From the devil’s violinist to devil’s horns - why classical and heavy metal are a natural pairing
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 2:39 PM · By Tom Service

With ear-splitting excess, flamboyant virtuosity and a talent for transgression, where classical music has led, metal has followed. Let’s hope the Philharmonia’s Metal Orchestrated concert turns it up to 11 The question is not why, but why has it taken so long? Putting heavy metal and classical together that is, as the Philharmonia are doing next week in their Forged in Sound: Heavy Metal Orchestrated gig, part of the Southbank Centre’s Multitudes festival. There’s more that connects metal and…