Leader of Power Metal?

Metalhed said:
My favorite Power Metal bands from the USA:
Jag Panzer
Kamelot
Twisted Tower Dire
Iced Earth
Overlorde

Honorable Mention:
Circle II Circle
Firewind

Do these classify as Power Metal? If so, add them to the list:
Manowar
Nevermore
Symphony X
You've got some good American choices there, but Firewind hails from Greece.

Britt
 
DarkTide said:
You've got some good American choices there, but Firewind hails from Greece.

Britt

Why did Metal Observer have them listed as USA? Oh well, corrected...
 
I think it all has to fall back on Germany when it comes to the stereotypical, traditional, Euro-Power-Metal sound that is so prevalent today (and encompassing many various sub-genres as well.

Wouldn't you think Keepers #1 pioneered that sound? Keepers #2 only served to reinforce the sound. The albums before that were more in the Speed Metal vein.

Then...Helloween begat Gamma Ray, and Heading For Tomorrow was a great representation of the same sound, which Gamma Ray has consistently built upon, although eventually ending up much heavier and speedier as the years have gone by.

Granted, other bands were starting to do it at the time (like Rage...although I'm not really familiar with their earlier work), but they had limited exposure to these North American ears.

Now...I really feel that Edguy picked up the torch where the Helloween-Kiske glory years left off...and that's a good thing.

In between, PF combined British Steel with German Teutonics and Speed. BG was coming off the same Speed Metal kick as early Helloween and pioneering their own sound which melded (and heavied up) to the typical dog-whistle-vox-Euro-happy-metal sound.

Whew...what a sordid history...ain't it great?

Rock on!
 
ashaman7122 said:
I think it all has to fall back on Germany...
I think the original question was more about where the best Power Metal is coming from today, not where it came from historically. And while Germany still spawns a lot of Power Metal, 99% of it completely lackis originality. As I see it (and I may be forgetting someone important), the big German Power Metal acts today are:

Blind Guardian - their next CD should signal where their career is headed
Edguy - they're a fun live band, but their tongue in cheek sensibilities counteract the aggression I want in Metal
Gamma Ray - same disc, different year
Helloween - a shell of their former selves
Rage - there's some good stuff in their discography, but from a quality/inspiration perspective, they seem to be winding down

Obviously, I don't suspect everyone (or anyone) to agree with me. I guess what comes out of Germany these days, just doesn't excite me. Oh well. Different strokes for different folks.

Zod
 
General Zod said:
Rage - there's some good stuff in their discography, but from a quality/inspiration perspective, they seem to be winding down

I couldn't disagree more. I think their albums with the current lineup are among their best. Even the "classic" era with Manni and Chris doesn't hit me until Trapped!
 
Yngvai X said:
I couldn't disagree more. I think their albums with the current lineup are among their best. Even the "classic" era with Manni and Chris doesn't hit me until Trapped!
As I said, to each their own. I'm not a Rage fan. Nothing in their discography floors me.

Zod
 
General Zod said:
I think the original question was more about where the best Power Metal is coming from today, not where it came from historically. And while Germany still spawns a lot of Power Metal, 99% of it completely lackis originality. As I see it (and I may be forgetting someone important), the big German Power Metal acts today are:

Blind Guardian - their next CD should signal where their career is headed
Edguy - they're a fun live band, but their tongue in cheek sensibilities counteract the aggression I want in Metal
Gamma Ray - same disc, different year
Helloween - a shell of their former selves
Rage - there's some good stuff in their discography, but from a quality/inspiration perspective, they seem to be winding down

Obviously, I don't suspect everyone (or anyone) to agree with me. I guess what comes out of Germany these days, just doesn't excite me. Oh well. Different strokes for different folks.

Zod

Very good argument and points made here Zod. You and I are on the same page on these points. Alltough I again know nothing from Rage.

I did enjoy the history post by ashaman7122 however. :kickass:
 
for Rage, you can't beat the combo of Peavy, Victor, and Mike, IMO...
I don't think they are winding down at all....

You won't get that past all the people that vacated the venue for their set, unfortunately....


J-Dubya
 
General Zod said:
Obviously, I don't suspect everyone (or anyone) to agree with me. I guess what comes out of Germany these days, just doesn't excite me. Oh well. Different strokes for different folks.

Zod

Do Brainstorm, Symphorce, Black Destiny, and Black Abyss not get your interest either? I think once you get past the first tier of typical happy metal bands the best Power metal is still coming out of Germany.
 
Magius said:
Do Brainstorm, Symphorce, Black Destiny, and Black Abyss not get your interest either? I think once you get past the first tier of typical happy metal bands the best Power metal is still coming out of Germany.
Somewhat. A little less. Who? Who?

Brainstorm is the one band I wish could find a way to take it to the next level. Metus Mortis was what could have been the foundation of something special. However, Brainstorm has grown more generic with subsequent release, not more interesting.

Symphorce is boilerplate, generic, unoriginal Power Metal, albeit with a great vocalist, in every sense of the word. Average melodies, average musicianship, average lyrics (when they're not stolen), etc. Godspeed is the disc I enjoy most, but it's not a great disc by any stretch of the imagination.

Haven't heard or even heard of either Black Destiny or Black Abyss. Descriptions?

Zod
 
General Zod said:
Somewhat. A little less. Who? Who?

Brainstorm is the one band I wish could find a way to take it to the next level. Metus Mortis was what could have been the foundation of something special. However, Brainstorm has grown more generic with subsequent release, not more interesting.

Symphorce is boilerplate, generic, unoriginal Power Metal, albeit with a great vocalist, in every sense of the word. Average melodies, average musicianship, average lyrics (when they're not stolen), etc. Godspeed is the disc I enjoy most, but it's not a great disc by any stretch of the imagination.

Haven't heard or even heard of either Black Destiny or Black Abyss. Descriptions?

Zod

Black Abyss has sound samples here.

Black Desiny's media page is empty now, but this song came from it.

They both strike me as being to your tastes.
 
General Zod said:
Musically, both are right up my alley. But for me, with Power Metal, it's all about the vocalist. Unfortunately, neither of the singers draws me in. Regardless, thanks for the links.:kickass:

Zod

Name a few of your favorite power metal vocalist besides Andy from Brainstorm and Symphorce.
 
Zod - Are you not a fan of Deris-era Helloween? I guess I'm trying to find the moment you think they became a former shell of themselves.......