From the clubs of Melbourne, to the Filmore Irving Plaza in New York City, 2009 has seen The Eternal build a momentum unrivaled by any other Australian independent band in the heavy rock scene. Taking ‘Kartika’ on the road across Australia, Portugal, Spain, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Finland, Hungary and for the first time Japan, Canada, USA and Mexico saw The Eternal secure major shows across the world.
Nightwish is a symphonic metal band, formed in the town of Kitee, Finland in 1996. The band currently consists of Tuomas Holopainen (keyboards), Marco Hietala (bass, vocals), Emppu Vuorinen (guitars), Jukka Nevalainen (drums and percussion) and Anette Olzon (vocals). Anette Olzon was announced to be the replacement for former vocalist and frontwoman Tarja Turunen in 2007 after the latter was fired in 2005. She has appeared on Dark Passion Play, Made in Hong Kong (And in Various Other Places) and Imaginaerum, as well as the two-year Dark Passion Play tour.
RISE OF AVERNUS are a doom metal five piece from Sydney, Australia. The brainchild of guitarist / vocalist Ben Vanvollenhoven (Ex-STODOWA) and vocalist / keyboardist, Catherine Guirguis (KATABASIS, Ex-BLACK HORIZON), the music is based around the incongruent, yet complimentary combination of Guirguis’ classically inspired piano melodies and Vanvollenhoven’s monolithic riffs. Through their duelling vocal personas, Guirguis and Vanvollenhoven explore dark, poignant themes with impassioned arrangements and a unique down tempo theatricality.
Rainshadow is a Melbourne band that creates dark and melancholic music with a rock/doom feel. The first release was the demo 'Old', created by Ben W and Mark Kelson (The Eternal). After being pleased with the result, it was decided that a full length album was required. Working together again, Ben and Mark have completed the debut album 'End Songs'. Produced by Mark Kelson, 'End Songs' includes an 8 page booklet designed by Ne Obliviscaris vocalist Xenoyr. It was mastered at Crystal Mastering Studios in Melbourne.
There are at least two bands called Epica: 1. Epica is a symphonic metal band from The Netherlands, founded in 2003 by guitarist and vocalist <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Mark+Jansen" class="bbcode_artist">Mark Jansen</a> after his departure from <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/After+Forever" class="bbcode_artist">After Forever</a>. The band currently consists of <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Simone+Simons" class="bbcode_artist">Simone Simons</a> (vocals), <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Mark+Jansen" class="bbcode_artist">Mark Jansen</a> (guitars, vocals), <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Isaac+Delahaye" class="bbcode_artist">Isaac Delahaye</a> (guitar), <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Rob+van+der+Loo" class="bbcode_artist">Rob van der Loo</a> (bass), <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Coen+Janssen" class="bbcode_artist">Coen Janssen</a> (keyboards, synthesiser), and <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Ari%C3%ABn+van+Weesenbeek" class="bbcode_artist">Ariën van Weesenbeek</a> (drums). They perform symphonic metal, with influences from death, progressive and gothic metal.
There are currently at least four bands called The Veil. Two of these bands hail from the UK, the earliest version being a relatively unknown goth band from the 80s, another a contemporary rock. A third band originates from France, and a fourth from Australia. 1. The Veil is an 80's goth band from the UK. 'Surrender' is their one and only album they released. As with many female fronted goth bands, the band got easily dismissed as another Siouxsie & The Banshees clone. No wild guitars or tribal drumming here; the music is quite relaxed on this album.
Katatonia formed in 1991 in Stockholm, Sweden and was brought together by long time friends, Anders Nyström (aka Blakkheim) and Jonas Renkse (aka Lord Seth). After more than a year of rehearsals and composing, the first real fruits of their labour came to light in mid 1992 with the release of the demo ‘Jhva Elohim Meth’, recorded at Sweden’s Gorysound Studio and produced by the multi-instrumentalist Dan Swanö. The demo sold out immediately, bringing Katatonia to the attention of Dutch label Vic Records, who went on to re-release the demo as a mini CD, titled ‘Jhva Elohim Meth – the Revival’.
Formed in 1996, Lycanthia is a 6 piece Metal band based in Sydney, Australia. Lycanthia play dark aggressive and emotional Metal in a style that would be best described as a fusion of Doom, Classical, Gothic and Rock. The popularity of their live shows along with their self titled demo established the band in the Australian Doom Metal underground. Lycanthia's first full length CD 'Myriad' saw them develop their musical style with greater maturity, creativity and originality.
