Creative, classy and highly refined "symphonic metal" outfit from Holland. First album (Always, 1993) was a fairly straightforward death metal album, although heavy use of keyboards made it stand out a bit from other such albums at the time. Followed by Almost A Dance (1994), an album which saw the departure of "growling" vocalist Bart Smits.... [+] Read More

Creative, classy and highly refined "symphonic metal" outfit from Holland. First album (Always, 1993) was a fairly straightforward death metal album, although heavy use of keyboards made it stand out a bit from other such albums at the time. Followed by Almost A Dance (1994), an album which saw the departure of "growling" vocalist Bart Smits. Smits was replaced primarily by Niels Duffhues, a strange choice for the band; Duffhues' punk-ish tone was decidedly out of step with the music, and the album was largely written off as a result. A shame, because many of the songs on Almost A Dance are quite well written. The album also featured occasional vocals by Martine van Loon, a low-key singer with a pretty tone but one that seldom took to the forefront of a composition. It would appear that the seed had been planted in the band's head to try their uniquely compelling songwriting style with a passionate female vocalist; the result was the addition of the incomparable Anneke van Giersbergen, an incredible singer capable of stretching miles of emotion out of each and every syllable. The next album, 1995's Mandylion, remains one of the very best heavy metal albums ever recorded. van Giersbergen's poetic and haunting lyrics, paired with the band's orchestral ruminations, resulted in darkly important songs that seamlessly blend from one to the next. The follow-up, 1997's Nighttime Birds, acts as a companion piece to Mandylion: similar in tone and delivery, Birds is filled with the melodic and adventurous play that has become the trademark of this very important band. Superheat and If-Then-Else followed in early 2000. After a break with Century Media following the release of If_Then_Else, the band took time off before going into the studio to work on the 2003-released followup Souvenirs. The Gathering will be of interest to more than just heavy metal fans: they have the potential to appeal to countless different audiences, from metal to progressive rock to anyone who values excellent songwriting and powerful female vocalists. ~ James Bickers, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Over the course of the 1990s, Sweden's Tiamat has evolved from a typical death metal outfit into perhaps the leading exponent of what has been tagged "symphonic" black metal, a variation that aims to keep all of death metal's darkness intact, but to portray it in a moodier, more atmospheric way, often making synthesizer arrangements just as... [+] Read More

Over the course of the 1990s, Sweden's Tiamat has evolved from a typical death metal outfit into perhaps the leading exponent of what has been tagged "symphonic" black metal, a variation that aims to keep all of death metal's darkness intact, but to portray it in a moodier, more atmospheric way, often making synthesizer arrangements just as important as guitar riffs and utilizing a deliberate, Gothic feel. The one constant throughout Tiamat's history has been vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Johan Edlund, originally known as Hellslaughter in the band's early days. Tiamat grew out of a splatter-metal band called Treblinka, which was formed in 1988 and released two demos (Crawling in Vomits and Sign of the Pentagram) that helped secure a deal with England's CMFT label. Electing to change their name to Tiamat (an ancient Middle Eastern goddess of chaos and a five-headed dragon in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game), the group released their debut album, Sumerian Cry, in 1990, with a lineup of Edlund, bassist Jorgen "Juck" Thullberg, and session musicians Stefan "Emetic" Lagergren (guitar) and Andres "Najse" Holmberg. Dissatisfied with the album's distribution, Tiamat jumped to the Century Media label, completing their official lineup with guitarist Thomas Petersson and drummer Niklas Ekstrand. Working with producer Waldemar Sorychta and engineer Siggi Bemm on their Century Media debut, 1991's The Astral Sleep displayed substantial musical growth, blending aggressive death metal with ponderous goth-metal and more atmospheric, restrained passages courtesy of session keyboardist Jonas Malmsten. The follow-up, 1993's Clouds, expanded on the latter aspect of the group's music in particular, throwing acoustic guitars into the mix; the lineup on Clouds was revamped, with the addition of full-time keyboardist Kenneth Roos and bassist Johnny Hagel replacing Thullberg. Following the 1994 tour EP The Sleeping Beauty -- Live in Israel, Edlund fired the remainder of the band, save for Hagel, due to dissatisfaction with the group's musical progress. With session musicians Magnus Sahlgren (guitar) and Lars Skold (drums) in tow, as well as producer Sorychta manning the keyboards, Tiamat began work on the epic Wildhoney in 1994. Released later that year, Wildhoney became the group's artistic and commercial breakthrough, fully realizing the sound hinted at on previous releases and eliciting effusive praise in metal circles for its brooding, Gothic atmospherics. The sound was often described as death metal meeting Pink Floyd, a connection made explicit with a cover of that band's "When You're In" on 1995's Gaia EP, which otherwise featured four remixes/edits of Wildhoney cuts. Following the supporting tour, Edlund moved permanently to Dortmund, Germany, where most of the band's albums had been recorded; he also changed the group's focus, turning Tiamat into more of a personal mouthpiece and studio creation and declaring himself the only official member. Skold remained as the session drummer, with Petersson returning as session guitarist; Hagel left to join Cemetary, which quickly morphed into Sundown, and Cemetary/Sundown bassist Anders Iwers switched over to Tiamat. 1997's A Deeper Kind of Slumber was conceived on Edlund's home studio and produced by Dirk Draeger (Morgoth); it found Edlund moving into largely electronic territory and addressing more personal subject matter. Skeleton to Skeleton followed in 1999, and divided their audience with it's new approach. Where previous efforts had hinted at their goth tendencies, this album proudly displayed the deep vocals and shimmering guitars that are often associated with the genre. Still, a few crushing songs maintained their original sound and many were curious about their next step. 2002's Judas Christ cemented their change into a goth rock band, doing away with all but a few minor elements of heavy metal and offering an album that was based in the Nosferatu/Sisters of Mercy school of songwriting. Recorded at Copenhagen's Puk Recording Studio, the album also displayed an affirming and positive message, something the band had never really shown on any previous releases. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Formed during the late '80s, Swedish death metal band Therion was led by vocalist, guitarist and composer Christofer Johnsson. Originally rounded out by lead guitarist Peter Hansson, bassist Erik Gustafson and drummer Oskar Forss, the group debuted in 1990 with the LP Of Darkness. Gustafson exited soon after, and as a three-piece Therion... [+] Read More

