\m/ Power Metal Discussion \m/

[MrGlam999Metal]

Let's get some Power Metal bands out please

Helloween
Iced Earth
Rhapsody Of Fire
Primal Fear
Savatage
Gamma Ray
Armored Saint
DragonForce (only ok)

 

[MEATSANDWICH]

3 Inches of Blood
Alestorm
Manowar
Accept
Dragonland
Demons & Wizards
Sabaton
Metal Church
Dark Moor
Dream Evil
Grim Reaper
Edguy
AfterForever
Angra
Luca Turilli

some more to get out there

 

[poundingmetal74]

To name a few:
Dream Evil, Edguy / Avantasia, Brainstorm, Crimson Glory (?), Helloween, Avian, Vanden Plas, Eternal Reign (Brainstorm's clone), Allen/Lande, ASKA, Betrayer, Balance of Power, Pyramaze, Yngwie (more or less), Burning Point, Cans / Hammerfall, Crown of Glory, Dionysus, Edwin Dare, Firewind, House of Spirits, Icarus Witch, Lord, Lost Horizon, Machine Men, (Wicked) Maraya, Metallium, Million, Mystic Prophecy, Nightmare (France), Sword, Nocturnal Rites, Outworld (?), Pagan's Mind, Parish, Power Glove, Revolution Renaissance, Redemption (?), Rob Rock, Sandalinas, Saint Daemon, Sanvoisen (?), Shadowkeep, Silent Force, Sinner, Squealer, Theocracy, Threshold (?), Thunderstone, Twilightning, USM, When the Empire Falls, Wolf (Black Flame-era), Wycked Synn.

 

[Wyvern]

Shiiiit, that would be a long weird one for me. I love power metal, especially European, but I don't like a lot of bands considered great in the sub-genre and I hate some bands that I feel they had degradated the sub-genre. Also I may mention some bands that are not strictly power metal (including some prog-power) so, here it goes:

Helloween (except a couple of albums and being dissapointed from TDR up to now)
Heavens Gate
Hammerfall
Blind Guardian
Riot
Viron
Cryonic Temple
Steel Prophet
Bloden-Wedd
Freedom Call
Majesty
Beto Vazquez Infinity
Wolf
Nightwish (first three albums majorly)
Ostrogoth
Avalanch (first three albums)
Azrael
Imperio
Renacer
Lorihen
Azeroth
Jezabel
Power Symphony
Primal Fear (last two albums, I being new to them)
Angra
Pharaoh
Phantom-X
Onward
Forgotten Tales
Adramelch
Alkemyst
Angel Dust (second era)
Astral Doors
Anubis Gate
Mezmerize
Miles Beyond
Black Steel
Evil Masquerade
Crystal Ball (one album, too cheesy for me)
Falconer
Firwewind
Grave Digger (a couple of albums, can't stand the vocalist)
Highland Glory
Iced Earth (a couple of albums only)
Iron Savior (only have one album)
Savage Circus
Labyrinth (only have one album)
Malediction
Manigance
Pegazus
Seventh One
Sinergy
Stormhammer
Tribuzy
Viper
Warrior
Vindex
Running Wild (first two albums only)
Nightscape (bordering on neoclassical and cheesy)
Aska

Now some may consider some neoclassical acts as power metal and thus you have to add bands like:

Yngwie Malmsteen
Majestic
Time Requiem
Space Odyssey

Also you find stuff like Alestorm or Skyclad after (and including) "Irrational Anthems" which is power with folk influences including the use of violin.

I think power metal depending on your vision is a very broad (maybe thebroadest) sub-genre of metal.

 

[DeadlySinners]

...
Those 3 posts are enough to sum up
pretty much every Power Metal I
have ever heard of...
But I tend to stick to my Thrash.

 

[Janga666]

Kiuas

 

[No-Mercy]

ones that havent been said yet...

Aquaria
Elvenking
Ensiferum
Heavenly
Highlord
Human Fortress
Kamelot
Magistral
Nightwish
Obsession
Power Quest
Saxon
Silver Mountain
Sonata Arctica
Stratovarius
Symphorce
Tad Morose
Tarot
Vision Divine

...and all the rest
Angra
Blind Guardian
Bloodbound
Brainstorm
CIIC
Dark Empire
Demons & Wizards
Domain
Dragonland
Dream Evil
Edguy
Falconer
Freedom Call
Gamma Ray
Hammerfall
Helloween
Iced Earth
Kamelot
Labyrinth
Lost Horizon
Luca Turilli
Masterplan
Mystic Prophecy
Nocturnal Rites
Primal Fear
Pyramaze
Rhapsody
Savage Circus
Thunderstone

 

[Pagan Angel666]

Why is there no mention of german power metal band Axxis??
I gathered i'm probbably the only person on the site who's heard of them () but they need recognition because they've been going for 20 and their music rules. Also earlier this year they headlined a tour woth Helloween and Gamma Ray
\m/

 

[Marco Spain]

Why is there no mention of german power metal band Axxis??
I gathered i'm probbably the only person on the site who's heard of them () but they need recognition because they've been going for 20 and their music rules. Also earlier this year they headlined a tour woth Helloween and Gamma Ray
m/

Maybe that´s because Axxis can only be considered more or less power metal in their last 2 or 3 albums. They used to be german hard and heavy with high pitched vocals. Anyway, they´re gods and Bernhard Weiss one of the funniest frontman I´ve ever seen.

