American progressive metal/orchestral rock band formed in 1996 by Paul O'Neill, Robert Kinkel, Jon Oliva (of Savatage), and Al Pitrelli. Distinguished by their fusion of progressive metal, classical music, and rock-opera storytelling — typically built around Christmas-themed concept albums.
Six studio albums starting with Christmas Eve and Other Stories (1996, multi-platinum). Subsequent releases: The Christmas Attic (1998), Beethoven's Last Night (2000), The Lost Christmas Eve (2004), Night Castle (2009), and Letters from the Labyrinth (2015). The band's annual Christmas tour has become one of the highest-grossing touring concerts in the world. O'Neill died of an accidental overdose in 2017.
