 | | Finnish metal sextet Finntroll describe their music as trollish hoedown metal, which is to say that it combines the extreme elements of death metal with traditional Finnish folk melodies. |
 | | A melodic power/death/folk metal band delving in Viking legends for lyrical inspiration, Helsinki, Finland's Ensiferum had to continually coexist with various simultaneous metal projects undertaken by its members. |
 | | Based in the Faroes, a group of islands between Iceland and Norway that has been an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark since 1948, Týr record and perform in both English and in their native Faroese language. |
 | | Named for a warrior god in Finnish mythology, Turisas are a heavy metal band whose music is an ambitious blend of symphonic metal, power metal, progressive rock, and Finnish folk music. |
 | | Swiss folk-metal band Eluveitie incorporate folk instrumentation such as hurdy-gurdy, flute, and pipes into an otherwise traditional death metal style, also adding a pagan element channeled through lyrics in the Gaulish language (a dead language in the Celtic family that predated Latin throughout Western Europe). |
 | | Originally known as Battleheart, Alestorm, the purveyors of the relatively unexplored musical territory known as "pirate metal," formed in their original (pre-nautical) phase in 2004. |
 | | Swedish death metal band Amon Amarth originally formed in 1988 under the name Scum; by the time the new moniker was adopted four years later, the line-up consisted of vocalist Johan Hegg, guitarists Olli Mikkonen and Anders Hansson, bassist Ted Lundstrom and drummer Niko Kaukinen. |
 | | Falkenbach is the one-man black metal project of multi-instrumentalist Vratyas Vakyas (formerly guitarist with Crimson Gates), who is based in Düsseldorf, Germany, but reportedly hails from Iceland, and subscribes to the genre's more epic style, rife with keyboards, Viking themes, and folk music tendencies (a possible reason for making up those unconfirmed Icelandic roots). |
 | | Forming in the small German town of Krefeld, Blind Guardian perfected a fusion of gothic- and fantasy-tinged European power metal with the velocity and technical precision of speed metal. |
 | | Founded in 1999 by Jyri Vahvanen and Mika Kokkola, Finnish heavy metal ensemble Battlelore blend the epic sounds of power, goth, and death metal with imagery from author J. |
 | | Following in the pixie boots of England's Skyclad, Finland's Finntroll, and several other such strange creatures, Italy's Elvenking unite the disparate worlds of heavy metal and acoustic folk music underneath lyrics spinning mystical yarns steeped in both legend and imagination. |
 | | Formed in 1995 by cousins Henri (guitar/keyboards/vocals) and Ville Sorvali (bass/vocals), Finland's Moonsorrow traced a path similar to that blazed by their countrymen Amorphis by combining death and black metal with heavy doses of atmosphere and Finnish folk traditions; but theirs was arguably an even more ambitious and epic approach. |
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 | | Following their formation in 1993, Hammerfall underwent numerous personnel changes before settling on their current lineup, which includes principal songwriters Joachim Cans (vocals) and Oscar Dronjak (guitars). |
 | | Fashion trends may come and go, but Florida's Iced Earth has remained steadfastly committed to championing the cause of heavy metal through thick and thin. |
 | | Having a strong interest in the mythological aspects of Norse history, Frode Glesnes (guitar) and Gerhard Storesund (drums) formed Einherjer in early 1993 out of their home country of Norway. |
 | | Following in the footsteps of the Gathering and Lacuna Coil (goth-influenced "symphonic" metal bands with female vocalists), Nightwish was formed in Kitee, Finland, in 1997 by keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen. |
 | | Formed in 1991, the American metal outfit Kamelot did not record its debut album, Eternity, until four years later; Dominion followed shortly thereafter. |
 | | Originally formed in 2001 with the intention of playing just one show, Germany's Equilibrium quickly changed their minds and, over time, joined scores of new millennium heavy metal bands (Windir, Turisas, Negura Bunget, Eluveitie, etc. |
 | | Combining elements of melodic death metal, power metal, neo-classical, and thrash, Children of Bodom have been one of the world's most expansive and hard to define bands since their formation in 2003. |
 | | Blending black metal's most brutal tendencies, the melancholic beauty of opera, and industrial metal's production techniques, Dimmu Borgir carved a niche in the metal world as one of the most savage and creative acts to hail from the Norwegian scene. |
 | | A combination side project and supergroup of the Norwegian black metal scene, Borknagar members Oystein G. |
 | | The U.K.-based power metal sextet Dragonforce formed in 1999 around the twin-guitar assault of Herman Li and Sam Totman, keyboard player Vadim Pruzhanov, and the powerful vocals of ZP Theart; drummer David Mackintosh and bass player Adrian Lambert joined the lineup later. |
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 | | Finnish prog metal quartet Sonata Arctica specializes in a soaring, orchestral variation on European heavy metal, fusing the sweeping, romantic bombast of bands like Europe with the over-the-top instrumental chops of Dream Theater. |