You have put too many names but mixing a lot in my opinion. For me, topic deals with Euro (happy) power metal. For me, real power metal are Helstar, Abbatoir, Powersurge,...

By the way, Wyvern, seeing Avalanch between two glorious bands like Wolf and Ostrogoth is almost an insult . I love Avalanch... but just after those three albums, the last three ones when they avoided the power metal stuff.

 

[Wyvern]

By the way, Wyvern, seeing Avalanch between two glorious bands like Wolf and Ostrogoth is almost an insult . I love Avalanch... but just after those three albums, the last three ones when they avoided the power metal stuff.

I was putting names of my mind before checking my inventory of albums. As you pointed again after the third album Rionda took the band straight to hell. They played here and I missed them, not intersted. My friend Darren was the promoter and make a good contact with the band earning the distribution rights and all that fuzz. He gave me the 4th and 5th album as a gift, I listended to them and returned to him

I forgot in my list:

Lion's Share
Obstruction
Omen
Sabaton (what a heresy forgot them!)
Pretty Maids (at least the first albums)

 

[SentinelSlain]

Cloven Hoof (sort of)
Scanner
Elixir (first album anyway,I don't have any others)

 

[Powermetal Rebel]

Powermetal??? How did I almost miss this thread???

Here's my short list.......... Well, I'll try to keep it short..
Stainless Steel (Hun) :Smokin:
Gaia Epicus
Wuthering Heights
Domine
Axxis
Illium
Salamandra
Virgin Steele
Falconer
Sabaton
Almora
Celesty
Dreamtale
Conquest
Custard - (First 2 CD's)
Dark Moor
Derdian
Elwing
Gallow's Pole (Aus)
Brocas Helm
Insania (Swe)
Sonata Arctica
Jacob's Dream
Lord Weird Slough Feg
Olympos Mons
Rebellion
Ritual Steel
Seventh Avenue
Solemnity
Storyteller
Axenstar
Dungeon

 

[Abryl]

ill leave out all the ones already said

Aquaria
Elvenking
Ensiferum
Heavenly
Human Fortress
Kamelot
Nightwish
Obsession
Power Quest
Saxon
Silver Mountain
Sonata Arctica
Stratovarius
Vision Divine

I was gonna say, how come no one had mentioned Strato. I guess they are sort of one of those band you either love or hate.

I love power metal, but not all of it... Some bands just sound all the same. I just recently got into Excalion, I suppose they can be considered power metal, they sound very fresh and great vocals.

 

[Trans-Siberian Outcast]

I hate the way the term "power metal" is used these days. How can bands like Helloween, Kamelot, and Rhapsody be considered POWERFUL? How would I categorize those bands? Speed metal in my book because they're predominantly repetitive double bass drumming and super fast tempo. I can also live with the term Euro metal. Less appealing to me, but still acceptable are "flower metal" and "happy metal". But they certainly aren't power metal.

To me, power metal should be reserved for bands with lots of punch and crunch to their music, regardless of tempo. Bands like Iced Earth and Rage are power metal to me.

 

[Orion Crystal Ice]

I have no problem with the term used, the genre uses more bombastic and theatrical melodic ideas so much more intensely than other genres, for one thing. I think a chorus such as 'Dawn of Victory' or 'Land of the Free' is immensely powerful when done well. I also never understood the whole 'gay', 'flower metal' thing,..a little too over-compensating if you ask me...and also, being a long time listener of tons of bands included in the genre, I can always hear a clear distinction between a band that does it horribly and awkward and a serious band with solid hooks and skills in song structuring.

Since this is the old school forum, though, I'm going to keep the references to older bands:

Running Wild
Stormwitch
Crimson Glory
Fifth Angel (sometimes)
Rainbow (sometimes)
Malice
Omen
Emerald
Liege Lord
Moon of Steel
Recon
Jag Panzer
Sacred Warrior
Fates Warning (early)
Queensrÿche (early)
Iron Maiden (sometimes)


ahh yes, all that wonderful stuff which is too melodic, complex, or fast paced to be classic meat and potatoes metal, but not quite speed or thrash at all either.

 

[Wyvern]

I also never understood the whole 'gay', 'flower metal' thing,..a little too over-compensating if you ask me...and also, being a long time listener of tons of bands included in the genre, I can always hear a clear distinction between a band that does it horribly and awkward and a serious band with solid hooks and skills in song structuring.

