Hello everyone,
I've seen in many posts the expression "neoclassical metal" being used. It did sound interesting, but I didn't find it in the list of MS genres.

So, let me ask you : what is neoclassical metal ?

Would we consider that some albums by Lacrimosa, like Echos, belong to neoclassical ?

What other bands/albums/songs would fit in this category ?

Neo-classical metal is a subgenre of the heavy metal music very influenced by classical music in its style of playing and composing. It contains complex musical structures- analogous to progressive rock- and the use of elements from classical music and/or by famous classical music composers
(taken from wikipedia)

I can give you a name from turkey,a guitarist Cem Koksal.He worked with murat ilkan from mezarkabul and some other guys that particpate in old and great turkish heavy bands.Last year he was on tour with joe lynn turner,ex rainbow vocalist.His technique looks like a bit malmsteen.And then he has songs about mozart's masterpieces.

I'm not very familiar wth Lacrymosa but I don't think that's what we call "neo classical". Most of the time, this term refers to the fact the lead guitarist is playing like Yngwie Malmsteen, so there are many power metal bands listed as "neo classical" bands.

One quite unknown French band comes to my mind, MZ: http://www.mz-music.com/
You can download some of their stuff. Their first albums sound very "neo classical" especially since there's no singer on them.

Thanks for your answers, now I understand :-)

(I had not expected Yngwie Malmsteen-like stuff, I thought it'd be true classical compositions.)

@Wrathchild : I listened to some songs by MZ, it reminded me incredibly much of Fairyland, I guess I would have say it is Fairyland in a blind test...

Well about neoclasical metal, its neoclasical music and neoclasical metal

Neoclasical music its slow, medieval, melaholic melodies moustly used acustic folk instruments, lyrics can be in french, german, english, latin and its can be taken from stories, poems ... if you listen you will understand
Its can be whit gothic. doom, black ,dark influences too
bands like Dargaard, Elend, Die Verbannten Kinder Evas, damn I us eto know 2 french bands too, but one was something whit forest green forest or something forgot

Like wrat says its moustly like Yngwe Malmsteen, but also such music are popular in South Amnerica specely Argentina try Michael Angelo Batio, Eric Friesen, David Valdes, Michael Pinnella and greek dude Bob Katsionis

Sorry Im mor eintu neoclassical music how metal so I cant suggest you more bands

Written by Guest on 02.03.2007 at 19:51

Thanks for your answers, now I understand :-)

(I had not expected Yngwie Malmsteen-like stuff, I thought it'd be true classical compositions.)

@Wrathchild : I listened to some songs by MZ, it reminded me incredibly much of Fairyland, I guess I would have say it is Fairyland in a blind test...

It goes toghether whit power metal, sometime0 sits hard to say ist neaoclassical or power, ist lil mix between those genres

Now I'm confused again . You said Elend was neoclassical... that goes with my first definition (melancholic, classical stuff like Lacrimosa), but not with the right one (power metal).

Written by Guest on 02.03.2007 at 21:10

Now I'm confused again . You said Elend was neoclassical... that goes with my first definition (melancholic, classical stuff like Lacrimosa), but not with the right one (power metal).

Ye sit is Elend its neoclasical music but there are also neoclassical metal ist between power and heavy mously instrumental songs

I guess power has mostly epic lyrics and a more thrashy sound.Besides,neoclassical has more complicated rhytms and solos.
And here some links for our neoclassical metal presenter cem koksal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE67JEI_Ncc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qDpeEZCecw&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEr7c5xmo6M&mode=related&search=

Thank you very much

Written by Bad English on 02.03.2007 at 21:18

Written by Guest on 02.03.2007 at 21:10

Now I'm confused again . You said Elend was neoclassical... that goes with my first definition (melancholic, classical stuff like Lacrimosa), but not with the right one (power metal).

Ye sit is Elend its neoclasical music but there are also neoclassical metal ist between power and heavy mously instrumental songs

I've just listened to some of their songs on their MySpace, and they're definitely NOT neo-classical. Influenced by classical music, yes, but neo-classical, no. Actually, the words don't mean the same thing in the context of metal music. To refer to something like what I could hear from Elend's MySpace page, I'd prefer using the words "symphonic", "atmospheric" or "ambient" (even though they're far from being accurate in this case) rather than "neo-classical". Maybe just "classical"... But not "neo-classical".

