Symphonic metal is associated with synthesizers, orchestral arrangements, choirs, and vocals that may be clean, operatic, or harsh. The genre combines metal instrumentation with compositional ideas drawn from classical music.
Many symphonic metal songs use strings, brass, percussion, and keyboards to create a cinematic sound. Female lead singers are common, although the genre includes male vocalists and mixed vocal approaches. Nightwish, Within Temptation, and Epica are frequently associated with the style.
Symphonic metal is not defined solely by female vocals or keyboards. A band generally qualifies because orchestral texture is central to its sound. Gothic metal and power metal may also use choirs or orchestration, so those elements alone do not determine the genre.