I'm not keen at all on metal, but some folks that i know suggest the names Opeth (already mentioned), Rammstein, Slayer, Satryicon, and Kyuss.

My band pyramid is currently working on music (well actually it is just me as of now)

The music I am trying to make as of now is very different. It draws from middle eastern influences and even blues at times.

I am also composing music to go along with it. When I say it is orchestrated metal, I don't want to give you all the impression that it is like Metallica's S&M or Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

I want it to be more of a symphony of sorts. Basically it is as if Grieg owned an electric guitar. But it is a project I am working on.

It will take some time. As I am doing it I am still studying music. But I want it to be symphonic rather than some metal concert. It has violin parts many cello parts. Even Didgeridoo parts. I have the music in my head. The problem as of now is getting it on paper. I never got really good at reading music so I am working hard on it.

I hope symphony + Metal doesn't translate into some of those countless cheesy power metal bands . I think therion did this sort of thing perfectly for me, but they are the only ones I liked. Tried couple of others and they never really appealed (Haggard or Epica comes to mind - Ewww). Not that I have anything against your project - good luck with it!

Well I have to agree with you. This power metal DragonForce garbage is ruining metal. I am afraid to call what I am doing symphonic because of bands like DragonForce. I am really going for something new. Explaining it will only confuse people because I can't explain it. I will say that anyone can enjoy it.

Well, power metal isn't all that bad, we still got great bands that started out i the 80s like Blind guardian that can handle the cheese with some class ("Somewhere far beyond" is epic and didn't need any synths and effects), in fact their "A night at the opera" album is one of the few bombastic metal projects I can handle, and as The cosmos said, Therion do it very well too (after all, they are leaders, not followers), maybe the only band of it's kind that knows when enough is enough, other than that and classics like Malmsteen and TSO, yes modern power metal like dragonforce and all the bombastic metal stuff is just too unintenionally funny for me, and a bad representation of metal as a whole to the world (like glam metal was in the 80's, people still associate the word metal with those guys, I guess it's better than tight pants and ninja mosh pits, or about the same) one band that did it fairly well recently was Septic flesh with "Communion".

So, Salieri, I hope you succeed, we need some fresh air after getting out of the fondue pot and take this form of metal to a new direction. Anyway, sounds ambitious, my guess is that it may be something like Ayreon or Diablo swing orchestra, maybe Devin Townsend projects. I also like the idea of having metal in a calmer stage, I love metal and I understand mosh pits and such, but sometimes I wish I could just see great bands playing great music and actually hearing it rather than being alert about who's gonna push me inside the pit, heh, but I guess it's also part of the community feel (I am also glad to hear that anyone can enjoy it for that reason).

Does your band have a myspace or some MP3 files anywhere? that is if you have recorded anything.

Well nothing new. All of the recordings I did on my myspace page are from 06-07. But here is the site
http://www.myspace.com/666pyramid

Hey, I think these songs are actually very impressive, specially "Separated", I like the start and the transition to the heavier part, it's not a new technique of course but it's done really well here, it has some interesting stuff at 1:08. You sound a bit like Nile in their first recordings, or a more groove or sludge metal oriented version (I see you have Corrosion of conformity and Crowbar as influences, awesome, they are both depressingly epic), and that's a compliment, sorry if you find comparisons offensive tough. Deep space has an interesting transition at the end without the background sounds.

Thanks so much. I still have songs I am working on but every time I try to record I have problems so I am going to do it when I have a good place to work.

Great! I sent you a friend invite at myspace so I can check if you make updates, I feel kinda weird saying that for some reason, my name there is "el hombre de los parches".

A few bands that haven't been mentioned are Electric Wizard, Sleep, the Melvins, Boris and Earthless. Although Earthless is more a psychadelic heavy blues rock band, they have like 40-50 minute long tunes which are mainly instrumental.

I am so glad to find others who like Electric Wizard. All of the Sludge and Stoner bands are awesome. Crowbar, Kyuss, Saint Vitus, Corrosion Of Conformity, EHG, Down, and the Melvins are just great musicians.

I really like the drone of songs like Funeralopolis from Electric Wizard or even Sweet Leaf from Black Sabbath. Some people would hate the repetition of the music, but I think it is what makes it so great.

Funeralopolis is excellent, great bass intro and driving riff. In fact the whole of Dopethrone and Come my Fanatics are great.

Kyuss are probably the best in the genre (excluding Sabbath), especially Welcome to Sky Valley, but respect to Sleep for putting out an hour long track and album called Dopesmoker.

The best thing about the Stoner bands is that they all sound quite similar so if you like one, chances are you'll like most of the others. A standard stoner/sludge song will contain a handful of heavy riffs at most, a trippy minor pentatonic guitar solo and maybe a breakdown/mind bending bridge. Most people would think this would be weakness of the genre but I see it as a strength,similar to the blues. Just like the blues only really uses the tonic, subdominant and dominant chords, stoner bands have to limit themselves to stay within the genre confines, but these limits actually force the bands try more interesting stuff, in my opinion.

By the way, what do people think of the Sword. I have friend who is trying to get me into them, but what I have heard has been hit or miss.

I am still trying them out. I have been told to listen to them so I will try them out.

Definitely check out Lacrimosa. They're a symphonic "gothic/metal" due (actually one guy who does the bulk of the writing, and then a female vocalist who performs on some songs).

A warning though: Expect gothic imagery bordering on the goofy side. Also, expect a (clean) thick German voice.

The CD's Elodia and Echos were their peak, followed by Fassade and Lichtgestalt. The older stuff before that is less symphonic/more gothic. Anyway, here are some tracks from the first two disks mentioned:



alleine zu zweit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lv159yhpAw



halt mich:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz1lhsaSSBI



Sanctus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtzWrFtXh0w&feature=fvw



Sacrifice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLmrLooMjlY


Ich verlasse heut` Dein Herz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M2p8u2CdaM


Am Ende der stille:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0dDZE8fuoM

Haha,it's funny to find some relatives on the Internet...Well,I don't know that much about metal,but I have got a very good piece for you."The Dawn".Did you ever heard it?It's performed by a band called dreamtale.I love it to death.