Almanac

Almanac was formed in 2015 by guitarist Victor Smolski following his departure from the long-running German metal band Rage. The project is effectively the spiritual successor to the Lingua Mortis Orchestra, taking that project's symphonic foundations and injecting a significantly higher degree of power metal aggression.

Smolski, a Belarus-born virtuoso, utilizes his background in classical composition to create arrangements where the orchestra and the metal band are on equal footing. The band's hallmark is its multi-vocalist lineup, which has featured prominent genre figures like David Readman and Andy B. Franck, allowing for complex, character-driven lyrical narratives. Critically, they are praised for their technical proficiency and the seamless integration of classical theory into a modern metal context. They occupy a specific niche in the European scene, appealing to fans of neoclassical shred, symphonic grandeur, and traditional power metal speed. Their work often explores historical and mythological themes, delivered with a high-fidelity production style that emphasizes clarity despite the extreme density of the arrangements.