Formed during the late '80s, Swedish death metal band Therion was led by vocalist, guitarist and composer Christofer Johnsson. Originally rounded out by lead guitarist Peter Hansson, bassist Erik Gustafson and drummer Oskar Forss, the group debuted in 1990 with the LP Of Darkness. Gustafson exited soon after, and as a three-piece Therion returned in 1991 with Beyond Sanctorum. By 1993's Symphony Masses: Ho Drakon Ho Megas, only Johnsson remained from the original lineup, and he was now backed by guitarist Magnus Barthelson, bassist Andreas Wallan Wahl and drummer Piotr Wawrzeniuk. The album marked the beginnings of a more experimental approach, with Johnsson incorporating more orchestrations and pseudo-classical aspirations, plus some industrial textures. Both Barthelson and Wahl were gone by 1995's The Beauty in Black EP, with the addition of bassist Fredrik Isaksson again returning Therion to a trio format. The same roster appeared on the full-length follow-up Lepaca Kliffoth, which built on the experiments of Symphony Masses, but by 1996's Theli, Isaksson too had hit the road, making way for the arrival of guitarist Jonas Mellberg and bassist Lars Rosenberg. Theli was almost universally acclaimed as the apex of Therion's career to date, fully realizing Johnsson's taste for elaborate, operatic grandeur. Mellberg was absent for 1997's A'arab Zaraq Lucid Dreaming, and by the following year's Vovin, Johnsson was performing with an entirely new supporting unit consisting of second guitarist Tommy Eriksson, bassist Jan Kazda and drummer Wolf Simons. Crowning of Atlantis followed in 1999 with the same personnel, but Johnsson jettisoned this lineup for early 2000's Deggial, recruiting guitarist Kristian Niemann, bassist Johan Niemann, and drummer Sami Karppinen. In 2001 Therion released Secret of the Runes, a conceptual piece that featured heavily orchestrated tracks, each representing one of the nine planes of Norse mythology. Live in Midgard arrived the following year, chronicling the band' 2001 tours of South America and Europe. Therion took the next year off and began work on their most ambitious project yet, Lemuria and Sirius B. Originally slated for release as two separate entities, the sprawling twenty-one track explosion of classical, choral and heavy metal excess, was released as a two-disc set in 2004. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Hailing from the nation of Portugal, the doomy goth-metal quintet Moonspell consists of vocalist Fernando Ribeiro, guitarist Ricardo Amorim, keyboardist/programmer Pedro Paixão, bassist Sérgio Crestana, and drummer Mike Gaspar. After a poorly distributed 1994 album for the French Adipocere label, Moonspell debuted on Century Media in 1995 with... [+] Read More

Hailing from the nation of Portugal, the doomy goth-metal quintet Moonspell consists of vocalist Fernando Ribeiro, guitarist Ricardo Amorim, keyboardist/programmer Pedro Paixão, bassist Sérgio Crestana, and drummer Mike Gaspar. After a poorly distributed 1994 album for the French Adipocere label, Moonspell debuted on Century Media in 1995 with Wolfheart; it was followed in 1996 by Irreligious and in 1998 by Sin/Pecado. Moonspell returned in 1999 with Butterfly Effect. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Switzerland's Samael has evolved from a run-of-the-mill black metal band into one of Europe's most original and innovative metal bands by introducing industrial, gothic, and countless other influences into their extreme sound.


