands - [Finland](https://themetalnet.com/country/fi): 19 bands - [Sweden](https://themetalnet.com/country/se): 15 bands - [United Kingdom](https://themetalnet.com/country/gb): 14 bands ## Bands formed by decade | Decade | Bands formed | | --- | --- | | 1960s | 2 | | 1970s | 7 | | 1980s | 15 | | 1990s | 35 | | 2000s | 113 | | 2010s | 121 | | 2020s | 30 | --- Source: [TheMetalNet https://themetalnet.com/genre/symphonic-metal](https://themetalnet.com/genre/symphonic-metal). Catalog data from MusicBrainz and Metal Archives. Full site index: https://themetalnet.com/llms.txt