A Power Metal Appreciation Thread!

[Smeik]

As I couldn't find a special Thread dedicated to this quite amazing subgenre of Music (at least not on the last four pages) I decided to start my own.

Who, apart from me, does like Power Metal?

What Bands would you recommend?

Here are some of my favourites:

Edguy
Hammerfall
Elvenking
Sonata Arctica
Avantasia

Yes, I deliberately did not include Blind Guardian, Iced Earth and Dragonforce into this list because, although I consider them to be quite good, are too popular to recieve a special mention when there are other Bands that deserve to also be in the limelight.

In this sense,
Some not-so-well-known tipps:

Sabaton
Van Canto
Powerwolf

[zeratul]

I'm a fan of power metal. Mainly Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, and Dio. It's good stuff.

I love the vocals especially (particularly those of Hansi Kürsch, and Joacim Cans).

[Hannes]

But then again, BG and IE are both VERY non-generic power metal. In fact, they're just speed(BG) or thrash(IE) metal with fantasy lyrics.

[Smeik]

But then again, BG and IE are both VERY non-generic power metal. In fact, they're just speed(BG) or thrash(IE) metal with fantasy lyrics.

But so many people name them as being prime examples of Power Metal that it gets annoying with the Time.

One of the band I included, thinking about it, isn't that typical Power Metal as well, Elvenking. But well, they are stll good.

I nearly forgot to mention, the roots of pOwer Metal (in my eyes)

Helloween, Gamma Ray(both are bands of Kai Hansen) and Rhapsody of Fire (though they were much better when they were only Rhapsody smallwink:)

[Jannex]

I do have a rather intense affection for Hammerfall and Blind Guardian, and a strong appreciation for Iced Earth and DragonForce as well. Thanks to Pandora Internet Radio, I'm also developing a fondness for Dream Evil, and a few others. *plays Hammerfall station in order to be reminded of some of these others*

[Hannes]

Too bad I can't give my two cents here, because we don't get enough CD's

It's weird... We get all the ghetto shiz about the same time everyone else does, and metal CD's a year later, if lucky. The other option is not at all.

[Winterwind]

Well, I understand your reasons for not including Blind Guardian and Iced Earth... but that doesn't mean I'm willing to let this heresy go unpunished!

Anyway, Blind Guardian is one of my most favourite bands. Iced Earth less so, but they are fine. And let's not forget the collaborative project of the two (well, two members of them), Demons & Wizards, which is awesome as well.

Also, Halloween and Gamma Ray.

But then again, BG and IE are both VERY non-generic power metal. In fact, they're just speed(BG) or thrash(IE) metal with fantasy lyrics.

Referring to Blind Guardian, this is only true for their earlier albums. How is Nightfall in Middle-Earth or the newer ones speed metal?

[Morty]

I like Blind Guardian, HammerFall and I quite enjoy Dragonforce, even though I try not to focus on lyrics in the latter case My favorite Blind Guardian songs are probably Nightfall and When Sorrow Sang, and Hammerfall- Fury of the Wild and Threshold.

[Hannes]

Referring to Blind Guardian, this is only true for their earlier albums. How is Nightfall in Middle-Earth or the newer ones speed metal?

They aren't, it's just that I don't have Nightfall and don't listen to ANATO and ATITM as much as the older stuff, so I keep forgetting them.

[Winterwind]

...and I quite enjoy Dragonforce, even though I try not to focus on lyrics in the latter case

Good idea.

My favorite Blind Guardian songs are probably Nightfall and When Sorrow Sang, ...

Nightfall's my favourite, too. It was the first song of them I ever heard, and it was basically the song which hooked me into metal in the first place.

It was quite funny, too, because I was listening to the song, admiring it, but without knowing what it was about (and wondering about it all the time, since it seemed somehow familiar).
Then came the line with "Valar he is, that's what you said....", and I was all like:
Re-listened to it instantly for, I believe, a dozen of times or so.

They aren't, it's just that I don't have Nightfall and don't listen to ANATO and ATITM as much as the older stuff, so I keep forgetting them.

