Symphonic Metal · Genres
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What is symphonic metal?

Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that sound similar to a classical symphony. Symphonic metal is both a genre of metal and a name given to several subgenres of other metal genres, and as such, both forms of usage have slightly varying definitions.

About symphonic metal

The genre refers to bands that combine aspects of varying metal genres, with signature female-led vocals and operatic/classical themes to give the music a feeling of being a symphony.

From Last.fm, where 44,790 listeners have tagged music as symphonic metal.

Artists to start with

  1. Nightwish
  2. Apocalyptica
  3. Within Temptation
  4. Epica
  5. Therion
  6. Delain
  7. Kamelot
  8. Eleine
  9. Tarja
  10. Beyond the Black

Albums to hear first

  • Dark Passion Play by NightwishDark Passion PlayNightwish
  • The Unforgiving by Within TemptationThe UnforgivingWithin Temptation
  • 7th Symphony by Apocalyptica7th SymphonyApocalyptica
  • Vovin by TherionVovinTherion
  • The Holographic Principle by EpicaThe Holographic PrincipleEpica
  • Lemuria by TherionLemuriaTherion
  • Over the Hills and Far Away by NightwishOver the Hills and Far AwayNightwish
  • Les Fleurs Du Mal by TherionLes Fleurs Du MalTherion

Symphonic Metal songs

  1. I Don't Care by Apocalyptica
  2. Nemo by Nightwish
  3. Not Strong Enough by Apocalyptica
  4. Amaranth by Nightwish
  5. Wish I Had an Angel by Nightwish
  6. The Phantom of the Opera by Nightwish
  7. Storytime by Nightwish
  8. Ghost Love Score by Nightwish
  9. Faster by Within Temptation
  10. Élan by Nightwish

Symphonic Metal on Risocast

  • Age Of Consent by Virgin SteeleAge Of ConsentVirgin Steele
  • Gods of Debauchery by Seven Spires, Casey Lee WilliamsGods of DebaucherySeven Spires, Casey Lee Williams · 2021
  • Lightbringer by Seven Spires, Casey Lee WilliamsLightbringerSeven Spires, Casey Lee Williams · 2021
  • Élan (Live) by Floor JansenÉlan (Live)Floor Jansen

Neighbouring genres

In the metal & heavy family. All genres

death metalblack metaldoom metalalternative metaldeathcoredeath-doombrutal death metalblackened death metalcrossover thrashatmospheric black metalhardcore punkmetal

Questions

What is symphonic metal?
Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that sound similar to a classical symphony. Symphonic metal is both a genre of metal and a name given to several subgenres of other metal genres, and as such, both forms of usage have slightly varying definitions. The genre refers to bands that combine aspects of varying metal genres, with signature female-led vocals and operatic/classical themes to give the music a feeling of being a symphony.
Who are the best-known symphonic metal artists?
By Last.fm listening: Nightwish, Apocalyptica, Within Temptation, Epica, Therion and Delain.
What genres are similar to symphonic metal?
On Risocast it sits with death metal, black metal, doom metal, alternative metal, deathcore and death-doom.

Risocast is free. Install it once and it logs everything you play.

Download for WindowsFree · v4.0.9Open RisocastRight here · Spotify or Last.fm

Updated 6 October 2026

Risocast Help

A music log that fills itself in. It records the songs you play on your computer and your phone, turns them into your top songs, stats and a public profile, and finds people whose taste overlaps with yours.

Yes. The app and the website are free.

A song counts once half of it has played, or four minutes — whichever comes first. Songs of 30 seconds or less, and videos or podcasts over 20 minutes, never count.

On Windows, anything that shows up in Windows' media controls: Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, browsers, foobar2000, Windows Media Player and more (VLC, iTunes and MusicBee through their free media-controls plugin). On Android, any music app — it reads the same now-playing info your lock screen shows. You can also connect Spotify or import from Last.fm.

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It does the same core job — scrobbling, automatically — without plugins per player, and adds taste matching: see who listens like you and how much your taste overlaps.

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More in Help, the guides and the privacy policy.

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When a song countsAfter half its length, or four minutes, whichever comes first.Tracks under 30 seconds are ignored.Offline plays are counted on the device and sent later.

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