For most of you, our newsletter’s readers, this is not a recent piece of news anymore, that we’re in the line-up of the very first Symphonic Metal Festival of Alba Iulia. We appreciate your efforts so far to spread the word among your friends, acquaintances and strategic partners, giving them and us something exciting to look forward to. This is definitely a community’s participation in designing a particular cultural experience for itself and if no one has thanked you yet for the little or the lot you did so far, because you have been working undercover, we will hereby express our gratitude. We are still a long way from accomplishing this project, but we are confident in that each of us does one’s best and, apart from that, we trust the process.
Peace of Art Music School invites all fans of the symphonic metal genre to attend this important event and extraordinary cultural gathering. The program will include live concerts, interactive workshops, art exhibitions and various other cultural activities designed to bring together and foster collaboration between artists, fans and enthusiasts of this beautiful musical genre.
Bands from Germany, Greece, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania, that are able to musically depict the simultaneity of strength and sensitivity, will be performing some shows to remember. We’re excited to meet other bands, to learn together, to share knowledge and skill and to make the experiential wealth of symphonic metal more visible to the wider public, both locally and internationally. Our media partners, Maximum Rock and Classic Rock, have just released the news in Romanian.
The German band, Molllust, is one of the headliners this year. Their journey began in 2011, in Leipzig when they’ve set out to create a series of captivating shows, some of which took place at Wave-Gotik-Treffen and Wacken Open Air.
Anthology is a Slovak band founded in 2008 by composer and guitarist Marian Gonda and former bassist Jan Kicin. It currently consists of five members who will perform for the first time in Romania, combining elements of symphonic and power metal.
Coincidentia Oppositorum, the only Haggard tribute band in Romania—and very likely in the world—will perform some of the most beautiful pieces by the German band, from the albums: Awaking the Centuries, Eppur si Muove, and And Thou Shalt Trust The Seer. You are wholeheartedly invited to Hărman - Brașov this June to an extraordinary concert.
Syn Ze Șase Tri are known for a "brutal, atmospheric, majestic, powerful, and bloody" style, with influences of extreme metal and Transylvanian folk. Their songs are based on Romanian myths and historical fragments, a storytelling language sprinkled with philosophical and mystical reflections.
Symfobia, a Slovak band founded in 2015, will take the stage at Symphonic Metal Echoes on Sunday, August 25. They tackle themes of fantasy, practical wisdom, existentialism, and life experiences through the prism of human diversity. Their songs are melodic, memorable, and an excellent stimulus for philosophical discussions and reflections.
Meteora is a symphonic metal band from Hungary, active since 2010. They will take us through the numerous shades of the world with the help of metal vibes and gothic, baroque, classical, and oriental influences. One of their well-known songs is "Slave of Creation" from 2021, a testament to how humanity limits itself through various ideas and ideological constructs.
Magica, one of the oldest symphonic metal bands in Romania, was founded in 2002 by guitarist Bogdan Costea from a gothic metal band called Interitus Dei. Magica has since produced six power, gothic, and symphonic metal albums: Center of the Great Unknown, Dark Diary, Wolves and Witches, Hereafter, Lightseeker, and The Scroll of Stone.
From Sofia, Bulgaria, we will be honoured by the presence of Bendida, who will open the festival on Saturday, August 24. Their songs illustrate myths and fantastic stories from traditional Bulgarian folklore. The band was founded in 2008 by Vinnie Atanasov and consists of eight talented and experienced musicians. They have performed with Sirenia, Apocalyptica, and Nightwish. Their musical passages will take us through imaginary lands populated by gods, kings, princesses, enchanted forests, mythical creatures, and legendary figures.
Era Divina is a symphonic metal band from Romania, born out of a passion for knowledge, adventure, and freedom. Their artistic creation creatively and harmoniously combines elements of authentic Romanian folklore, progressive, folk, and heavy metal, giving birth to a unique musical and spiritual journey.
These nine bands have enthusiastically responded to the organisers' invitation, fully embracing the idea of a festival dedicated exclusively to symphonic metal.
The Greek-origin word "symphonia" (συμφωνία) perfectly captures the essence of the Symphonic Metal Echoes festival: elegant, enchanting and sublime symphonic orchestrations and angelic soprano voices will be echoing through the intensity of the daring tones of metal core, in a harmonious celebration of Music — a relationship of peace and unity. We have been enjoying this uplifting spirit for some years now since we formed as a band and we’re now enthusiastically joining this ambitious project.
Symphonic metal music has this impressive capacity to create a captivating atmosphere and we look forward to enjoying it together with all of you. We are grateful for the kind support of everyone attending and everyone involved in the set-up. Together, we can create an unforgettable atmosphere in the Alba Carolina Fortress, at the Ryma Spaces in Alba Iulia.
The organising Team Symphonic Metal Echoes Fest gratefully appreciates your presence and your involvement, in any of the ways you resonate with:
🎵 Spread the music! Listen to this year’s playlist on Spotify to get acquainted with the music, learn some lyrics, share a thought with your friends, try some riffs with your own guitar, let the music speak up through your own talents and joys.
🎵 Donate and help collect donations! Crowdfunding is an important source of support for a festival in its beginnings, so that it may grow steadily for years to come and turn into a local tradition. Go to the donations page and copy the link, invite others to contribute or do it yourself, if you can. Donors will have priority access.
🎵 Contact potential sponsors! This is an opportunity for a variety of companies to manifest social responsibility by directing some of their due taxes towards supporting an important gathering of local and international musicians with fans and music enthusiasts. Sponsors benefits and vision on the expressive powers of symphonic metal will be discussed with our Fest Manager Cristina Alba, President of the SMM Association and manager of Peace of Art Music School. She will provide you with all the further information required to establish a fruitful partnership.
🎵 Write about your experience! We now welcome your thoughts and reflections, suggestions and feedback in the form of essays and event reviews which you can post on your blog, your social media pages, your local newspapers, as well as send them to coincidentia.oppositorum.band@gmail.com for our consideration. Do you feel ready to write creatively and inspirationally about your experience of symphonic metal? Can you demonstrate both passion and talent in this area of artistic expression? Writing is such an important exercise for psychological well-being, philosophical reflection, self-reflection and the developing of an increasingly robust capacity to think.
🎵 Upgrade your subscription to this newsletter! If you enjoy getting our emails and our writing is relevant to you in any way, perhaps you can consider becoming a paying subscriber — here’s a link to a reduced fee for yearly group subscriptions. And we extend our gratitude to those of you who are already on our paying subscribers list for more than a year now🤘 You fuel our metal engines!