Formed in the late '80s by Vorphalack (guitars/vocals), Xytras (drums/keyboards), and bassist... [+] Read More

Switzerland's Samael has evolved from a run-of-the-mill black metal band into one of Europe's most original and innovative metal bands by introducing industrial, gothic, and countless other influences into their extreme sound.


Formed in the late '80s by Vorphalack (guitars/vocals), Xytras (drums/keyboards), and bassist Masmiseim, Samael was heavily influenced by first-generation black metal bands such as England's Venom and Swiss compatriots Celtic Frost. An extremely raw, self-financed EP called Medieval Prophecy caught the attention of French-based Osmose Records, which agreed to release the band's first full-length album, Worship Him, in 1991. The record's poor production values and unremarkable black metal did little for the band, but the following year's much more mature Blood Ritual was another story. The album found Samael incorporating keyboards and different guitar textures to their sound, and a permanent keyboard player (Rodolphe H.) was drafted soon after.


After signing with the Century Media label, the band returned to the studio with renowned black metal producer Waldemar Sorychta (famous for his work with Tiamat) to record 1994's impressive Ceremony of Opposites. Samael began to find their unique voice on this record, combining swirling keyboard melodies with their brutal guitar attack to create what they called "macabre operettas." The stakes were raised even higher on 1996's groundbreaking Passage, which saw Xytras (now simply Xy) taking over keyboard duties as well as programming all his drum tracks. This unconventional mix of black metal brutality and synthesizers resulted in one of the decade's most original and extreme metal releases, and was followed by extensive touring (including the band's first American shows). After producing two albums by labelmates Rotting Christ, Xy reconvened the group to record 1999's Eternal, with additional guitarist Kaos. The album contains even bolder experiments with technology and confirmed the band's position as forerunners in their field. ~ Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Having taken their oppressive black metal symphonies to their furious zenith with their third effort, My Arms, Your Hearse, Sweden's Opeth began deconstructing their sound on 1999's brilliant Still Life. A logical next step in their evolution, the album finds the band re-examining their unlikely fusion of progressive rock and black metal to... [+] Read More

Having taken their oppressive black metal symphonies to their furious zenith with their third effort, My Arms, Your Hearse, Sweden's Opeth began deconstructing their sound on 1999's brilliant Still Life. A logical next step in their evolution, the album finds the band re-examining their unlikely fusion of progressive rock and black metal to highlight the former while staying in touch with the latter. The result is a formidable splicing of harsh, often jagged guitar riffs with graceful melodies, and the increasing use of Mikael Akerfeldt's "clean" vocals (alternated with his ever-present death growl). This tactic only serves to spotlight the quality of Akerfeldt's lyrics (a rarity in extreme metal circles) and, in the tradition of prior efforts, Still Life is a full-fledged concept album, which, without going into unnecessary details, centers around a tale of unrequited love for a character called Melinda (a discreet reference to Mercyful Fate's early-'80s classic Melissa, perhaps?). Also new to the mix are a wealth of more dynamic, almost groove-oriented riffs (see "Godhead's Lament" and "Serenity Painted Death") which break away from the Wall of Sound overtures of the past. On the other hand, outstanding, multi-faceted epics like "The Moor," "Moonlapse Vertigo," and "White Cluster" carry on in the proud Opeth tradition. The all-acoustic "Benighted" is the album's only one-dimensional track (and a beauty it is, too), while the awesome "Face of Melinda" represents a new career high with its quietly building atmosphere and powerful finale. Ultimately, this is another star turn for the group, and the fact that they somehow managed to outdo themselves with their next work, Blackwater Park, is a testament to Opeth's greatness. ~ Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Whether or not this album's title refers to bluesman Robert Johnson's classic song of the same name, Katatonia is still singing the blues in their own way here, even if their style has nothing else to do with the blues as a genre. Continuing in the vein of their previous release, Tonight's Decision, this is depressing, heavy alternative rock... [+] Read More

Whether or not this album's title refers to bluesman Robert Johnson's classic song of the same name, Katatonia is still singing the blues in their own way here, even if their style has nothing else to do with the blues as a genre. Continuing in the vein of their previous release, Tonight's Decision, this is depressing, heavy alternative rock with a notable Cure influence -- Katatonia is not really playing metal anymore here. The production has been sharpened on this album compared to its predecessor, accentuating the quiet verse/loud chorus dynamics the band so often uses, making the loud parts hit harder and the softer parts come through with more detail. Meanwhile, frontman Jonas Renske has continued to grow as a vocalist, showing greater range while also maintaining that worried, defeated delivery. Not many singers can trot out chorus after chorus of woeful lyrics such as "Burn down my house/Stab me in the heart" ("Chrome") and "When you have no one/No one can hurt you" ("Don't Tell a Soul") and make it sound so convincing. Song-wise, there are obvious standouts -- "Teargas," "Clean Today," and "Sweet Nurse" -- but the album is well-paced and consistent throughout, the only real weak spot being the chorus on "We Must Bury You," where Renske reaches a little too hard for the high notes. That's a minor quibble, though; this is an excellent album on the whole: heavy, tuneful, and thick with atmosphere and melancholy. ~ William York, All Music Guide [-] Hide

