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1[floatboxright:
2Primary Stylistic Influences:
3+ HeavyMetal, ClassicalMusic, PowerMetal, ProgressiveRock, SymphonicRock, Neoclassical Metal
4]
5[floatboxright:
6Secondary Stylistic Influences:
7+ Film Score, HardRock, TraditionalHeavyMetal, {{Opera}}, DoomMetal, BlackMetal and/or DeathMetal (the more extreme examples)
8]
9
10Symphonic metal is a subgenre of metal that tends to use elements normally found in symphonies or ClassicalMusic. That's the basic description of the genre, but its actual implementation can vary widely. The symphonic part can be an entire symphony, a keyboardist, or violin and cello player. The usage of the symphonic elements can vary from trying to create a classical feel, to simply adding thickness to the music. On the softer end are bands where female vocals are frequently used (with bands often featuring female lead vocalists), and acoustic guitars may be included. On the harder end are bands whose style more closely matches BlackMetal or another type of Extreme Metal. A band might specialize in Symphonic Metal, or might play a song or album in the style. Of course most metal bands do use classical music scales at least to some extent, but this is about metal bands adopting instruments and movements from the classical music.
11
12Bands of the genre frequently combine symphonic metal with another genre, in most cases either BlackMetal, PowerMetal, GothicMetal, or ProgressiveMetal. In fact, a "pure" symphonic metal band is very hard to find.
13
14Can involve HeavyMithril.
15----
16
17!! Bands that perform in this style:
18
19[[index]]
20
21* Abigail Williams (symphonic black metal on ''In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns'')
22* Music/AfterForever (one of the {{Trope Codifier}}s alongside Music/{{Nightwish|Band}})
23** Music/FloorJansen
24* Music/AkikoShikata (although she can be ''very'' ecclectic, some of her songs fall into this)
25* Music/{{Angra}}
26* Music/{{Antestor}} ([[ChristianRock Christian]] symphonic black metal.)
27* Music/{{Apocalyptica}} (four guys on cellos that started out doing Music/{{Metallica}} covers and later their own songs. Possibly the strangest band of the lot.)
28* Music/{{Avantasia}}
29* Music/BalSagoth
30* Music/{{Battlelore}}
31* Music/BeyondTheBlack
32* Music/CarachAngren (Symphonic BlackMetal)
33** ''Music/DeathCameThroughAPhantomShip''
34* Music/CradleOfFilth
35* Music/{{Cryoshell}} (Symphonic Alt Metal/ Post Grunge Crossover)
36* Music/{{D}}
37* Music/TheDarkElement (self-categorizes as symphonic metal but in practice is closer to PowerMetal)
38* Music/DarkSarah
39* Music/{{Delain}}
40* Music/DimmuBorgir
41* Music/{{Dragonland}}
42* Music/ElliotMinor (More of a Symphonic Pop Punk band)
43* Edenbridge
44* Music/{{Emperor}} (TropeMaker, and possible UrExample, of symphonic black metal)
45* Music/{{Ensiferum}} (''From Afar'' only. Mixed with FolkMetal, MelodicDeathMetal and PowerMetal)
46* Music/{{Epica}}
47* Music/ESPosthumus
48* Music/EternalTearsOfSorrow (later albums)
49* Music/ExDeo (Overlaps with MelodicDeathMetal)
50* Music/FleshgodApocalypse (mixed with TechnicalDeathMetal. Easily the most intense band under this genre.)
51* Music/{{Galneryus}}
52* Music/{{Hollenthon}} (One of the few Symphonic DeathMetal bands; also has a fair amount of FolkMetal influence)
53* Music/{{IGNEA}} (Modern oriental metal with lots of symphonic elements)
54* Music/{{Immanifest}} (symphonic death metal)
55* Music/{{Jupiter}}
56* Music/{{Kamelot}} (A hybrid of progressive, power, and symphonic metal)
57** 2003-5 - ''Music/EpicaAlbumSeries''
58** 2012 - ''Music/{{Silverthorn}}''
59* Music/KeepOfKalessin (Symphonic BlackMetal)
60* Music/TheKovenant (originally Symphonic BlackMetal, added electronics in future albums but kept a symphonic approach)
61* Music/ArjenAnthonyLucassen
62** 1995-2013 - ''Music/{{Ayreon}}''
63** 2012 - ''Music/LostInTheNewReal''
64* Music/LeavesEyes
65* Music/LornaShore (''Immortal'' onward, also deathcore, though symphonic elements started to creep in on ''Flesh Coffin'')
66* Music/{{Lureaway}}
67* Music/{{Lyriel}}
68* Creator/ChristopherLee - Yes, you read that correctly.
