1991年組成，來自於德國慕尼黑的Haggard，其在音樂內大量融合中世紀(Medieval)、民謠(Folk)、古典(Classical)、歌德(Gothic)、毀滅(Doom)、死亡(Death)和鞭笞(Thrash)等多種元素形成的獨特風格，順利得到各個不同層級聽眾、樂評與媒體的大力讚揚，轟動了當時整個歐洲金屬樂壇！
創團初期Haggard只是支純粹以Death Metal來表現的樂隊，但在靈魂人物Asis Nasseri大膽構思下，陸續加入了小提琴、大提琴、鋼琴與女高音等古典樂科班成員，再算上本身自有的鼓、貝斯、吉他和主唱位置，樂團總編制最多高達近20人之多，至今仍未有任何其他樂團能夠突破此紀錄！音樂方面，金屬與古典相互擦出的音樂火花讓Haggard在1997年發表的首張專輯「And Thou Shalt Trust ... The Seer」名符其實成為交響金屬跨界的究極示範大碟；而後相繼推出的「Awakening The Centuries(2000)」與「Eppur Si Muove(2004)」兩張作品中，樂團更加鑽研古典編曲鋪陳上的優美與交響的磅礡，猶如一場場栩栩如生的電影畫面呈現在眼前。
自從2007年起，網路上就不斷流傳著Haggard將會有新作誕生的訊息，果真不負眾望，今年Haggard終於帶來睽違許久的第四張全新專輯「Tales of Ithiria」回歸樂壇！這次更打破過往皆由詮釋歷史作為主題的習慣，改以Asis Nasseri所構思的中古世紀故事為創作，並用運五段口述分別來引出六篇蕩氣迴腸的史詩樂章；"Tales Of Ithiria"、"Upon Fallen Autumn Leaves"營造力與美的絕佳景象；演奏曲"In Des Konigs Hallen"為正統古典樂句，與純美聲"Hijo De La Luna"共同散發出濃郁文學氣質；"The Hidden Sign"內含大量死亡金屬成份，殘暴又悲愴之景象令聽過的人始終久久無法忘懷。

HAGGARD have been a big band for a while, who else can say to have a line-up with 17 musicians? And if that was not enough yet, master mind Asis Nasseri has invited ten more guest musicians into the studio and “Eppur Si Muove” also musically has turned out to be a big album, a damn big one even!



When you compare their 1994 MCD “Progressive“ with “Eppur Si Muove“, then the Munich based band has come a long way, a very long way, starting out as Progressive Death Metal, but now the only band that I could compare HAGGARD’s evolution with would be THERION, even though you cannot compare their sounds, still they have walked a comparable path.



“Eppur Si Muove“, Latin for “and it does move“, is based on the life of Galileo Galilei, after so far paying tribute to Nostradamus they have chosen the Italian philosopher and mathematician as topic, who had found out that Earth revolved around the sun and not the other way around, as the Catholic church said. As he was adamant about his standpoint, Galilei was tried for heresy and in the end executed. Allegedly this, “eppur si muove”, had been his last words…



Now there is a lot of bands, which incorporate medieval and classical instruments into their sound, but only very rarely they play such an important role as with HAGGARD, because just as rarely we get such a homogenous sound as with this, ehm, seventeen-tet? But seriously, befitting the epoch of Galileo, we also get a whole bunch of baroque influences and melodies, which homogenously are amalgamated with the electric guitars and Metal.



And so I reach my big problem with “Eppur Si Muove“: Every song is a class of its own, so which one should I point out? To mention them all most probably is the only chance for me. “All'Inizio È La Morte” covers all possible bases, starting out with a big choir and a lot of classical instruments, followed by acoustic guitars and rough, yet clear German vocals, before a violin together with opera vocalisation follows. Then the song sets out with symphonic Metal, big choir and some growls, the choir partly in Latin, the growls partly in English, then a very calm passage, which they build on again, clean vocals and growls, incredible!



