New to Metal kinda...?

[Bohemiangod]

Ok, so I listen to a couple of metal bands, some speed metal, some power, and some symphonic. Dragonforce, Blind Guardian, Atreyu, Avenged Sevenfold, and lately Nightwish. I am looking now for music similar to Nightwish. Music rich in sounds with vocal harmony and understandable lyrics. I also like fast paced stuff but if there is a steady paced song that demands respect, throw it at me. I am open to mostly anything, I just hate really heavy metal where all they do is scream unintelligible gibberish. I started listening to Epica, Kamelot, and few others recently through last.fm and Pandora.

 

[Ultimate_Symphony]

After Forever (similar to Epica)
Therion (latter day albums)
Adagio
Symphony X
Metalium
Ayreon
Andromeda
Russell Allen/Jorn Lande
Nevermore (not symphonic, straightforward heavy metal with prog-ish and thrash elements)

That's all I can remember right now, hope it helps.

 

[BlackMetalWhiteGuy]

Adagio
Amberian Dawn
Archontes
Axxis
Battlelore
Bride Adorned
Cloudscape
Dol Ammad
Dragonland
Emir Hot
Felony
Frameshift
Galneryus (male J-pop style vocals)
HolyHell
Kivimetsän Druidi
Leaves' Eyes
Luca Turilli
Luca Turilli's Dreamquest
Madryghal (vocals sound out of key or something)
Mistheria
Moonlight Agony
Mundanus Imperium
Nightingale
Odin's Court
Pagan's Mind
Rain Fell Within
Rhapsody (now Rhapsody of Fire)
Sacrum
Sengir
Seraphim (my favorite female vocalist)
Shadow Gallery
Skyfire (vocals not really your style)
Sonata Arctica
Space Odyssey
Stratovarious
Tacere
Theatre of Tragedy
Tristania
Turisas
Tvangeste (vocals not really your style)
Virgin Black
Warmen
Within Temptation

 

[Bohemiangod]

Wow, thanks for all the quick replies and suggestions. I like Symphony X so far, just listened to Out of the Ashes. I have some Within Temptation I am starting to listen to. Oh and Pyramaze sounds good so far.

 

[General Zaroff]

Hibria

 

[Seditious]

Hammerfall

 

[Ultimate_Symphony]

Rhapsody of Fire? holy fucking shit! can Luca get any more fuckin' cheesy than that? Jesus Christ.

 

[Einherjar86]

They had to change the name due to legal issues. It's really gay now.

Here are my recs:

Falconer
HIBRIA
Dark Moor
Fairyland
Pyramaze
Rhapsody
Blind Guardian
Thy Majestie
Kiuas

EDIT: oh yeah, and fucking SABATON.

 

[Bassman366]

To-Mera

Ebony Ark

The Gathering

 

[Vegard Pompey]

Galneryus (male J-pop style vocals)

Wow, someone's actually heard of these besides me. They're quite alright.

Also, Dream Theater. And whoever said Adagio, I second that.

 

[ShredHeadJHJ]

Dream Theater
Yngwie Malmsteen
Symphony X
Johansson (Jens Johannson's album "The Last Viking")
Tyr
Children of Bodom
Therion (Gothic Kabbalah)

Only band you mentioned that were good were Blind Guardian & Nightwish. If you don't have "Oceanborn" by Nightwish get it because it's by far their best album.

 

[Bassman366]

Tyr

This band sucks hard.



Age of silence and Peccatum are also great recommandations

 

[BlackMetalWhiteGuy]

Wow, someone's actually heard of these besides me. They're quite alright.

Also, Dream Theater. And whoever said Adagio, I second that.

I also previewed an album in FYE by a band called Kumazawa. My first impression was that they sounded a lot like Galneryus, but I looked them up on the metal archives and Kumazawa is actually just one guy, and he's not in Galneryus.

 

[Burkhard]

If you don't have "Oceanborn" by Nightwish get it because it's by far their best album.

Seconded.

A band which sounds simliar to Nightwish during their "Oceanborn"-phase are Operatika (check the three songs you find on youtube).

Also try

Midnattsol

and the following albums:
Nemesea - "Mana" (avoid their second album!)
Autumn - "Summer's End"
Dreams of Sanity - "Komödia"

(Songs from all these albums can be found on youtube.)

 

[FenriR]

Well, looking through my library...

Alestorm
Amon Amarth (lyrics are growled but perfectly comprehendable, and they write some of the catchiest stuff ever)
Arcturus (Masquerade Infernale and Sideshow Symphonies)
Bal-Sagoth (mix of harsh/epic vocals, but you won't find a band that compresses so much epic win into a single song as Bal-Sagoth)
Dark Tranquillity (more comprehendable, less harsh harsh vocals, if you see what I mean. Also Insomnium)
Graveworm (all harsh vocals but easily understandable, and they have some of the best symphonic backing you'll hear)
Hammerfall
Kiuas
Moonspell (mixed, but harsh vocals are easy to understand)
Nevermore
Spiral Architect
Testament (not power, but hey. They're awesome)

Huh. Just realised how little metal I have with vocals that aren't screamed/growled.

 

[waif]

Some great recs so far.
Edguy come to mind.

 

[BlackMetalWhiteGuy]

A band which sounds simliar to Nightwish during their "Oceanborn"-phase are Operatika (check the three songs you find on youtube).

Wow, they sound almost exactly like Nightwish, but with lower production quality and sweeps thrown in for no reason.

EDIT - Looking through the related youtube videos:

Artosis
Chalice
Demether
The Dreamside
Elis
Epinikion
Fairyland
Highland Glory
Kapel Maister
Last Tribe
Macbeth
Magica
Overdream
Xandria