Which track was the "big bang" that started symphonic metal? (before 1993)
Two power metal bands Angra and X Japan released the very first albums to have the official symphonic metal tag in 1993; Angra's debut Angels Cry and X Japan's 29-minute epic Art of Life. However, that doesn't mean symphonic elements haven't been around in metal much earlier, they sure have! There has been quite a debate about which track in an album that has experimented with symphonics in metal is the one that has inspired the genre symphonic metal to start taking form. So here are 4 bands with two songs each from one album before 1993 for us to see which one seems legit as the first full-on symphonic metal song. The first band I'm starting with is the aforementioned X Japan:
As early as the band's debut Vanishing Vision, they were experimenting with classical elements such as piano and sampling Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" in the intro.
One year and one album later, they've added more than just piano, they brought in an organ (playing Bach's Fugue in G(#) Minor) and a string orchestra, thereby solidifying their symphonic metal approach.
Now we check on two thrash bands that experimented with symphonics, starting with Believer:
This band hired a violinist to compose and recorded a two-minute orchestral intro for this track, and I gotta say, this sounds pretty epic, before leading to their usual tech-thrash.
One year and one album later, they stepped up their orchestral game and brought in not just violin but also a string orchestra, synths, and soprano vocals throughout the first half before the usual tech-thrash in the second half. In a way, you can think of it like Metallica's "One" but with the first half having just the S&M orchestra.
Next up: Celtic Frost
This can be considered having some proto-symphonics in metal with timpani drums and French horn, along with the title inspiring the name of the band Therion who would discard their death metal for their well-known symphonic metal sound over a decade after that Celtic Frost album.
Just like Believer's "Dies Irae", this one is where Celtic Frost has perfected their blend of symphonics with metal, complete with a string orchestra and operatic vocals.
And finally, US power/heavy metallers Savatage:
In an earlier thread, Daniel suggested that Savatage was one of the very first bands to add symphonics to metal as early as 1983, but I'm not entirely convinced. I'm sure the orchestration is from keyboards.
THIS is a better example of Savatage's symphonic side, where piano and background strings really shine. Quite mystical and beautiful, isn't it?
So which one of those tracks above do you think is how the idea of symphonic metal came to be? Discuss!
99% of symphonic bands are only using keyboards Andi. Besides, if you want to identify the first example of a metal band utilizing an orchestra then it goes way back to a time when there was only one metal band on the planet.
You're absolutely right, Daniel! I have been thinking so much about those bands I've mentioned above and I didn't realize that the first ever metal band had also made what can be considered the first ever symphonic metal track, or at least proto-symphonic metal. Black Sabbath's "Spiral Architect" is clearly the winner!
99% of symphonic bands are only using keyboards Andi. Besides, if you want to identify the first example of a metal band utilizing an orchestra then it goes way back to a time when there was only one metal band on the planet.
As a symphonic metal nerd, this whole discussion is very interesting and I wanna look at more of these examples of early symphonic metal, but I think maybe it's a stretch to call this a "symphonic metal" song considering how light the sound is on this track. It pretty much sounds like AOR (Boston, Journey, etc.) with Ozzy vocals, and rym seems to agree that this is more symphonic rock that symphonic metal. It's definitely worth noting, but I personally am going to refrain from calling it the "first symphonic metal song".
Also, symphonic metal isn't really defined by whether a live orchestra or synths are playing the orchestral parts. Nightwish used keys for their early albums and no one would ever doubt that Oceanborn, Wishmaster, or Century Child are symphonic metal albums. It's especially true when looking at symphonic black metal, where the standard for how "symphonic" an album needs to be to warrant that tag is much lower (I'm of the belief that if In The Nightside Eclipse was any other metal subgenre but black metal it would have never been considered symphonic metal). Also, the distinction between synths and live orchestrals is becoming more and more, at least as far as determining genres based on this difference goes, meaningless as synthesized strings/brass/etc. have been becoming more realistic-sounding.
99% of symphonic bands are only using keyboards Andi. Besides, if you want to identify the first example of a metal band utilizing an orchestra then it goes way back to a time when there was only one metal band on the planet.
As a symphonic metal nerd, this whole discussion is very interesting and I wanna look at more of these examples of early symphonic metal, but I think maybe it's a stretch to call this a "symphonic metal" song considering how light the sound is on this track. It pretty much sounds like AOR (Boston, Journey, etc.) with Ozzy vocals, and rym seems to agree that this is more symphonic rock that symphonic metal. It's definitely worth noting, but I personally am going to refrain from calling it the "first symphonic metal song".
Back in the 70s, AOR was on the rise with bands like Boston, Journey, and Queen entering the scene, so it really does make more sense that the light strings used in the track have more in common with AOR in the past than symphonic metal today. I looked up the albums where the tracks I've chosen are from in RYM, and it seems like X Japan's Blue Blood and Savatage's Gutter Ballet are the earliest two albums to have the symphonic metal secondary tag, so by that logic, those two albums really would be the first ones to have genuine symphonic metal in at least one song.
Scarecrow, have you ever listened to Metallica's S&M, their live performance with a real orchestra? Normally, Metallica is in your least-listened-to clan The Pit, but in that live album, most of their songs are from their heavy metal albums, twisted with authentic orchestration. I didn't enjoy it so much, but perhaps you might. Give that one a go!
Wow. Sabbath are AOR!! Let's move this one to the "unpopular metal opinions" thread.
For the record, I agree that "Spiral Architect" isn't a symphonic metal track. In fact, I never suggested that it was a metal track in general but it's certainly the earliest example of a "metal band" utilizing an orchestra. I don't think anyone can argue with that as there's an orchestra there & there still hadn't been another genuine metal band outside of Black Sabbath.
And Andi, please see this track from 1984 for an early example of heavily synthesizer-driven metal:
Andi, please see this track from 1984 for an early example of heavily synthesizer-driven metal:
Hmmm... Yeah I can clearly hear a lot of background synths, but they're in more of an 80s new-wave level than symphonic in my opinion. If we really are checking on early examples of prominent synths in metal, here's another good one, mostly in the "Minuet" intro:
Wow. Sabbath are AOR!! Let's move this one to the "unpopular metal opinions" thread.
I didn't say Sabbath as a whole are or sound like AOR, just that one song. C'mon, you can't tell me you don't hear it, that song is super light compared to their usual fare.
Wow. Sabbath are AOR!! Let's move this one to the "unpopular metal opinions" thread.
I didn't say Sabbath as a whole are or sound like AOR, just that one song. C'mon, you can't tell me you don't hear it, that song is super light compared to their usual fare.
I agree. This might've been a hint for the band's heaviness decreasing in their next 3 albums.