What can be said about the cosmic rock act that hasn't already been said? Surpassing every rock and metal trend, the Gathering can do no wrong. Everything they touch turns to gold and this release seems to glimmer brighter than all before it. For some bands, there is a point in a career where everything clicks -- every nuance, every guitar tone,... [+] Read More

What can be said about the cosmic rock act that hasn't already been said? Surpassing every rock and metal trend, the Gathering can do no wrong. Everything they touch turns to gold and this release seems to glimmer brighter than all before it. For some bands, there is a point in a career where everything clicks -- every nuance, every guitar tone, every vocal hook -- and the entire album just comes together. If-Then-Else is that album. From Anneke's blistering performance on the appropriately titled opener "Rollercoaster," which takes the listener on a loud, cerebral journey through the past and present creative eclipses of the band, to the haunting introspection of "Amity." A deep crash of lush melody and tempest aggression encounter one another on "Analog Park" and "Saturnine," creating a timeless focal point for the listener to fall into. Anneke's performance has never blazed this bright, as she channels out all of her famous ardor into an angelic sound, which can only be experienced through the intimacy of headphones. Take, for example, her dynamism on the doom rocker "Shot to Pieces" or her unleashed torment on "Herbal Movement" -- both send a shiver down the spine as she journeys the unexplored regions of her band. Rene and Frank craft a burgeoning wall of sound, evoking the spirit of the evil metal version of the Dust Brothers, while Hans and Hugo romance a rhythm section that owes more toward early Bowie than anything metal. After toying with commercialism on the previous studio album, How to Measure a Planet, success continues to elude this sharp, brilliant band, but one senses bigger things are in the works for the band and for loyal Gathering followers. Highest possible recommendation. ~ Jason Hundey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

By the time Deggial was released, Christofer Johnsson's Therion had already secured themselves a place in metal history. Johnsson's unique melding of classical and metal styles helped the band rise above the typical doom metal bands. While this approach had been a staple of Yngwie Malmsteen for years, Therion's approach is more organic,... [+] Read More

By the time Deggial was released, Christofer Johnsson's Therion had already secured themselves a place in metal history. Johnsson's unique melding of classical and metal styles helped the band rise above the typical doom metal bands. While this approach had been a staple of Yngwie Malmsteen for years, Therion's approach is more organic, symphonic, and theatrical. Here the band refines their approach with improved compositions, the addition of woodwinds, and enhanced production. Johnsson's curious decision to rely on '80s metal-style guitar in the vein of Iron Maiden takes some of the music's impact away; it would have been better served with a heavier, darker sound. Still, there are some amazing moments here, in particular "Via Nocturna" and the excellent cover of Carl Orff's "O Fortuna." While not the best offering in their catalog, Deggial is a great starting point for the uninitiated, and of course, essential for the seasoned fan. ~ Robert Taylor, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Though it has since been eclipsed by increasingly superb efforts, the Gathering's Mandylion was considered a groundbreaking achievement upon its release in 1995. The first album to juxtapose the formidable vocal talents of the newly arrived Anneke Van Giersbergen's in striking contrast with the group's progressive metal, much of the material... [+] Read More

Though it has since been eclipsed by increasingly superb efforts, the Gathering's Mandylion was considered a groundbreaking achievement upon its release in 1995. The first album to juxtapose the formidable vocal talents of the newly arrived Anneke Van Giersbergen's in striking contrast with the group's progressive metal, much of the material sounds amazingly confident and cohesive from the very start, be it through the driving intensity of opener "Strange Machines" or the death metal-style double kick drum of "Eleanor." The singer's enviable vocal talents are also fully displayed throughout the album, whether playing the soft-spoken angel while harmonizing with herself on "In Motion #1 and "2," or portraying the menacing siren while exploring her entire range on "Leaves." Admittedly, the band does seem unsure about just how far they can take this new creation at times. They wander a tad too far afield on the rather aimless "Fear the Sea," never really bring things into focus on the largely instrumental title track, and then bashfully hide a short passage of Enya-like ethereal beauty within the sprawling "Sand and Mercury." Still, all things considered, Mandylion has stood the test of time quite well and will provide an excellent second or third glimpse into this exciting band's discography. ~ Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide [-] Hide