Same here. I guess a lot of people who dislike some bands in what is broadly called power metal feel pissed of threatened by the whole happy atmosphere some bands deliver. Some metalheads think metal should be angry all the time, which is to me absurd. Metal is a just a music genre and therefore it will reflect the mood of the composer as well as any other genre (classic, jazz, pop, etc.). There are extremes in both ends, some bands are always sugarly cotaed while others exude nothing by hatred all the time, I prefer a midway place for my stuff.

 

[Frost Giant]

Aquaria is incredible. And how about some fucking CELLADOR!!!???

 

[carnut]

As TSO, I have some trouble with the way the "Powermetal" term is used these days. Most of the European bands that are concidered "Power" are (imo !) not more than melodic metal bands. I can't find the "power" in bands like Sonatica, Dragonforce, Gamma Ray, Rhapsody ,etc... The term "Power Metal" was already used in the 80's but was intended for much less "happy" metal bands such as Savatage, Jag Panzer, Damien Thorne, Metal Church, Loudness, Exxplorer, Liege Lord, Manowar etc....
As for new "Power" Metal bands, to my ears those are bands like Tad Morose, Zero Hour, Meyvn, Nevermore, Outworld, Benedictum ...

 

[Wyvern]

I can't find the "power" in bands like Sonatica, Dragonforce, Gamma Ray, Rhapsody ,etc... The term "Power Metal" was already used in the 80's but was intended for much less "happy" metal bands such as Savatage, Jag Panzer, Damien Thorne, Metal Church, Loudness, Exxplorer, Liege Lord, Manowar etc....

Well I have a problem in using the term power for such bands as you described. I won't never consider Loudness power, merely classic metal as for Metal Church to me like Meliah Rage has been closer to thrash but I understand what they qualify for a power place. Ostrogoth is clearly a power metal band and is barely a year earlier (album debut) than Helloween. And Riot had power songs in their 70's albums.

Many can argue than bands like Helloween and Blind Guardian started more like speed metal than power metal bands as an example. For reasons of my own upbringing into the genre I found traditionally as power metal bands: Helloween, Blind Guardian, Heavens Gate, Steel Prophet and yes I can't find the power either in Rhapsody, Sonata Arctica, Skylark, Stratovarius, Dragonforce, etc.

Today the lines are excesively blurred and the term is too broad since zillions of bands have entered the arena since 1985. So for me is the same if people can catalogue: Dream Evil, Astral Doors, Wolf, Sabaton, Hammerfall as power metal or heavy metal, because for sure they're not thrash, doom, death, prog or black!
And as for the moniker "melodic heavy metal" is as tricky as hair, flower or some other unconfortable monikers people tnd to use. For one most of the bands I listen too have a good melody management, therefore they are melodic metal, and second I will use melodic metal in the worst case scenario for bands like Praying Mantis, Fatal Force, Allen/Lande, Masterplan which I recognize they are not power enough to my ears.

So I guess in THE END of all things is up to each and everyone of us to draw the lines and decide by OURSELVES what is power and what is not (and that goes for all the major sub-genres, if not I dare anyone to start a thread of where doom ends and stoner starts or viceversa, or speed and thrash).

And how about some fucking CELLADOR!!!???

I got Cellador album debut and dissapointed me BIG TIME, is like another Dragonforce, playing fasther than thou over-sweetened metal. People can catalogue them as power, I have no problem since it's up to everyone (like I said above) but to me they just fail to deliver whatever they wanted to.

 

[Frost Giant]

I got Cellador album debut and dissapointed me BIG TIME, is like another Dragonforce, playing fasther than thou over-sweetened metal. People can catalogue them as power, I have no problem since it's up to everyone (like I said above) but to me they just fail to deliver whatever they wanted to.

Of course, if a band isn't pleasing to your ears then you won't be convinced to like them, but I do not agree that Cellador is like Dragonforce. The only similarity is the tempo of some of their songs being similar and the use of Suffo-style blast beats in certain parts. I like Cellador more than I like Dragonforce and here is why:

Cellador's debut album was, to me, a great example of why what they do should be called POWER metal, because it's powerful. It wasn't gussied up with overbearing keyboards or orchestration. It didn't have some schlocky ballad- and I don't care who it bothers but Dragonforce ballads are the drizzling shits. Cellador had 8 ripping tracks on Enter Deception, not one of them was a ballad. Cellador plays in more than one tempo, too, whereas Dragonforce has either fast or ballad with little in-between (their latest album tries to vary it but it sounds really forced). And lastly, I'd stack up Cellador vs. Dragonforce live any day- DF can't really pull off their material live and Cellador, when I saw them, were amazing.

Now, if you don't like the music, that's one thing, but I don't think they sound like Dragonforce, and I don't think they're over-sweetened either. Their songs are a little darker, perhaps because they play in a half-step down from standard tuning, and they're much more aggressive than most of today's power metal bands.

I submit that they deserve to be on that list more than Ensiferum does (I don't know why anyone would consider them power metal- they're awesome, but not power metal).