Ah, I see, that's a fair reason.
...wait, you what?! Get out and get it, then, right now!
As for ANATO and ATITM, while I still like ANATO, I consider it to be far weaker than the other BG albums (with the exception of And Then There Was Silence, which is a masterpiece), whereas ATITM is quite on par with Nightfall and Imaginations (my two favourite BG albums), although it took me quite a few times listening to it to arrive at this conclusion.
Generally, I found that the last two BG albums I did not like when I heard them the first time, but found them quite excellent after the third one or so.

[Morty]

Nightfall's my favourite, too. It was the first song of them I ever heard, and it was basically the song which hooked me into metal in the first place.

It was quite funny, too, because I was listening to the song, admiring it, but without knowing what it was about (and wondering about it all the time, since it seemed somehow familiar).
Then came the line with "Valar he is, that's what you said....", and I was all like:
Re-listened to it instantly for, I believe, a dozen of times or so.

I actually find figuring out what parts of Silmarillion are the lyrics from The Nightfall in Middle-Earth about quite fun. Even though I only managed it with few of them.

[Hannes]

Well, as I said, we don't have it. ANYWHERE. But yeah. ATITM is strange.
It has this different feel to it. While it doesn't have the energy of, say, TFTTW or SFB, it creates this sonic atmosphere in my room. Seriously. It changes the whole feel of the room.

Wait... IT'S A CONSPIRACY! THEY'RE PLAYING WITH OUR MINDS! SUBCONSCIOUS MESSAGES!

[Winterwind]

I actually find figuring out what parts of Silmarillion are the lyrics from The Nightfall in Middle-Earth about quite fun. Even though I only managed it with few of them.

Do Nightfall In Middle-Earth albums outside of Germany also come with these short stories at the back of the booklet? 'Cause here, there is a whole bunch of short stories in it, written by Hansi from the perspective of Maglor, the poet and only surviving son of Feanor, gone insane by all the events of the Silmarillion in this version... a very interesting interpretation of the Silmarillion, portraying quite a few characters in a very different light than Tolkien himself.

Though the prose is a bit over the top.

Well, as I said, we don't have it. ANYWHERE. But yeah. ATITM is strange.
It has this different feel to it. While it doesn't have the energy of, say, TFTTW or SFB, it creates this sonic atmosphere in my room. Seriously. It changes the whole feel of the room.

I know what you mean. Still, Otherland and Turn the Wheel are two of the best songs Blind Guardian's ever made, in my humble opinion.

Wait... IT'S A CONSPIRACY! THEY'RE PLAYING WITH OUR MINDS! SUBCONSCIOUS MESSAGES!

Why, yes. Soon, young drone, you will be one of us.

[Smeik]

Well, as I said, we don't have it. ANYWHERE. But yeah. ATITM is strange.
It has this different feel to it. While it doesn't have the energy of, say, TFTTW or SFB, it creates this sonic atmosphere in my room. Seriously. It changes the whole feel of the room.

Wait... IT'S A CONSPIRACY! THEY'RE PLAYING WITH OUR MINDS! SUBCONSCIOUS MESSAGES!

Nah, they would never do anything like that, would they?

I mean, they are so nice, and friendly, and only want to play good metal...

[Winterwind]

Were any of you at the Blind Guardian Open Air Festival in Coburg, when was it, two or three years ago?

I may never again witness such magnificence... but at least, when I die, I will know my life had a reason...

[Hannes]

I know what you mean. Still, Otherland and Turn the Wheel are two of the best songs Blind Guardian's ever made, in my humble opinion.

Well. Wow. Those are the only songs I dislike from ATITM. Strange, eh? My faves are Lionheart and The New order. Carry The Blessed Home for sad moods.

Why, yes. Soon, young drone, you will be one of us.

That made me laugh!

And no, I've never been to a BG concert. It makes me sad. The reason? I don't have enough funds to travel to any of their shows, and they probably'll never do one in Estonia.

[EntilZha]

Virgin Steele
Manowar
Gamma Ray
Hammerfall
Domine

[commander43]

I'm not really an expert on this genre, as the only true Power Metal band I've heard is Dragonforce, but, at least in that case, I don't like what I hear at all.

They're good technical players and all, but they have no songwriting ability whatsoever. I should probably listen to something more off the beaten path, and see if I like it.

[Winterwind]

(sorry for answering only now, the BroodWar session got into the way)

Well. Wow. Those are the only songs I dislike from ATITM. Strange, eh?

