Saltatio Mortis is a German medieval metal band formed near Mannheim in 2000, whose name translates as 'dance of death.' The group built their sound around authentic period instruments including bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, and shawm layered over modern rock and metal frameworks, establishing themselves as pioneers of the Mittelalter metal genre with their 2001 debut Tavernakel. Over more than two decades and a dozen studio albums, including Brot und Spiele (2018) and Für immer frei (2020), the band expanded their sonic palette to include orchestral arrangements, most recently collaborating with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra on 2024's Finsterwacht.

Founded near Potsdam, Germany in 1992, Subway to Sally blends heavy metal with medieval and folk instrumentation including hurdy-gurdy, bagpipes, shawm, and lute, helping define the medieval metal subgenre. The band achieved their commercial breakthrough with 2001's Herzblut, which peaked at number 15 on the German charts, followed by Nord Nord Ost (2004), which debuted at number 5. Signed to Nuclear Blast and later Napalm Records, they have released over a dozen studio albums across three decades, most recently Post Mortem (2024).