Written by wrathchild on 03.03.2007 at 17:05

Written by Bad English on 02.03.2007 at 21:18

Written by Guest on 02.03.2007 at 21:10

Now I'm confused again . You said Elend was neoclassical... that goes with my first definition (melancholic, classical stuff like Lacrimosa), but not with the right one (power metal).

Ye sit is Elend its neoclasical music but there are also neoclassical metal ist between power and heavy mously instrumental songs

I've just listened to some of their songs on their MySpace, and they're definitely NOT neo-classical. Influenced by classical music, yes, but neo-classical, no. Actually, the words don't mean the same thing in the context of metal music. To refer to something like what I could hear from Elend's MySpace page, I'd prefer using the words "symphonic", "atmospheric" or "ambient" (even though they're far from being accurate in this case) rather than "neo-classical". Maybe just "classical"... But not "neo-classical".

Well I disagree, ok its not neoclassical metal but then does dark ambient are metal?

Its neoclassical music IMO because IMO neo classical music its lil based on classical, sympho, opera but not traditional menaing like Bethowen, Mozart, Bach but music what are bassed on it bbut more whit metal elementns in lyrics, like sadness, melancholism, dark romance, love ...

Also there are neo Classcical music and Neo Classical metal ist 2 diferent thinks like Blkack metal and dark ambient(if we can call it metal)
Etleist I had read such explanation about neoclassical in music magasine

About Elend lock @ pic in MA I love that pic, so nice old Paris nice ppl nice girl it remaind sme one french/portugal movie about 70ties Paris and student life

Written by Bad English on 03.03.2007 at 17:12

Well I disagree, ok its not neoclassical metal but then does dark ambient are metal?

Yes, that would be questionnable. As for me, this hardly has anything to do with metal, except that many metalheads like this music too.

But no, neo-classical is just about guitar-shredding and playing solos that remind of Vivaldi's "Summer" or JS Back "Toccata". That's it, nothing more.

Written by wrathchild on 03.03.2007 at 17:16

Written by Bad English on 03.03.2007 at 17:12

Well I disagree, ok its not neoclassical metal but then does dark ambient are metal?

Yes, that would be questionnable. As for me, this hardly has anything to do with metal, except that many metalheads like this music too.

But no, neo-classical is just about guitar-shredding and playing solos that remind of Vivaldi's "Summer" or JS Back "Toccata". That's it, nothing more.

I agree some metalheads like it but life whit out such music be boring, seems ppl has bored of traditional classical music thay need something new and thats why it born

Yes its shreed too like Yngwee and other bands what i mention, bTW IMO Joe Satrianni, Steave Vai goes into this cathegory somehow too, but I sugest all bands what I know maybe she likes them,;)

@SirenOfTheStyx - you ask me band simmilar like Nightwish try this one
http://www.myspace.com/menabrinno

Written by Bad English on 03.03.2007 at 17:21

Yes its shreed too like Yngwee and other bands what i mention, bTW IMO Joe Satrianni, Steave Vai goes into this cathegory somehow too, but I sugest all bands what I know maybe she likes them,;)

Absolutely not. Some of the songs of those guitar heroes may contain some neo-classical moments, but they also play bluesy passages, sometimes techno, rock, metal, funk, etc. You can't call them "funk guitarists" or "techno guitarist", so you can't call them "neo-classical" guitarists. That's when the term "Guitar-heroes" comes in handy.

This conversation is amusing. Most of the disagreement between you two comes from the fact that K7 also talks about Neoclassical Music, which has nothing to do with Neoclassical Metal

Anyway, neoclassical metal seems like a stupid elitist name for a genre, as it's only causing confusion due to having no connections with the actual neoclassical music. They should call it "shred metal" or something (or even better it should be called power or heavy metal with neat solos) :[

@Wrat - I agree about it is variuss infliences and define genre are so hard and actualy I wanna mention, jazz, blues, funk but you did it

@Skald - Hahaha I agree but it belongs to somewhere to like neofolk too its like Wrat says its not metal but music what like's metalheads

We can mention two types of "neo-classical metal". One, is what Wrathchild said about those bands whose lead guitar plays like Yngwie. It's referred to some kind of shreding, mostly associated with heavy/traditional, speed, prog and power metal, especially those bands with symphonic elements.

