What Im referring to here is specifically a small unbounded scene of metal that occured in Germany and maybe some other locations. This specifically was centered around the band Empyrium and their label Prophecy production, but is not solely bound to them.

I noticed a couple of bands playing this style of metal in various genres durning the mid to late 90's. Empyrium beoing the most well known name... then their was bands that were their label mates... Nox Mortis, Mysterium, and Blazing Eternity... and the first Autumblaze album. Dornenreich also was another such group. There is also the music of the doom band Saturnus, which fits relatively well paired up with these artists. Estatic Fear and the first In the Woods album is distantly related to this style.

Im entranced by this music, the bands and their album art focus on a blend of gothic tinged metal, but lightly so, that featured a lot of acoustic guitar or maybe some flutes and cellos. There was a heavy emphasis on an organic and naturalistic sound in the music. And the visuals were often very stunning utilizing either nature pictures or most often paintings or drawings done with an expressive light. Lyrical themse were typical for black and doom metal with romanticism, but added a level of naturalism to it.

All of these bands would later go on to more progressive music outside of this atmosphere (all save Empyrium) sadly.

Ive provided some samples, if you have the time sit back and listen to them all to get an idea of what im looking for, you might enjoy them too.

Id like to know of more bands who produced music with a similar sound during the mid 90's to the early 2000's.

In The Woods... should be something you could possibly like. While their first album "HEart of the Ages" has many BM influences,
they were just "other" (in lack of a better word) and with their later albums went more and more into another direction which I
can't name an exact genre. Whatever - I think they will suit your taste The third album "Strange in Stereo" is maybe a bit too much
avantgardish for some but "Omnio" and "Three Times Seven on a Pilgrimage" will be worth checking out for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-osLxEcq7g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAkTRkc8BG0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG_gEajE-fc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkBxtcU2Nn0

hmm, Blazing Eternity - I had that album some years ago but either sold or somehow lost it (can't remember). However I often find
Green Carnation's albums "A Blessing in Disguise" and "The Quiet Offspring" at least partly similar (minus flutes etc)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugzG34vJuDg

edit: Green Carnation - skip that one. I messed it up in my mind. Still leaving it written here as it's good music but probably not
what you are looking for here....

Yeah again Im familar with In the Woods. I have their demo tape and thats really all, but Im thinking i should probably get Heart of the Ages again. I had it once years ago.

Green Carnation were pretty close to what I was looking for on their album "Light of Day, Day of Darkness"... but went jsut a little to far into the progressive category, big saxophone solo and all. Their later rock albums have a great atmosphere, but everything else is such as lyrics and the conventional pop rock structures makes it too literal to be as mystical and naturalistic as say Saturnus's "Paradise Belongs to You". Thanks for the recs though BTW.

How Like A Winter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxtYwdQe6-8 was the first to come to my mind
Absurd Existence - Angelwings http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABwtsSiev8g, though not naturalistic
Novembre have a quite different sound from the bands You mentioned, but You could like at least their debut album http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PL7pO-b1AI