What are your favorite symphonic metal albums released this year? There have been a few big name releases but also many amazing newer bands pushing up through the ranks.

These days, symphonic metal seems to be passing the torch to a new group of worthy bands. Which of the up-and-comers do you think will stick around?

Some of my favorites from this year so far have been:

Pythia - The Serpent's Curse
and
Diabulus in Musica - The Wanderer

Infinitus Mortus - The Conspiracy of Live seems great but is still growing on me. Winter In Eden - Echoes of Betrayal is nice-ish, but sadly not an improvement from their debut...

So excited for the new Edenbridge. The new Xandria was a snoozefest, and I thought it was hilarious that Epica released an album without all the vocals present

Im not sure if I heard too many this year, even though I haven't really followed along with any of the big names, and you seem like an expert on the genre... I wonder if Vitriol by Italian band Evenoire would count? I know it's basically Gothic/Folk metal, but it does have a good bit of symphonic elements in it.

Just like Dentura I haven't wrapped my head around many Symphonic Metal albums this year. In fact I'm just starting to really get into this style. Totally in love with what I've heard so far.

Xandria - Neverworld's End
Epica - Requiem For The Indifferent
Luca Turilli's Rhapsody - Ascending To Infinity
Dawn Of Destiny - Praying To The World

I enjoy all these immensily. Pretty much all killer and no filler. "Neverworld's End" was an album that particularly blew my mind. It simply has the right balance of everything; Shorter tour-de-force tunes, longer more elaborate epics, emotional power ballads... Manuella Kraller pretty soon found herself at the top of my female-vocals list, an all around perfect voice for this genre in my opinion.

Of those not mentioned so far I thought Amberian Dawn and Dol Ammad put out some good ones.

Dol Ammad is definitely the better of among the bunch as it's just more of a left field take on the sub-genre.

Inner Fear's First Born Fear is a more extreme take on Symphonic Metal, but it's more than decent.

I was kind of looking forward to checking out the new Therion before realising it's a cover album >.>

Evenoire is indeed not too bad, but as you said, it's more of a folky gothic release

Trad symp
Pythia - The Serpent's Curse
Wildrun - Olden Tales & Deathly Trails

Symp black and who more fits there
Wintervrust - The Mind Cave
Inner Fear - First Born Fear
Winthertrome - The Godslayer
Obsura Romanica - Theatre of Deception
Eternal Dream - The Fall of Salanthine

To-Mera wins this year. Although it's more on the prog side of music, I'd count it as a symphonic record at least for the sake of the genre . Then I guess we can count Diablo Swing Orchestra as well.
And I liked Epica's latest a lot, I think I didn't get that Susanic comment/joke regarding the vocals.

Oh and Therion's covers album was good also, even though it's not new music.

Written by Unhealer on 05.10.2012 at 00:20

And I liked Epica's latest a lot, I think I didn't get that Susanic comment/joke regarding the vocals.

Read the news item here. The latest Epica album was released without all of the recorded vocals. Apparently one song is missing the vocals. I think that's just too damn funny.

And yes, Diablo Swing Orchestra and To-Mera released some stunning albums this year! They probably fit better in other genres but definitely have symphonic elements.

Written by Susan on 05.10.2012 at 01:56

Read the news item here. The latest Epica album was released without all of the recorded vocals. Apparently one song is missing the vocals. I think that's just too damn funny.

Ahhhhh yes, I forgot that thing.
Yeah, the first European pressing was missing vocals but just in the last song. It was corrected for later pressings thankfully. That was definitely weird, my guess is that it was a commercial move by the label.

Maybe it's just because they released the greatest trilogy in the history of power metal (Karma, Epica, The Black Halo), but I really enjoyed Kamelot's Silverthorn, as well as some of the albums you mentioned, like the new Xandria (I discovered them just because they were supporting Kamelot in their European tour, and really enjoyed Manuela Kraller live - not only for her voice), Wilderun, and expecially my compatriots Luca Turilli's Rhapsody's Ascending To Infinity...

Carach angren new album Where The Corpses Sink Forever (symphonic black metal).
It was haunting. though the previous albums from this band were better. but this album had its moments too. awesome storyline with dark thoughtful lyrics. awesome melodis and delicate use of diffrent instruments. it's an album with thoughts and genius behind it.

