If you’re curious about opera+metal, you will love this…
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Written by: Raghav Bikhchandani, Editorial Manager
The best surprise of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony was the French aptly mocking an infamous period of their history—and inadvertently upsetting the religious right wing crowd. Metal band Gojira teamed up with opera singer Marina Viotti to deliver a crazy reimagining of French Revolution-era rallying cry ‘‘Ah! Ça Ira’ (‘It’ll Be Fine’)’—introduced by a headless Marie Antoinette and performed out of the Conciergerie—the prison where Marie Antoinette was held before her execution. In case you missed this performance, you can relive it here or check out the official single version below.
Gojira’s Spotify numbers soared, expanding their audience way beyond the usual metalheads. Ok so you loved ‘Ah! Ça Ira’, what’s next? Happily, heavy music, classical music and opera have a long history of collaboration—and I have just the playlist for you…
Les Mouches by Soulmaker: Before she made her name in opera, Marina Viotti fronted a metal band of her own—performing lead vocals for their 2007 EP ‘Obsessions’ and their 2010 full-length album ‘Discordances’. In many ways, Soulmaker reflects late 2000s trends—no-frills riffs and speedy beats that marked the resurgence of splintered subgenres once nu metal and rap metal were no longer in vogue. What truly elevates the band’s work is Viotti herself—her range and versatility are so evident from this early stage of her career. The entire ‘Discordances’ album is a fun time capsule to explore, but I prefer the tracks sung in French, particularly 'Les Mouches”.
Hold On by Gojira: These four Frenchmen have put out seven albums that traverse subgenres and fly in the face of “metal elitists”. The secret to their success: seamlessly blending complex guitarwork and intricate drum patterns with simpler melodies and openly political lyrics. Thanks to frontman Joe Duplantier’s stellar harmonising, ‘Hold On’ is a powerful example—effortlessly blending opera theatrics with metal. Side note: ‘Fortitude’ came out amid the brutal Covid-19 second wave and was the most cathartic form of musical therapy for me that year.
Agony of Defeat by Sepultura: At the time of its release in 2021, Gojira’s ‘Fortitude’ album invited widespread comparisons to this stalwart Brazilian band, best known for their own politics-infused music. But this is one of their more personal tracks off their album ‘Quadra’—released in 2020. Note the layered detailing provided by the orchestral strings and the choir as lead singer Derrick Green grapples with self-doubt in ‘Agony of Defeat’. When taken all together, it makes for an emotionally heavy yet unforgettable cocktail of progressive metal.
Caravan by Rush: The Canadian trio’s heyday was in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, but they saved some of their best and heaviest work for last—with the release of ‘Clockwork Angels’ in 2012. For much of their history, they were a rock band but took a giant step into symphonic metal territory with this record, particularly in the opening track ‘Caravan’. The added oomph from the downtuned guitars perfectly matches Geddy Lee’s iconic voice, and the strings add extra colour to the rhythm section. What a way to announce your retirement.
Cry of Achilles by Alter Bridge: In 2004, three members of Creed upgraded their lead singer by replacing Scott Stapp with Myles Kennedy–a younger version of Geddy Lee. The rest is history. They’ve been on a steady trajectory, but their best work came in 2013 with ‘Fortress’—as they walked the fine line between symphony, melody and metal. This is most apparent in the album opener ‘Cry of Achilles’. With Kennedy’s range and songwriter Mark Tremonti’s arranging, you can see why they’re consistently voted among the greatest guitar duos.
Stuck by Leprous: There are very few male vocalists who can hit the kind of notes like this Norwegian act’s frontman Einar Solberg. Like many others on this list, Leprous specialise in mocking the pigeonholing that permeates metal fan culture. While their more recent releases feature operatic and symphonic elements that would fit right in on a James Bond soundtrack, ‘Stuck’ off their 2017 record ‘Malina’ is the most appropriate for this list. Marvel as Solberg’s falsettos enhance the spacey vibe created by the instrumental.
Beauty and the Beast by Nightwish: Say hello to the OGs, the pioneers of opera metal, with a Finnish lot that has dabbled in the genre for nearly 30 years. This is a rewind to their 1997 debut album ‘Angels Fall First’ and a track titled ‘Beauty and the Beast’. As the name suggests, there’s an unmissable fairy tale vibe to this arrangement particularly in the intro. But once the instruments and Tarja Turunen’s era-defining vocals really kick in, you get a sense of why their sound was groundbreaking at the time.
Gaia by Epica: Have no fear, the heavy hitters are here! Hailing from the Netherlands, Epica have 21 years and eight records’ worth of original material to sink your teeth into. My selection, however, is fairly recent—’Gaia’ off of their 2021 ‘Omega’ release. This band specialises in the vocal dynamics between Simone Simons’ operatic style and Mark Jensen’s low register growls, that accompany elaborate compositions played at breakneck speed. ‘Gaia’ offers all these in spades.
Sumeria by Devin Townsend Project feat. Joe Duplantier & Paul Masvidal: Now we get into the more experimental and straight up weird. In 2011, Devin Townsend came out with the album ‘Deconstruction’—a semi-serious sendup of his many musical influences. The technical proficiency on show, the runtime and the occasional self-indulgence can make it an overwhelming listen—except for ‘Sumeria’. This track is a triumph of organised chaos. From the speedy strings to the choir chorus, all the moving parts somehow just work perfectly together—especially the moment when the song transitions from the aggressive Duplantier to the calm Masvidal.
Bron by Saor: And now for something completely out of left field. We head up to the Scottish highlands to check out the symphonic folk black metal project Saor. It’s effectively a solo project by one Andy Marshall, who has managed to find common ground between the whimsy of Gaelic folk traditions with the brutality of black metal. Add some soothing guest vocals from Sophie Rogers for good measure and you get ‘Bron’—this delightful concoction from Saor’s 2019 release ‘Forgotten Paths’.
Equus by Ne Obliviscaris: So you’ve made it this far? Welcome to the final boss, the last level, of your intro to the wild, weird and wonderful world in which opera, symphony and metal meld together to create magic. The work of this six-member outfit—much like Epica—relies on the contrasts between singing and screaming. Ne Obliviscaris’ signature sound is in those guitars, drums and strings—as they put together sonically rich epics exceeding 10 minutes each, without overstaying their welcome. ‘Equus’ comes with a striking music video on the devastating Australian bushfires of 2022. This is truly an “earthen canvas”.
PS: As always, we’ve put all the music referenced in a YouTube playlist for you to enjoy.
