Symphonic metal

History and character

Symphonic metal combines metal with orchestra, choirs and classically inspired writing. Its roots lie in the 1960s–70s (Concerto for Group and Orchestra by Deep Purple, 1969; Spiral Architect by Black Sabbath, 1973) and in the orchestral and choral experiments of Celtic Frost in the 1980s; in the early 1990s extreme metal met classical music (Dies Irae by Believer, 1990, is a prototype), and The Gathering and Theatre of Tragedy combined growls, synths and soprano voices.

Theli by Therion (1996) marks the moment when orchestral elements became more central than the death metal roots; in 1997 Nightwish, Rhapsody (of Fire, Legendary Tales, Baroque-inspired), Within Temptation and Haggard made their debuts. They were followed by Mother Earth (2000) and The Silent Force (2004, full orchestra and an 80-voice choir) by Within Temptation, After Forever, Epica (The Phantom Agony, 2003; The Divine Conspiracy, 2007), Kamelot, Xandria, Delain, Beyond the Black, and the extreme branch: symphonic black (Dimmu Borgir, Emperor), symphonic death (Septicflesh, Fleshgod Apocalypse) and symphonic deathcore (Lorna Shore). Nightwish moved from power metal to orchestral, epic and gothic styles starting with Once (2004).

Characteristics: orchestras, choirs or keyboard emulations (often workstation presets), classically influenced composition with long, suite-like songs, frequent solo soprano voice, often paired with a male growl (the "beauty and the beast" style), atmospheric and often solemn sound, fantasy and mythological themes, concept albums.

Scales and keys

Harmonic minor

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7 (semitones 2-1-2-2-1-3-1).
• Example in D: D E F G A Bb C#.
• Characteristic note: C# (leading tone) → major dominant A and diminished chord C#°: the "operatic" color.
• Chords: i Dm, ii° Edim, III+ F+, iv Gm, V A, VI Bb, vii° C#dim.
• Use: orchestral V–i cadences, string and choir lines, neoclassical solos.
• Real-world example: Nightwish — Wishmaster (harmonic minor colors and orchestral writing); Epica — Cry for the Moon.

Natural minor (Aeolian)

• Formula: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7. In E: E F# G A B C D.
• Chords: i Em, III G, iv Am, v Bm, VI C, VII D.
• Use: epic VI–VII–i choruses, "cinematic" themes (i–VI–III–VII).
• Real-world example: Nightwish — Nemo (minor key with an epic chorus; SongBPM does not list the key).

Phrygian (for dark passages)

• Formula: 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7. In E: E F G A B C D.
• Use: low string ostinatos and riffs with b2 (symphonic death and black, Septicflesh).

Major and "soundtrack" modulations

• Major: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. In D: D E F# G A B C#.
• Use: triumphant endings (switching from minor to the parallel major: Picardy third), modulations by third (D minor → F major → Ab major) as in film music.

Dorian and old modes (choirs)

• Dorian: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 (in D: D E F G A B C).
• Use: Latin choirs with a Gregorian/medieval flavor (Therion, Epica), the "Dies irae" (a Gregorian melody often quoted in the genre).

How to choose

• Operatic drama: harmonic minor with V and vii°. Cinematic epic: Aeolian with VI–VII–i and third-related changes. Extreme darkness: Phrygian. Triumphant ending: parallel major or modulation. Sacred choirs: Dorian/Aeolian with stepwise melodies.

Harmony

Function

Tonal and orchestral harmony: V–i cadences, secondary dominants, diminished passing chords, tonic and dominant pedals, modulations by third (a soundtrack technique), epic Aeolian progressions. The orchestra and choirs carry the inner voices; the guitars often play power chords or double the string ostinatos.

Orchestration and registers

• Low strings (cellos and double basses) double the bass or the riff an octave lower; violins and violas with sixteenth-note ostinatos or long notes above the guitar register (C5–C7); brass on full chords (horns in the middle register, trombones in the low); woodwinds for melodies; timpani on accents; choir (SATB) with open-position chords.

Pedals and ostinatos

• Sixteenth-note string ostinatos over sustained power chords; dominant pedal before the final chorus.

Voicing

• Guitars: power chords and minor chords; orchestra: wide voicings (spread across octaves), octave doublings; avoid having strings and guitars play in the same middle octave (300 Hz–1 kHz).

Typical progressions

Rhythm and groove

4/4 with epic mid-tempos and double bass drums in the fast passages; ballads in 6/8, 12/8 or 3/4; free or "soundtrack-style" orchestral sections (timpani crescendos, ostinatos). Many songs alternate a full metal groove with orchestral parts without drums. The orchestra often plays sixteenth-note ostinatos (spiccato strings) while the drums keep half time: the contrast creates grandeur.