 | | Hailing from Norway's Sogndal region, Windir(meaning "Primal Warrior") combined the vicious fury of black metal with Scandinavia's rich folk music, history, and mythology. |
 | | Based in Newcastle, England, the progressive thrash metal band Skyclad was founded in 1990 by vocalist Martin Walkyier, who left his previous band, Sabbat, after an argument with guitarist Andy Sneap. |
 | | Brought together in Stockholm by guitarists Peter Lindgren and Mikael Åkerfeldt in 1990, Opeth added progressive influences and acoustic instrumentation to their brand of Swedish death metal. |
 | | 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. |
 | | Although Helsinki, Finland heavy metal band Stratovarius were formed in 1982 by drummer Tuomo Lassila, the group did not record its debut album, Fright Night, until 1989. |
 | | Lead guitarist Esa Holopainen and drummer Jan Rechberger formed the band Amorphis in Finland in 1990. |
 | | Originally calling themselves Sahara Dust, Holland's Epica formed in early 2003 when After Forever guitarist Mark Jansen decided to break away from the group he had helped found in order to start an operatic metal project all his own. |
 | | Formed during the late '80s, Swedish death metal band Therion was led by vocalist, guitarist, and composer Christofer Johnsson. |
 | | Described as "the world's greatest cultural force," the virtual death metal band Dethklok star in the Adult Swim television show Metalocalypse. |
 | | Toward the end of the '90s, Scandinavian death metal -- or at least one branch of it -- began to evolve into a more accessible amalgamation of death metal intensity, a bit of progressive metal experimentation, and more traditional late-'70s/early-'80s British metal, with its catchy, groove-oriented riffs and twin-guitar lead lines. |
 | | Following the demise of Viking/folk-themed black metal band Mithotyn in 1999, Swedish guitarist/bassist Stefan Weinerhall and drummer Karsten Larsson took a right turn toward power metal with their next project, Falconer, whose studio lineup was initially completed by accomplished stage actor and singer Mathias Blad. |
 | | The progressive power metal band Demons & Wizards was a side project for Blind Guardian vocalist Hansi Kursch and Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer; it also featured onetime Iced Earth drummer Mark Prator. |
 | | Formerly known simply as Rhapsody, this acclaimed Italian heavy metal band active since the mid-'90s was forced to change its name to Rhapsody of Fire in 2005, due to copyright issues. |
 | | Michael Romeo formed Symphony X in New Jersey in 1994. The original lineup of the group also included Thomas Miller (bass guitar), Rod Tyler (vocals), Jason Rullo (drums), and Michael Pinnella (keyboards). |
 | | After leaving Ceremonial Oath to form In Flames, founding member and guitarist Jesper Strömblad saw this project as a way of expressing his songwriting creativity rather than being stuck in the background. |
 | | Manowar was formed by ex-Dictators and Shakin' Street guitarist Ross the Boss. The original lineup included vocalist Eric Adams, bassist Joey DeMaio, and drummer Donnie Hamzik. |
 | | Following his departure in 2002 from Finnish Viking metal outfit Ensiferum, former Arthemesia vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Jari Mäenpäa started a new project called Wintersun, with drummer Kai Hahto (late of grindcore band Rotten Sound). |
 | | Nevermore straddles the line between power metal, traditional heavy metal, and the contemporary hard rock scene, eschewing the silly theatrics of the "power scene" in favor of a darker tone, while reaping the rewards of melody and the high-flying vocal range of singer Warrel Dane. |
 | | Formed by ex-Carnage, Carcass, and Candlemass guitarist Michael Amott (concurrently of Spiritual Beggars) with his brother Christopher (Armageddon), Arch Enemy took a straight-ahead approach to death metal reminiscent of Entombed or late-period Carcass, blending catchy, classic-style metal riffs with crushing grooves for an intense yet accessible sound. |
 | | Alongside Switzerland's Celtic Frost and Sweden's Bathory, Germany's Helloween were possibly the most influential heavy metal band to come out of Europe during the 1980s. |
 | | Celtic Frost's impact on the evolution of European heavy metal cannot be overstated. Along with power metal kings Helloween (and to a lesser degree, the sometimes cartoonish Mercyful Fate), Frost's enduring influence on Europe's heavy metal landscape is arguably comparable to Metallica's standing in America. |
 | | Originally known as Requiem, the Finnish metal band Norther came together as a result of the collaboration of Toni Hallio and Petri Lindroos. |
 | | Known for such powerful hits as "Two Minutes to Midnight" and "The Trooper," Iron Maiden were and are one of the most influential bands of the heavy metal genre. |
 | | Gothic metal band Leaves' Eyes was born out of the romantic relationship between singer Liv Kristine Espenæs and guitarist Alexander Krull, who met whilst she was fronting Norway's Theatre of Tragedy and he Germany's Atrocity. |
 | | Kai Hansen formed Helloween in 1984, playing guitar and singing on the speed metal band's first four albums. |
![Takes Along This Road [Japan Bonus Track] Album Cover](http://images.slacker.com/isv1/album/v1/838760/aol/1/center/5,0/70.jpg "Takes Along This Road [Japan Bonus Track] Album Cover")
