Wizzard

Wizzard (Finland) represents a specific niche in the late 90s European metal scene, led by multi-instrumentalist Teemu Kautonen. Emerging from the fertile Finnish scene that produced acts like Children of Bodom (with whom they shared a split release), Wizzard eschewed the polished melodicism of their contemporaries in favor of a 'Black Heavy Metal' sound.

Their career arc saw Kautonen moving between Finland and Germany, which influenced their underground visibility in Central Europe. Musically, they are a hybrid entity: they utilize the structural tropes of traditional 80s heavy metal and speed metal but filter them through the aesthetic lens of black metal, characterized by raspy vocals and a lo-fi, analog production style. This 'blackened' traditional approach predated the modern 'New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal' trend by over a decade. Critically, they are viewed as a cult act, respected for their refusal to follow the symphonic or power metal trends that dominated Finland during their active years. Their discography, particularly 'Devilmusick' and the aptly titled 'Black Heavy Metal', serves as a document of underground defiance.