Drums

Role

The drums support the orchestra: solid grooves, double bass drums in the fast parts, accents in unison with brass and timpani. Models: Jukka Nevalainen and Kai Hahto (Nightwish), Ariën van Weesenbeek (Epica), Mike Coolen (Within Temptation).

Kick

• 1 and 3 in mid-tempos; double bass drums in sixteenth notes in fast passages; gallop in symphonic power metal; in unison with the timpani on accents.

Snare

• 2 and 4, or 3 (half time) in epic choruses; blasts in extreme symphonic metal.

Cymbals

• Crash and china on the orchestral accents, ride in the verses; often sampled orchestral cymbals (suspended and clash).

Orchestral percussion

• Timpani (tuned to tonic and dominant), orchestral bass drum, taiko, tubular bells, tam-tam: they must lock in with the drums (timpani on 1 and 3, drums on 2 and 4 or in unison on accents).

Sections

• Orchestral intro (without drums or with timpani) → verse with groove → half-time chorus with crash and full orchestra → orchestral bridge → final chorus with double bass drums.

Fills

• Tom fills in unison with timpani, symphonic rolls (orchestral snare roll) before climaxes.

Sounds

• Modern, precise kit (samples), reverb consistent with the orchestra's space (hall).

Typical mistakes

• Drums and timpani overlapping in the low end; drums too dry compared with the orchestra in a hall.

Bass

Sound

Clean or slightly distorted bass that has to coexist with the orchestral cellos and double basses.

Role

• Tonic and doubling of the riff; in the orchestral parts it leaves the low end to the double basses (or they double in unison).

Relationship with the kick and the orchestra

• Choose who carries the sub: electric bass (in the metal parts) or double basses/timpani (in the orchestral parts); automate.

Examples

• Nightwish — Ghost Love Score (Marko Hietala); Within Temptation — Stand My Ground; Epica — Unleashed.

Harmonic instruments

Rhythm guitar layering (modern metal)

• Quad tracking: 4 separate performances of the same riff (never copies: you need the micro-differences for width), two per side: L100 + L80 and R100 + R80 (or all four at L100/R100 if you want maximum width).
• Different amps per side or per pair: for example Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier + Peavey/EVH 5150 (or their simulations), or the same amp with two different cabinet IRs (Mesa 4x12 with V30 + Marshall 1960 with Greenback). For guitars recorded live, Sound On Sound suggests two amps with contrasting/complementary tones panned hard left and right.
• Double vs. quad: double tracking (L100/R100) is more defined and "tight"; quad tracking is bigger but less precise. Thrash and technical death prefer 2 very precise tracks; modern metalcore, deathcore and djent often use 4 tracks or 2 tracks + re-amp.
• Always record a DI: it lets you re-amp and change the sound in the mix.
• Leads and harmonies: center or L30/R30 (third harmonies, one per side), with delay and reverb; the rhythm guitars stay dry.

Symphonic metal specifics

• Guitars with a full tone that isn't too scooped (they must leave room for the orchestra in the upper mids): often 2 tracks L100/R100 instead of 4.
• Keyboards and orchestra: real orchestras (Nightwish with the London Session Orchestra, Within Temptation with an orchestra and an 80-voice choir) or orchestral libraries; piano, church organ, synth pads, harpsichord; folk instruments (uilleann pipes in Nightwish).

Practical orchestration (libraries)

• Strings: violins I and II, violas, cellos, double basses with articulations (legato, spiccato, tremolo, pizzicato); brass: horns, trumpets, trombones, tuba; woodwinds: flute, oboe, clarinet; SATB choir with syllables or Latin text; orchestral percussion.
• Split the registers: guitars 80 Hz–5 kHz with a midrange peak; violins above (1–8 kHz); cellos and double basses below or in unison with the bass.

Melody and vocals

Vocals

• Lyric or semi-lyric soprano (Tarja Turunen, Simone Simons, Floor Jansen, who moves from lyric to rock), powerful pop-rock voice (Sharon den Adel, Anette Olzon), often paired with a male growl (Mark Jansen) or a clean male voice (Marko Hietala, Roy Khan).
• Broad melodies with leaps and long high notes; epic choruses.

Backing vocals

• Classical SATB choir (often in Latin), layered pop backing vocals, children's voices.

Effects

• Long hall consistent with the orchestra, delay, doubles for the pop voice.

Instruments

• Two electric guitars (or one).
• Electric bass.
• Drums with double bass drums.
• Soprano voice, male voice (clean or growl).
• Orchestra (strings, brass, woodwinds, orchestral percussion), choir.
• Keyboards: piano, organ, synth, harpsichord; folk instruments.