Heh, wow. I have a friend, with whom I always agree upon which albums are good and which are bad (regardless of band), but just as always disagree upon which songs from an album are good and which are bad - ATITM was the first and only occasion where we agreed. So, hey, you managed to top that friend of mine in deviating from my opinion, and that's quite an accomplishment.

My faves are Lionheart and The New order. Carry The Blessed Home for sad moods.

The New Order would be Number 3 from that album for me. No idea how the ranking goes from there.

That made me laugh!

You think that was a joke?

Well, you are right!

And no, I've never been to a BG concert. It makes me sad. The reason? I don't have enough funds to travel to any of their shows, and they probably'll never do one in Estonia.

Aww, too bad.

Virgin Steele

My, how could I forget Virgin Steele? They are great!

I'm not really an expert on this genre, as the only true Power Metal band I've heard is Dragonforce, but, at least in that case, I don't like what I hear at all.

They're good technical players and all, but they have no songwriting ability whatsoever. I should probably listen to something more off the beaten path, and see if I like it.

Well, personally, I think Dragonforce are okay at best. Compared to such as Blind Guardian, their songs feel horribly...
...bland? I'm not entirely sure whether that's the word I seek, but I can't think of a better one.

[zeratul]

Oh man, I'm really lucky. My dad became a Blind Guardian fan to recently, and says that next time they come to the US if they do one close enough we can go to one of their concerts .

[Smeik]

Virgin Steele
Manowar
Gamma Ray
Hammerfall
Domine

Yes, I give you Domine, But how can you mention Virgin Steele and Manowar in a Power Metal Thread. They are not. They are far out the Realms of Power Metal. They are True Metal, which is a totally different subgenre and would need its own Appreciation Thread.

only joking...

[Attilargh]

And no, I've never been to a BG concert. It makes me sad. The reason? I don't have enough funds to travel to any of their shows, and they probably'll never do one in Estonia.

They were in Helsinki last summer, just over the Gulf. In other words; Nyah! (Just kidding. 'Tis a horrible thing to not see such a good band live.)

As an amusing anecdote, the Finnish power metal band Teräsbetoni will soon be competing for a spot as Finland's representative in the next Eurovision song contest. I just love my country. (The band's not bad, either. Their live concert last summer might well have been the best gig I've ever seen.)

[Hannes]

Attilargh - while it is just over the gulf, yes, it still costs money. I don't have even 1000 kroons to take from anywhere. (62.5 EUR).

[Smeik]

They were in Helsinki last summer, just over the Gulf. In other words; Nyah! (Just kidding. 'Tis a horrible thing to not see such a good band live.)

As an amusing anecdote, the Finnish power metal band Teräsbetoni will soon be competing for a spot as Finland's representative in the next Eurovision song contest. I just love my country. (The band's not bad, either. Their live concert last summer might well have been the best gig I've ever seen.)

They sound... interesting, but yet somehow funny and good. Could be because I have a knack on the finnish language, though I don't understand a single word.

[Vael Nir]

I saw Blind Guardian here in Vienna last october... it was awesome, even though most of them were sick. :/

Seeing Sonata Arctica on wednesday, can't wait :-)

[Smeik]

On a different note:

I joust saw the video to Edguy-Superheroes for the first time. And i found it hilarious.

[Burgo McSock]

OMG I can't believe none of you have mentioned Kamelot yet, although their newer stuff isn't really power metal their old stuff definitely is!

Also I highly recommend Sonata Arctica, Epica, HammerFall, Lost Horizon and Symphony X.

Some of these bands tend towards progressive and other styles of metal as well

[EntilZha]

It's my experience that metal genre labels are often arbitrary and subjective.

[Smeik]

It's my experience that metal genre labels are often arbitrary and subjective.

While this may be and certainly even is that way(sometimes), you still can make an appreciation thread for one of these genres, if you invite everything that someone considers Power Metal into it and have a big Party.

I also know Kamelot, just forgot to mention them as I only have one album. BUt yeah, they are also pretty good, especially if you are into "classical" music too.

[Moff Chumley]

Don't know alot of power metal, exept for DragonForce, and they do absolutely nothing for me. Prog Metal, on the other hand-I can live with that. Yay Dream Theater.