Metalwings

Lore & Background

Metalwings was founded in Autumn 2010 by Stela Atanasova, who aimed to merge classical music with melodic metal. The initial lineup included guitarist and male singer Velislav Uzunov, drummer Emilian Arsov, bassist Konstantin Uzunov, and keyboardist Angel Kitanov. The band experienced several lineup changes: in December 2013, Boyan Boyadjiev replaced Velislav Uzunov, taking over male vocals; in December 2014, Grigor Kostadinov replaced Boyadjiev; in November 2015, Krastyo Jordanov joined as second guitarist; after the 2016 EP release, Nikola Ivanov replaced Arsov on drums; in March 2018, Milen Mavrov replaced Konstantin Uzunov on bass; and in 2019, Vlad Enev joined as bassist.

The band released their first music video for 'Crying of the Sun' in early 2015, which became a major success. Their debut EP 'Fallen Angel in Hell' came out in 2016, followed by the album 'For All Beyond' in 2019. In late 2020, they released the single 'Monster in the Mirror,' mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, as the first single from their upcoming album 'A Whole New Land.' The band performed at numerous festivals and toured with Imperial Age in 2019.

Reader's Guide

Metalwings represents a notable example of symphonic gothic metal emerging from Bulgaria, demonstrating that the country can produce music appreciated by millions worldwide. Their breakthrough came with the music video for 'Crying of the Sun,' which garnered over 40 million YouTube views, highlighting the global reach of their operatic metal style. The band's frequent lineup changes, particularly among guitarists and male vocalists, reflect the challenges of maintaining a stable ensemble in the niche genre. Their discography includes one EP and two studio albums, with the second album 'A Whole New Land' anticipated in spring 2021. Metalwings' significance lies in their ability to blend classical elements with metal, earning them a place in the broader symphonic metal scene and international recognition through online platforms.

Formation & Musical Vision

Metalwings traces its origins to autumn 2010 in Sofia, Bulgaria, when classically trained vocalist Stela Atanasova set out to fuse the grandeur of classical music with the melodic intensity of heavy metal. Her vision crystallized into a distinctive sound—symphonic gothic metal anchored by female operatic vocals—that would define the project's identity from day one. The core ensemble quickly took shape: guitarist and male vocalist Velislav Uzunov, drummer Emilian Arsov, bassist Konstantin Uzunov, and keyboardist Angel Kitanov all joined in the band's earliest days. Stela herself continues to perform lead vocals alongside electric viola, keyboards, and piano, while Angel Kitanov has remained on keyboards since the very beginning. This founding philosophy of blending orchestral richness with metal's melodic core has remained the band's guiding principle through every subsequent chapter of its story.

Breakthrough with 'Crying of the Sun'

The band's global breakthrough arrived in early 2015 with the official music video for "Crying of the Sun," a track originally released as a single in 2012. Filmed in the dramatic landscape of Belogradchik and directed by Peter Tomov and Velislava Gospodinova, the video showcased what Atanasova had always believed: that epic, world-class metal could be produced right there in Bulgaria. The impact was staggering—three years after its release, the clip had amassed over 40 million views on YouTube, a figure that placed a small Sofia-based act firmly on the international metal map. A notable detail: the male vocal parts on the track were originally sung by Velislav Uzunov, who had departed the group three months before filming. In the video, those parts were performed by bassist Konstantin Uzunov. The band celebrated the video's launch with a promotional concert at Joy Station in 2015, and the song later appeared as a bonus track on their 2016 EP.

Studio Output & Collaborative Ambition

Metalwings' recorded output spans three major releases: the EP Fallen Angel In The Hell (2016), the album For All Beyond (2018), and A Whole New Land (2021). The EP, issued on May 12, 2016, presented four original tracks—"Fallen Angel In The Hell," "Slaves Of The Night," "Ship Of Shadows," and "Immortal Metal Wings"—alongside "Crying of the Sun" as a bonus track. For All Beyond marked a significant step up in production: in November 2017, the band recorded the symphonic passages of the title track with the Sofia Session Orchestra, and the final mix and master were handled by Max Morton at Morton Studio in Ukraine. The album dropped on April 19, 2018, followed by its title-track video on November 1. Looking ahead, the second studio album was tracked between September and November 2020, with the single "Monster in the Mirror" (released December 23, 2020) mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, and its video premiering on March 13, 2021.

Live Career & Lineup Evolution

From 2011 onward, Metalwings built a substantial live résumé across Bulgarian festivals and international stages. Early appearances include the Rock Festival in Slivnitsa (2011), Rock 2 Night at Route 80 (2012), Rock Revival in Cherven Briag (2012), the International Moto Fest "Night Wolves" (2012, 2013, 2015), and Berkstock (2012). They also shared stages with Croatian band AngelSeed in Sofia (2014) and competed in Wacken's Oper Air Metal Battle (2015). A highlight came in March 2019, when the band joined Imperial Age on a European tour covering Vienna, Cluj-Napoca, Bucharest, and Sofia, plus a concert with Bucovina in Brașov. The group's personnel has shifted considerably over the years: Boyan Boyadjiev replaced Uzunov in late 2013, Grigor Kostadinov took over in December 2014, Nikola Ivanov (Blackie) joined on drums after the 2016 EP, Milen Mavrov replaced Konstantin Uzunov on bass in March 2018, and Vlad Enev assumed the bass role in 2019.