Introducing: Emanuel Arzumanyan

Belgian solo artist Emanuel Arzumanyan has crafted a thrilling metal sound that harnesses progressive, symphonic and cinematic elements and he describes as “epic, intricate and cinematic.”

Emanuel is an Armenian-born musician residing in Antwerp. His musical journey began with classical piano training, but he quickly found himself drawn to the intensity and complexity of metal. “I was fascinated by both orchestral compositions and the raw power of heavy music, which led me to experiment with combining these elements,” he told us.

“Over the years, I explored various styles, from progressive and symphonic metal to death metal, always pushing myself to blend technicality with deep, cinematic atmospheres. Composing became my way of storytelling, allowing me to bring history, mythology, and philosophical themes to life through music. This passion ultimately led to my solo project, where I have the freedom to craft intricate and immersive soundscapes.”

And on what to expect from his music, Emanuel explained: “My music is a fusion of symphonic, progressive, and death metal, where grand orchestral arrangements collide with aggressive metal instrumentation. I aim to create cinematic soundscapes that immerse the listener in historical and mythological narratives, with compositions that range from intricate and technical to emotionally sweeping.”

To get a taste of this, Emanuel sent us Sleeping Giant from his epic four-track EP Lamentation of Lost Civilizations, which was released in December. The track was written about the sudden eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which wiped out the town of Pompeii in 79 AD. It opens up with choral vocals over grand instrumentals, horns jump in over skittish strings before exploding into heavy guitars with support from horns and strings.

A fun driving guitar solo takes over and feeds into heavy vocals with busy instrumental support. Clean vocals come in through an engaging chorus “Built from deceit, Sinners rinse and repeat tales of majesty, From the minds of the blind, Ignorant to their downfall, Blissfully unaware.”

A second chorus gives way to a stunning guitar solo that lasts for not long off one minute, and drops into the engaging vocals “Little did they know that the mountain would blow up and spew fire, Inescapable demise, Little too late, their fate had already been chosen, The lava did flow and molten ashes did rain, Putting an end to their pain, A city ablaze, marking the end of their days, In history now they stay.” The gruff throaty vocals return with the haunting lines “A tomb to the fallen, souls engulfed by the nothingness, Corpses frozen in place, fossilised in their dying state, Death is peace to some, in hell’s fire your kingdom was undone, Look back at the day, The tragic end that fell upon Pompeii.” And the pace drops as the track comes to a calm ending.

On the track, Emanuel told us: “The track is inspired by the destruction of Pompeii, capturing the sudden, catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the fate of the city’s inhabitants. It’s a song about power-both of nature and of human fragility in the face of unstoppable forces.

“The reception has been incredible. Listeners have praised the song’s dynamic structure, the emotional weight of the orchestration, and the way it balances brutality with melody. If you haven’t heard Sleeping Giant yet, expect a symphonic and progressive death metal journey featuring intense riffs, soaring orchestral layers, and powerful drumming. The drums play a crucial role in the storytelling, shifting from explosive blast beats to rhythmic grooves that drive the song’s dramatic tension. Every instrumental element-guitars, bass, orchestration, and percussion-works together to paint a vivid picture of Pompeii’s tragic end.”

As the name suggests, Lamentation of Lost Civilizations is a concept EP that explores the fates of legendary cities. Alongside Pompeii, Ravenous Sea focuses on the legend and downfall of Atlantis, Atlantis of The Sands is about the buried city of Iram of The Pillars, and the nine-and-a-half-minutes of Destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah captures the biblical tale of destruction. It also includes a number of contributing artists, including guitarist Carlos Damiano, bassist Richard Gray, heavy vocalist Christopher Bone, clean vocalist Mauro Elias, keyboard and orchesta elements by Francesco Antonelli, drummer Chris Bohm, mix/master Federico Maraucci, and audio production by Sonic Vision.

The results are absolutely epic, including the dramatic opening to Ravenous Sea, which grows into a powerful chorus that you can check out in the video below. While Atlantis of the Sands starts a little more slowly but builds into a monster track with vicious vocals and punishing guitars, ending with a huge guitar solo. Then there’s the epic closing track Destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah, which begins with heavy guitars and triumphant trumpets. Stabbing guitars take over and flow into an engaging opening verse, which gives way to vicious harsh vocals that set up an epic, powerful chorus. In typical fashion, the track closes out with a massive guitar solo supported by driving drums, distant synths, diving guitars and choral vocals to bring the EP to a dramatic conclusion.

It should come as no surprise that Emanuel’s music draws from a wide range of influences, including metal bands like Opeth, Dream Theater, Nightwish, Epica, Wintersun, Fleshgod Apocalypse and Septicflesh. He also takes huge inspiration from classical music, especially J.S. Bach’s use of counterpoint and harmony, and the drama and emotion of composers like Hans Zimmer and Rachmaninoff.

And on what inspires him to write music, Emanuel explains: “I’m deeply inspired by history, mythology, and ancient civilizations. My EP is a concept work that explores legendary lost cities and their fates. I love translating these ancient stories into music, making them feel vivid and emotionally powerful.”

There’s plenty more to come from Emanuel, who’ll soon be releasing a new single, Whispers of Lost Babylon, which explores the mysteries of the ancient city in Mesopotamia. The track is currently in produiction and will be recorded soon. He’s also preparing for the revival of his band Synteresis, with whom he’s working on an ambitious symphonic progressive death metal album, Seven Deadly Sins, which blends orchestration and extreme metal and he projects will take two to three years to complete – which sounds great to us!

Emanuel added: “My music is meant to be an experience – whether you’re drawn to the historical themes, the symphonic depth, or the progressive complexity, there’s something in it for every listener who enjoys immersive metal. I’m excited for what’s ahead, and I hope people will join me on this journey as I continue to release new music and bring these epic stories to life!”

You can follow Emanuel Arzumanyan on Instagram, and check out his music on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and YouTube.