And after the short, classical interlude “Menuetto In Fa-Minore“ we have a right-out classic with “Per Aspera Ad Astra”. Rarely I have heard classical music and heavy Metal combined this well, with incredibly variable vocals, choir, female and male solo voices, growls, plus a tremendously dynamic and variable song structure, the tension within the song is just breath taking! “Of A Might Divine”… Covering everything from very quiet to furious, including a baroque interlude, huge choirs and all, ouf, I think I have fallen for this album!



Then we have the Swedish traditional song “Herr Mannelig“, some of you might still know it from IN EXTREMO. It starts out with dark keyboards, kettledrums and soprano, incredibly intense, before the song is transported into Metal, with really heavy guitars and drums, great! On we go, “The Observer”, introduced by violin and cembalo, is more rooted in Death Metal, as the sluggish and very heavy song really steps on the pedal in the middle and from all the classical instruments the violin is put into the foreground, before the title track gives me the rest. Dramatically starting with string instruments, we have a very, very dynamic composition here, very variable, with HAGGARD firing on all creative cylinders, another true masterpiece!



The shorter version of “Herr Mannelig“ in my opinion is superfluous, but does not take away anything from this huge album, as we also get an almost fitting sound, where only the guitars at times lack a bit of power and the drums sound a bit too triggered, but overall all the instruments have their room to unfold and even though the album is gripping right away from the start, there are enough details hidden in the sound, which only surface after several listening sessions.

Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk, England in 1991. The band's musical style evolved originally from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic metal and other metal genres.

Asian exclusive release of 2003 debut album for goth-metal act featuring ex-After Forever guitarist Mark Jansen. Includes the bonus track 'Triumph Of Defeat'. Seoul Record.

◎荷蘭最具代表性的首席Gothic/SymphonicPower Metal完美女神2009代表傑作
◎導入充滿歌頌讚揚意味的史詩旋律，交織融合襯托出純淨無瑕的磅礡氣勢
◎此版本超值加收一曲" Incentive"
近年來女性主唱在歐洲樂壇上向來扮演不可惑缺的重要角色，尤其孕育出眾多金屬女傑的荷蘭更是世人所嚮往的夢幻聖地；當家一姐 Withiin Temptation，歌藝出類拔箤的後生晚輩Autumn和Delain全都是不容小覷的實力派勁旅，她們身處地靈人傑環境下勢力範圍不斷成長壯大，其競爭激烈程度已逐漸進入白熱化狀態，也替未來詭譎多端的金屬后冠爭奪戰添加不少可看性！
成軍於 2002 年，擁有堅強演奏陣容及受到廣大樂迷熱烈喜愛的Epica可說是荷蘭歌德交響金屬最具代表性的完美女神，初期由前After Forever吉它手Mark Jansen以Sahara Dust團名創立，包括吉它手Ad Sluijter、貝斯Yves Huts、鍵盤手Coen及鼓手Jeroen都接受號召入團，並找來了當時默默無名、卻頗具女高音潛質的女主唱Simone Simons坐鎮督軍；渾身散發出美豔氣息的天臉臉龐，有著令人稱羨之魔鬼身材的Simons首次出道亮相時倍受各界矚目，美侖美幻的歌劇式唱腔一開口更是讓眾人忍不住嘖嘖稱奇；2003年樂團正式重新命名為Epica（劇稱靈感來源取自於美國力量交響勁旅Kamelot當年同名專輯）；而且請來了曾為多組知名力量金屬樂團進行曲目錄製的天才吉它大師Sascha Paeth打造首張大碟「The Phantom Agony」，一推出便獲得眾樂評們的極度青睞並推崇叫好，也奠定了日後在樂壇上的不敗地位；兩年後的第二張經典佳作「Consign To Oblivion」再創生涯高峰，同時Kamelot主唱Roy Khan與Simons在歌曲"Trois Vierges"、"Blücher"、"The Hunting"柔情深遂的合作表現演變成後人廣為流傳的經典佳話，以及連續三年在北美巡迴演出成功引爆了空前迴響，樂團名氣日漸水漲船高，然而鼓手和吉它手因種種個人因素亦然離團，位缺分別由來自God Dethroned的Ari?n和Isaac入主頂替，此時俱備完美組合的團隊陣容大致已成定局！
歷經數波團員單飛的人事紛擾， Epica於2009年與德國金屬大廠Nuclear Blast 聯手推出第五張全新專輯「Design Your Universe」，向眾人宣誓身為荷蘭首席歌德美姬的實力不容許被質疑挑戰；首部曲"Samadhi"率先導入了充滿歌頌讚揚意味的史詩旋律，連貫著"Resign To Surrender"產生奇妙無比的交織融合襯托出純淨無瑕的磅礡氣勢，強力主打勁曲"Unleashed"喚醒深困內心已久的悲憐靈魂；秉持濃厚悠揚風味的歌劇女伶美聲圍迴繞在腦海裡令人不禁倍感淒美陰柔，相信是所有歌德樂迷今年底絕對不可錯過的完美盛宴！