Drum patterns

Synths and sounds

• Augmented Strings — Strings and orchestra: The heart of the genre: string ostinatos, legatos, hybrid brass; write by section (violins above C5, cellos and double basses with the bass).
• Augmented Voices — Choir: "Aah/ooh" choirs and choral textures; for Latin use a choir library with a phrase builder, plus the textures.
• Piano V — Piano: Intros and ballads (Nightwish, Within Temptation): grand piano with hall.
• B-3 V — Organ: Powerful organ in gothic parts (better with full registrations and no Leslie).
• Jup-8 V — Pads and synth: Supporting pads under the orchestra and synths in more modern songs.
• Mellotron V — Vintage choirs and strings: Gothic and 1970s colors.

Song structure

Form (4:00–8:00; epics up to 20+)

Mixing and mastering

Sonic goal

Cinematic and grand: orchestra and band should sound as if they are in the same space, with the soprano voice above everything and the guitars not covering the strings. References: Nightwish — Once (2004), Within Temptation — The Silent Force (2004), Epica — The Divine Conspiracy (2007), Fleshgod Apocalypse — Agony (2011).

Kick

• EQ: HP 30 Hz; +3 dB at 60 Hz; −6 dB at 350 Hz; +4 dB at 4 kHz; sample. Sidechain the timpani from the kick (or vice versa) so they don't overlap.

Snare

• EQ: +2 dB at 200 Hz; +3 dB at 5 kHz; hall 1.8–2.5 s consistent with the orchestra.

Orchestral percussion

• Timpani: HP 40 Hz, +2 dB at 80–100 Hz, hall; bass drum and taiko with HP 30 Hz and light compression.

Bass

• EQ: HP 35 Hz; +2 dB at 80 Hz; −3 dB at 250 Hz; compression 6 dB; automation relative to the double basses.

Guitars

• 2 rhythm guitars L100/R100 (or 4); EQ HP 90 Hz; −3 dB at 300 Hz; −2/−3 dB at 2–4 kHz (leaves room for violins and vocals); LP 9–10 kHz.

Orchestra

• Orchestral panning: violins I L60, violins II L30, violas R20, cellos R50, double basses R60 (or center), horns L40, trumpets R30, trombones R50, woodwinds in the center slightly back, choir L80→R80.
• EQ: violins HP 200 Hz, +1/+2 dB at 8–10 kHz; cellos HP 60 Hz, −2 dB at 250 Hz; brass HP 80 Hz, −2 dB at 3 kHz if harsh.
• Reverb: a single hall (2.5–3.5 s) for the whole orchestra, with different pre-delay for depth (woodwinds and brass further back).
• Light compression on the orchestra bus (1–2 dB) or none: use volume automation.

Soprano voice

• Chain: EQ (HP 120 Hz, −2 dB at 400 Hz, +2 dB at 3 kHz, air at 12 kHz; watch for peaks at 2–4 kHz on high notes: dynamic EQ) → soft opto compression 3–5 dB (the lyric voice has enormous dynamics) → de-esser → hall 2.5 s + 1/4 delay.
• Detailed volume automation (lyric high notes are much louder).

Growl

• As in death metal, with a bit more hall.

Choir

• Choir bus with HP 150 Hz, long hall, light compression.

FX

• Hall, cinematic impacts, orchestral risers.

Buses and groups

• Band bus, orchestra bus, choir bus, vocal bus; the sum goes through a light 2:1 glue bus.

Sidechain

• Guitars −2 dB at 2–4 kHz sidechained from the vocals; orchestra −1/−2 dB from the vocal choruses if needed.

Master

• Target: −10/−8 LUFS integrated (the orchestra loses room to breathe above that); true peak −1 dBTP.

Common mistakes

• Guitars covering the strings; two different reverbs for band and orchestra (incoherent spaces); soprano with high notes that "hurt" at 3 kHz; too many layers in the midrange.

Reference tracks for the mix

• Therion — To Mega Therion (1996); Nightwish — Wishmaster (2000); Within Temptation — Stand My Ground (2004); Nightwish — Ghost Love Score (2004); Epica — Cry for the Moon (2003); Fleshgod Apocalypse — The Violation (2013).

Reference listening

• Therion — To Mega Therion (1996)
• Nightwish — Wishmaster (2000)
• Within Temptation — Mother Earth (2000)
• Epica — Cry for the Moon (2003)
• Nightwish — Nemo (2004)
• Within Temptation — Stand My Ground (2004)
• Nightwish — Ghost Love Score (2004)
• Epica — Unleashed (2009)
• Fleshgod Apocalypse — The Violation (2013)