69** 2010 - ''Music/{{Charlemagne}}''
70* Music/MagniAnimiViri (An Italian project headed by classical maestros; the metal component is barely there, but present nonetheless)
71* Music/{{Majestica}} (symphonic PowerMetal)
72* Music/MakeThemSuffer (Symphonic {{Deathcore}}, later material features prominent {{Metalcore}})
73* Music/{{Mayan}}
74* Music/{{Metallica}} (on their album ''S&M'')
75* Music/{{Mirrorthrone}}
76* Music/MordantRapture (also TechnicalDeathMetal)
77* Music/{{Necronomicon}} (symphonic death metal)
78* Music/{{Nightwish|Band}} (TropeCodifier of symphonic power metal)
79** Music/TarjaTurunen
80* Music/OvidsWithering (mixed with BlackMetal, Deathcore, and Djent)
81* Music/{{Rage|Band}} (on their albums featuring the Lingua Mortis Orchestra)
82* Music/{{Red|Band}} (mainly AlternativeMetal, but they display elements of this)
83* Music/ReVamp
84* Music/RhapsodyOfFire
85* Music/{{Scorpions|Band}} ( On the ''Moment of Glory'' album, much in the same vein as Metallica above)
86* Music/{{Septicflesh}} (Mixed with DeathMetal and GothicMetal)
87* Music/ShadowOfIntent (Symphonic Deathcore, became more death metal-oriented circa ''Melancholy'')
88* Music/{{Sirenia}}
89* Music/SonataArctica (On their earlier albums, mixed with PowerMetal, though later albums such as ''Unia'' were ProgressiveMetal)
90* Music/SoundHorizon (Though they're not against playing BaroquePop either)
91* Music/{{Stratovarius}} (Mixed with PowerMetal)
92* Music/StreamOfPassion
93* Music/SymphonyX
94* Music/{{Therion}} (Pretty much the {{Trope Maker}}s.)
95* Music/TransSiberianOrchestra
96** 1996 - ''Music/ChristmasEveAndOtherStories''
97** 2000 - ''Music/BeethovensLastNight''
98* Music/{{Tristania}} (TropeCodifier of symphonic gothic metal)
99* Music/{{Turisas}}
100* Music/TwilightForce (Mixed with PowerMetal)
101* Music/{{Versailles}} (Symphonic PowerMetal)
102* A Wake in Providence (Symphonic/Blackened Deathcore as of ''Eternity'')
103* Music/AlissaWhiteGluz
104* Music/WindsOfPlague (Fused symphonic metal with {{Deathcore}})
105* Music/{{Wintersun}} (mixed with MelodicDeathMetal, PowerMetal, and a bit of FolkMetal)
106* Music/WithinTemptation
107* Music/{{Xandria}} (symphonic power metal with elements of gothic metal)
108[[/index]]
109
110!!Tropes that apply to the genre:
111
112* [[ChristianRock Christian Metal]]: Music/{{Antestor}}.
113* DarkerAndEdgier: Music/FleshgodApocalypse, Music/{{Septicflesh}}, or Antestor.
114* EpicRocking: Quite common.
115* HeavyMithril: The lyrical theme of most of the bands in the genre.
116* RockMeAmadeus: The very foundation of the subgenre.
117* SopranoAndGravel: Most symphonic metal bands feature this technique. It's interesting to note that the Soprano tend to be the lead vocals, although Septicflesh and Fleshgod both have it reversed, with the harsh vocals being more prominent.
118* TropeCodifier: Music/{{Nightwish|Band}} began life as a PowerMetal band, but the founders were all classically trained musicians and it didn't take long for them to start incorporating it into their sound, which was hugely influential over the development of the genre. Music/{{Epica}} singer Simone Simons was inspired to study classical singing after hearing Music/TarjaTurunen on Nightwish's ''Oceanborn''.
119* TropeMaker: Probably Music/{{Therion}}, overall. The TropeMaker for symphonic black metal is most likely Emperor, while the TropeMaker for symphonic death is probably Septicflesh.
120* UrExample: Arguably ''Music/ConcertoForGroupAndOrchestra'', Music/DeepPurple's 1969 collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. It was the first time ever that anyone paired a rock band with major classical instrumentation.

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