Talk:Symphonic metal/Archives/2011/September

Kamelot
I've noticed that female vocalists have been emphasized as a defining factor for what makes some bands symphonic metal. I know there are a lot of symphonic metal bands that have male vocalists, but most of those bands still have a female vocalist as well. Kamelot, however, does not have a female vocalist in their group. They have had guest female vocalists, but none have become full members of the band. They are listed as symphonic power metal on their page and I think it is worth mentioning them on this page due to the fact that they are one of the few symphonic metal bands that do not have a female vocalist. --Jtbunting1 (talk) 22:04, 22 September 2011 (UTC)

Defining Elements
I'd also like to address the issue of what define's symphonic metal as a genre. It's arguably not a genre, but an adjective to describe other genres of metal. But the way it's described in the "Musical Characteristics" section seems wrong. "Keyboards are normally the focal point of the music." I've read a lot of reviews on symphonic metal music, listened to a lot of symphonic metal, and tried to find official definitions of what makes symphonic metal what it is. Nothing I've found points to keyboards being the focal point. Bands like Nightwish do put a lot of emphasis on their keyboardist, but the majority of symphonic metal bands don't. "Having symphonic and orchestral parts being heavily emphasized," would be more accurate, but finding a source that agrees with this would be difficult. There aren't any official sites (that I've found) that discuss the legitimacy of the classification of metal bands. There aren't clear defining features for symphonic metal like there are for jazz and bluegrass. Some bands (Ex. Recent Nightwish) feature full orchestral arragements in their music, while other groups (Ex. Theatre of Tragedy) will feature specific instruments from symphonies such as cellos or violins instead of full symphonic arrangements. Each band has their own specific style, but each one draws from similar roots and influences. "The use of classical instruments, such as violins and cellos, are often emphasized in symphonic metal," would be a better way to describe the musical characteristics of symphonic metal.--Jtbunting1 (talk) 21:44, 27 September 2011 (UTC)