Power metal rules. I am a huge fan of this genre of metal. The following are what I consider to be some of the best/most influential power metal bands as well as just awesome new comers as well....
This first grouping is the bands who are the leaders of the genre also some of the most influential and first power metal bands...
Helloween, Gamma Ray, Grave Digger, Running Wild, Rage, Sinner, Iced Earth, Stratovarius, Blind Guardian
Next are the bands who arent necesarily new comers but are on their way to become power metal legends...
EDGUY, Nightwish, Primal Fear, Hammerfall, Rhapsody, Sonata Arctica, Tad Morose, Brainstorm, Kamelot, Seven Witches, Symphony X (prog/power), Children Of Bodom (power metal/extreme deathy vocals).
Next are just some great bands who are on their way as well but still at the bottom of the rung but far from being a bad/not so good band, all excellent...
Dream Evil, Firewind, Cage, Zandelle, Thunderstone, Steel Attack, Pegazus, Nocturnal Rites, Secret Sphere, Chinchilla, Dionysus, Metalium.
This is a very over populated category and I feel I covered all the the important/good bands of course I left some out though but there are another 50-100 power metal bands I can name off the top of my head who arent quite worthy of being mentioned with these bands. You have to weed out the good from the bad.
I do wish this music would get more exposure in America and it is indeed starting to pick up. Evergrey/Children Of Bodom/Iced Earth have a sold out show lined p April 29 in NYC. Evergrey is going to host Headbangers Ball next week. Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, Primal Fear, and Symphony X have all played here over the last two years and gotten great responces. Grave Digger, Brainstorm, Tad Morose, Kamelot, Edguy, Primal Fear, Seven Witches, will all be playing fests in America this year as well as Nightwish touring here. So things are starting to pick up. MTV and radio just need to get on the ball before the balls bounces over them.
The new Edguy album Hellfire Club which just came out last week is one of the greatest heavy metal albums I have ever heard in my life and I feel not another album this year will touch it.