My favourites were Xandria, Diabulus in Musica and Whyzdom's albums, and the last Epica was okay too, although a little disappointing after their previous album.
Some nice albums I discovered thanks to MS awards:
Lumus - Bacchus' Curse
Saturnian - Dimensions
Wilderun - Olden Tales & Deathly Trails (not sure if symphonic "enough")

I also liked Damnation Angels - Bringer Of Light, although it's not perfect.

Written by [user id=36134] on 26.02.2013 at 20:35

My favourites were Xandria, Diabulus in Musica and Whyzdom's albums, and the last Epica was okay too, although a little disappointing after their previous album.
Some nice albums I discovered thanks to MS awards:
Lumus - Bacchus' Curse
Saturnian - Dimensions
Wilderun - Olden Tales & Deathly Trails (not sure if symphonic "enough")

I also liked Damnation Angels - Bringer Of Light, although it's not perfect.

Maybe not on Wilderun but who cares - great album! Glad you also liked Lumus. That was a nice surprise for me from last year. I haven't heard of Damnation Angels at all but I'll check them out, thanks!

Written by Susan on 28.02.2013 at 03:23

Written by [user id=36134] on 26.02.2013 at 20:35

My favourites were Xandria, Diabulus in Musica and Whyzdom's albums, and the last Epica was okay too, although a little disappointing after their previous album.
Some nice albums I discovered thanks to MS awards:
Lumus - Bacchus' Curse
Saturnian - Dimensions
Wilderun - Olden Tales & Deathly Trails (not sure if symphonic "enough")

I also liked Damnation Angels - Bringer Of Light, although it's not perfect.

Maybe not on Wilderun but who cares - great album! Glad you also liked Lumus. That was a nice surprise for me from last year. I haven't heard of Damnation Angels at all but I'll check them out, thanks!

Yes, Lumus was great. Actually there were so many good albums last year, I hardly had enough time to check out all. And I spend too much time with earphones already

My top 3 for symphonic albums in 2012 :

1) Xandria - Neverworld's End
2) Luca Turilli's Rhapsody - Ascending To Infinity
3) Epica - Requiem For The Indifferent

Xandria was a nice old-school attempt on the early nightwish sound, they top my list. I liked Manuela's vocals too.

Luca Turilli's Rhapsody deserves a mention, It was still very Rhapsody-esque sounding, but the new vocalist more than made up for that .

Have to hear Epica's new album, although maybe not the number 1 on the list?

Damn, I can't really choose! I loved Epica and Xandria's albums. Saturnian was amazing too, very promising debut. Luca Turilli is destined to be a favourite of mine. Can you count Wintersun's Time I as symphonic? I also liked Amberian Dawn - Circus Black. A bit more commercial maybe, but very nice for my ears.

Hi, sorry I'm bumping a bit of an old thread, I wanted to post a new topic but since I'm a new user it wouldn't let me and I thought this would be the best place to ask my question. I'm doing a bit of research on symphonic metal for university and I'm wondering if I could ask some people about how they would describe the function of the orchestra in symphonic metal. You could be as descriptive as you like and talk about what the orchestra does for the music, how it works and why it's used. I'm doing this to try and find out what the general consensus is. Thanks!

Silverthron- Kamelot Pretty much blew my mind saw them with Nightwish and I have never gone back!

I need to get into more symphonic. it is simply a necessity.

Suncrown - international symphonic metal band
Album "Follow Your Dream" 2012
http://suncrownband.com/audio

So much stuff from Symphonic metal? I didn't check out any but I love '13's sympho records like the ones from Shade Empire and Rage

Anthriel - the pathway

I am kind of new to metal, the closest thing I have to a symphonic metal album from 2012 is Imaginaerium by Nightwish. I like symphonic metal, but I have only started to get into it. The current bands I am into are Nightwish(Floor era), Tristania (until Veland Morten left), and Opera IX. I have tried listening to EPICA (which I found to atmospheric) Delian (whose vocalist I don't like) Therion (which I found too cheesy) and Sirenia (which depending on the album had too many blastbeats, was too bland, sounded too poplike, or had a vocalist that reminded me too much of Evenescence). I liked the Theater of Tragedy's song Cassandra (but nothing else of theirs), but I didn't like within temptation because of the vocalist. Any recommendations for what I should listen to next?