Yes, I'm one who's quite fond of bow-string instruments (violin, cello, viola, etc. for those who may not know, though it seems pretty self-explanitory) and got around to thinking today... and I only know of two bands who have them: Rasputina and The Cruxshadows.

I ran a search ("bow-string instruments") and flipped through the results, but found nothing I was looking for in particular...

My question: can anyone recommend some good bands with those instruments? Or even a classical or orchestrated song? Thanks.

EDIT - Forgot to add Voltaire.

hey hey, a question that I can answer! i play violin, so im like a string junkie here. you've listed one of my favourites, which would be the Cruxshadows, and Rasputina is nice as well. some other bands are Nightwish (who has more of the metal and opera thing, but there are always strings) and uh... Zeromancer, though theirs are usually synthed. APC (a perfect circle) i know used to have a violinist, Paz, but she left to join the Bald One, Billy Corgan. other than that.... hmm.... Lacuna Coil, Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Dead Can Dance, Black Tape For A Blue Girl... all have strings in them, for the most part. hope i could help a bit. ciao et good luck in your search

Thanks... though a couple of these bands I've heard of and haven't heard any profound strings in their music (Dimmu Borgir strikes me as REALLY odd). I'll look more into them, though.

EDIT: Nightwish doesn't.
EDIT again: They had a guest violinist in one song.
-ana

Try some of My Dying Bride

their early albums have violin

I'll look for some more for you


EDIT1: definitally check out Malice Mizer

EDIT2:shroud of bereavement may be up your alley

Thanks... I do have one song by My Dying Bride ("Christliar") and I don't think it has any, but I'll see if I can find some more.

Throbbing Gristle used to use an electric violin.

I wish I had one

Pig - In alot of Watts' songs, some of the heaviest elements are both the guitar and strings, which are brilliantly orchestrated with a vast number of synthesizer and electronic sounds helping to build a strong composition in each song. (ex. "Save Me," "No One Gets Out Of Her Alive," "Serial Killer Thriller")

Oneroid Psychosis - Darkwave band who encorporate both real strings in coordination with synthesizers and electronic beats to create a sort of sureal opus out of each song. Some of the "strings" in certain songs are nothing more than synthesizers, but in most cases, it's the real deal, and you can tell (ex. "Wandering of the Womb" and "Carmilla" - which is heavily berated at the begining with synthesizers).

Angels of Venice/Carol Tatum - In case ensembles are more up your alley, this group is mainly focused on vocals (hence "ensembles"), though introduced numerous instruments (violins, flutes, bagpipes, etc) and synthesizers - making this group's songs sound very interesting since they stray from the formalistic approach to ensembles to create a more innovative sound by introducing so many elements (ex. "A Chantar Mer").

*slaps his forehead* How could I forget about Pig?

Ooh. I could find the latter two on mp3.com, but Pig seems not to host music there... I'll find some somewhere. Thanks. Oneiroid Psychosis wasn't bad, and Angels in Venice/Carol Tatum was excellent. I do like ensembles. Thanks.

Eye,
Apocalyptica - a reaaallly good cello quartet... (but they play heavy metal )
Led Zeppelin - Sometimes in concert Jimmy Page whips out a bow and plays "violin" on his guitar (buy/rent/see the new led zeppelin dvd and go to "Dazed and Confused")

PS. Led Zeppelin doesn't really count as a bow/string band but oh well.
You probably already knew about LZ so sorry...

I heard Sigor Ros (sp?) uses bows on their guitars... I've heard only one song of theirs and don't remember it, but I do think that's a fascinating idea... an old one, but the sound it makes is soothing, almost.

Yeah, they use bows sometimes... I have a couple of their albums. They make lotsa wierd sounds with their guitars.

Even though they don't actually have anyone inthe band play them, Smashing Pumpkins (Prior to Adore) used to employ full orchestras to accompany them.
Metallica also put out an entire live album where they had all of their stuff accompanied by an orchestra as well. "Enter Sandman" is particularly good.

~Spider

SPider I must agree with about Enter Sandman... but "One" is the best song on S&M (Excluding "Call of Ktulu" [hate how they spell it]).

Eye, you should hear S&M for symphony.

I like some songs by Metallica and all, but very few of those on S&M, I thought, sounded good.

EDIT: As for Smashing Pumpkins, I have a couple.