The other one is associated with dark/medieval/atmospheric ambient bands with classical music elements, some of them alredady mentioned by K7. But this bands aren't even metal, but are classified as that.

The neo classical music is something completely different, it's the neoclassicist trend in music that, according to Wikipedia, began somewhen between the two world wars, and it accompained some other artistic avantgarde movements.

indeed,neoclassical is a name only to show that malmsteen's music is also metal.It has a great sound and no need to give/find another name to describe it.

@Bitch Boy - I agree its moistly those 2 genres + neoclassical music and its hard to talk about tehm because ok neoclassocal metal its ok we know its guitars, drumms its closer to metal, hard rock, power but neoclassiacl music and neo folk well its so complicated and actualy its popular in France, Germany, Austria moustly and seems sociaety was sick of classical thinks in music thay want something new but same tiem classical, seems classical music can madke wright feelings + those doom style lyrics its criate such feelinsg

@ K7: you're right, some people got bored of classical music and that's the origin of neo-classical music. Sams as folk, it depends on each country's taste, and there are many forms of neo-folk music.

Geez, this is so wrong.
No, neither neo-folk nor neo-classical music were created because people were bored with ye olde stuff.
Neo-folk emerged from industrial music, which started taking influence from folk, because (*gasp*) artists were interested in it. Likewise, neo-classical music comes from the interest in the classical music, but turns out just as an influence.

Neo-folk didn't emerge from folk music; Neo-classical didn't emerge from classical music (unless we're talking about neo-classicism, but that's movement supposed to revive the classical music, not replace it). Those terms indicate influences taken by the industrial music, nothing else.
If people would get bored of them, they wouldn't start incorporating their elements into the industrial music, I think that's obvious.

Written by wrathchild on 02.03.2007 at 19:24

One quite unknown French band comes to my mind, MZ: http://www.mz-music.com/
You can download some of their stuff. Their first albums sound very "neo classical" especially since there's no singer on them.

This band is quite good...was very surprised when I listened to some of the stuff on their site. I can see the classical-thing in their music. Thanks for the recommendation

it's just like Techniqual Power Metal in which the structure is reminiscent of Neo-Classical music.

Written by Guest on 05.03.2007 at 02:10

it's just like Techniqual Power Metal in which the structure is reminiscent of Neo-Classical music.

technical power metal man maybe explain whit example and bands because I hawnt hear such combination

I totally love Dargaard, an Austrian Neo-Classical metal band with a very melancholic mood, beautiful melodies and yes many elements from classical music...

Another interesting act is the also Austrian Die Verbanten Kinder Evas, a neo-classical side project of Summoning's mastermind Protector... very mellow but great...

And as last recommendation, Liechtenstein-based Welten Brand, an interesting mix between neo-classical and gothic metal, with an outstanding voices game.

Written by Bad English on 05.03.2007 at 02:13

Written by Guest on 05.03.2007 at 02:10

it's just like Techniqual Power Metal in which the structure is reminiscent of Neo-Classical music.

technical power metal man maybe explain whit example and bands because I hawnt hear such combination

i dunno man, i thought it was Power Metal that was very inspired by Yngwie Malmsteen's works like maybe Rhapsody Of Fire, Concerto Moon, Stratovarius.

Written by Guest on 05.03.2007 at 02:21

I totally love Dargaard, an Austrian Neo-Classical metal band with a very melancholic mood, beautiful melodies and yes many elements from classical music...

Another interesting act is the also Austrian Die Verbanten Kinder Evas, a neo-classical side project of Summoning's mastermind Protector... very mellow but great...

And as last recommendation, Liechtenstein-based Welten Brand, an interesting mix between neo-classical and gothic metal, with an outstanding voices game.

Yes man Austrian its good werry good also French and Germany, try Elend its lil like Dargaard, actualy I dunno other such good bands who are from other countries but Walten Brand dunno them

@LOWELAS - Yngwee is not power its neoclassical/shreed and Stratovarius its not neoclassical seems son all be melo death and power

@SirenOfTheStyx

I can give some example besides Dargaard . About the def. i can leave this to others

Try Dark Sanctuary , similiar to Dargaard . This is their website
http://www.dark-sanctuary.com/index.php

Dargaard is indeed an excellent band, it'd be my first recommendation for someone who wants to know about the genre. Though I consider them as atmospheric also