Epica's mythical, orchestral mix of classical music, majestic choirs, gothic metal and traditional heavy metal could easily be the soundtrack to an epic fantasy. As if their engaging music weren't enough, the dynamic and operatic voice of the ravishingly beautiful Simone Simons leaves everyone breathless and enchanted. Requiem for the Indifferent, their sixth studio album, showcases the versatile songwriting talents of guitarist Mark Jansen. Nine years after their debut onto the global metal stage, Epica sound intensive and unique once again. Tackling the timely concept of the importance of human connection at this time of global crisis, Epica have woven an intricate and beautiful tapestry of hard truths.

Epica乐队最初的名字叫做Sahara Dust，它是由Mark Jansen组建的。 Mark Jansen是原After Forever乐队的吉他手，2002年他离开了那支乐队。Mark Jansen和他的同伴们对其他的文化很感兴趣，乐队多样的声音说明了这一点。乐队还在和一支古典乐团合作。
Epica是一支喜欢使用对比手法的乐队。坚实的吉他与完美的圣歌弦乐对照，Simone Simons神圣的歌声与Mark Jansen痛苦的咕哝声对照。他们的音乐特点表现为精彩无暇的女高音与富丽宏伟的古典交响结合的哥特金属。
以吉他手Mark Jansen为创作中心，Epica的成员尚有键盘手Coen Jansen，来自Cassiopeia的吉他手 Ad Sluijter与鼓手Jeroen Simons，以及来自Axamenta的贝斯手Yves Huts，此外尚有最重要的美声女主唱 (Soprano) Simone Simons在籍，其飘邈且优美的音质不下於After Forever的Floor Jansen。
虽说Epica的乐风是由原After Forever的团长Mark Jansen所创作，音乐风格难免出自同一路，然而Mark却以更为自由奔放的编曲及演奏模式来诠释Epica，如阿拉伯民族风满溢的 "Seif Al Din"，以及将拉丁和阿拉伯风味融入的标题曲 "The Phantom Agony"，都在在显示出Epica的独特与不凡，而在乐器及人声的部分更是用心，用大量的交响配乐 (orchestrations) 和唱诗班 (choirs)，适时加入的黑死唱腔更令整张作品添加不少戏剧张力 .

The band recorded Death Cult Armageddon with a full-blown orchestra, this time with a forty-eight piece orchestra from Prague. Returning with manic axe-man Galder (founder/mastermind of Old Man's Child) and arguably metal's finest skinsman, Nick Barker (Cradle Of Filth, Old Man's Child), both of whom joined the band on Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia, Dimmu Borgir continue on the path with their all-star line-up towards domination! Nuclear Blast. 2003.