Lappeenranta, Finland

Founded in 1999 by Jyri Vahvanen and Mika Kokkola, Finnish heavy metal ensemble Battlelore blend the epic sounds of power, goth, and death metal with imagery from author J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series. Formed in the city of Lappeenranta, the group, whose members changed about frequently, released two demos (Warrior's Tale and Dark Fantasy) before securing a record deal with Napalm in 2001. The resulting Where the Shadows Lie was released the following year. Sword's Song arrived in 2003, followed by Third Age of the Sun in 2005. Evernight arrived in early 2007. ~ James Christopher Monger