Favorite power metal bands?

[Jayngfet]

Power metal, y'know, dragons, magic swords, epic battles.

What's in you're opinion the best power metal band out there.

For me it's a tie between celesty and fairyland, the first because the story of reign of the elements combined with the tune is awesome. The second because the melodies are among the best ever.

I love both because they take place in their own particular settings(cryon and osyrhia respectively)

[BizzaroStormy]

Sorry to say, Dragonforce because they're the only one i've heard.

[Verruckt]

My vote goes to Demons And Wizards, a combination of Blind Guardian and Iced Earth. As to why: http://youtube.com/watch?v=7Keg7B1EYxw

[Dhavaer]

DragonForce and Blind Guardian are the only ones I've heard. Favourite song is Through the Fire and Flames.

[Prophaniti]

Dragonforce, of course, they're just awesome. I also like Rhapsody of Fire.

Hammerfall and Dream Evil are ok, I found out about them from pandora.com, which is a great site for finding more music that you've never heard before. Seriously, go there and start a Dragonforce station, it'll play a lot of power metal stuff, ranging from 'meh' to 'totally awesome'.

[Zeta Kai]

Iced Earth

Gamma Ray

Rhapsody

All awesome, all the time.

EDIT: Hammerfall is awesome, too.

[Tengu_temp]

I've only listened much to Hammerfall and Rhapsody, and from these two I prefer Hammerfall. Mostly because many of Rhapsody's songs are too goth for my tastes - power metal is supposed to be fast and heroic!

[Dragonus45]

Im a die hard blind guardian fan but i like just about everyone that i hear. Demons and Wizards is pretty hot too.

[Myatar_Panwar]

Not sure if this is exactly power metal, I've started listening to Mezarkabul (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzt_iHszLDE). You tell me.

[Decoy Lockbox]

Iron Savior is my current favorite; I've been told that all of their lyrics have to do with some sort of epic space battle involving Atlantis, but I havn't looked into it. Fantastic driving music.

Other than that, Rhapsody is great for the rediculous song titles (and rediculously good music), Gamma Ray, Dark Moor, Blind Guardian, Iced Earth.

Not a big fan of Dragonforce; I find their music too repetitive. Also, the mainstream success they have had in the US while other more talented bands toil in obscurity is confounding.

[Dragor]

I like Dragonforce, even though it's now cool NOT to like them. Not going against the people who actually have decent arguments. Just sayin'.

Blind Guardian and Hammerfall rank high on my lists. Blind Guardian are probably my faves, though.

[Powerslave44]

Falconer, Axxis

[Mr. Mud]

Not a big fan of Dragonforce; I find their music too repetitive. Also, the mainstream success they have had in the US while other more talented bands toil in obscurity is confounding.

Yay! Someone who agrees with me... I've heard that they are almost like a garage band* when they play live, and in the studio, they fast forward the song :smallfurious:. If they did that wold infuriate me.

*Nothing against garage bands, since I play in one :smallbiggrin:.

[zeratul]

Falconer, Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, Helloween (Michael Kiske era), Demons&Wizards, Sonata Arctica, Firewind, and Nightwish mainly. Kamelot seems okay too.

[mockingbyrd7]

I'm not sure if they count, since they're more symphonic metal than power metal, but I love Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Here's a huge list of a lot of the bands out there. I have no idea if they're any good. Link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_power_metal_bands)

[zeratul]

Yay! Someone who agrees with me... I've heard that they are almost like a garage band* when they play live, and in the studio, they fast forward the song :smallfurious:. If they did that wold infuriate me.

*Nothing against garage bands, since I play in one :smallbiggrin:.

I agree, this is the fault entirely of guitar hero of course. Having it be the last song and all that. It's sad they got so much attention when other talented metal acts such as In Flames, and Killswitch Engage, who were also on it are still largely ignored.

EDIT: Also Magica, and Tarot are both great bands.

[Mr. Mud]

I agree, this is the fault entirely of guitar hero of course. Having it be the last song and all that. It's sad they got so much attention when other talented metal acts such as In Flames, and Killswitch Engage, who were also on it are still largely ignored.

EDIT: Also Magica, and Tarot are both great bands.

Tarot FTW!

Anyways, if not for guitar hero, I'm pretty sure they would have 2% of their already tiny fan base. And I can think of a million songs that are harder to play on guitar than silly Through the Fire and Flames...

Oh, and again, Tarot FTW!!

[mockingbyrd7]

Oh, and I'd like to add that I'm a total sucker for Canon Rock (which isn't a band, but an amazing symphonic power metal song).

[Zenos]

Hammerfall and Blind Guardian.

[Serpentine]

Woven Fear (http://www.wovenfear.com)
<.<
What do you mean I'm biased? Just because my very good friend is in it! I'll have you know that happens to be the closest thing to power metal I know, and is therefore by default my favourite!

Also I actually do like their stuff.

[TigerHunter]

No one's mentioned Avantasia yet.

Shame on all of you.

[CannibalHymn]

Sonata Arctica is the only one I don't like at least partly as a joke, so I'd have to give it to them. If favourite in an ironic way counts, Manowar all the way.

[Decoy Lockbox]

Tarot FTW!

Anyways, if not for guitar hero, I'm pretty sure they would have 2% of their already tiny fan base. And I can think of a million songs that are harder to play on guitar than silly Through the Fire and Flames...

Oh, and again, Tarot FTW!!

I dunno. Dragonforce was getting big with all the mainstream metal people on my campus a few years ago. You know, the people who think Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth are totally trve kvlt black metal.

[BizzaroStormy]

Yeah, then everybody else jumped on the bandwagon once GH3 came out.

[zeratul]

I dunno. Dragonforce was getting big with all the mainstream metal people on my campus a few years ago. You know, the people who think Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth are totally trve kvlt black metal.

Hey now there are Cradle and Dimmu fans who have good taste in metal too you know. :smalltongue:

I didn't see dragonforce getting popular much until guitar hero.

Also on a further note if you want true awesome fast guitar licks listen to Norther, Children of Bodom,yngwie malmsteen, people like that.

[Spiryt]

Hey now there are Cradle and Dimmu fans who have good taste in metal too you know. :smalltongue:


But still, from some reason they laugh from Manowar, even though they're listening to Dani "fish nets" Filth. :smalltongue:

And seriously, Manowar wasn't sufficently mentioned. Many their songs are classic power, with it's magic, swords, big muscles, ex-virgins, swords and swords.

[Moff Chumley]

DREAM THEATER!!!!!!!! :smalltongue:

[TigerHunter]

DREAM THEATER!!!!!!!! :smalltongue:
Are prog metal.

[Moff Chumley]

So? :annoyed::amused::frown::yuk::tongue: After the Funky Thread (which no one probably remebers, hopefully :smalleek:), I can't exactly go make my own, can I? :smallredface:

[Myatar_Panwar]

Been listening to alot of The Sword (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldpwBm6gyCY). At least I think its power metal, I am truely horrible at discerning the many types of metal apart. Oh yeah, Manowar (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS47QWBycHw) too.

Oh, and someone mentioned Children of Bodom (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLAjKtmT3lk) in this thread. I've also just started listening to them. They rock, but they are death metal arn't they (I dont know, who cares)?

Edit: And yeah... anyone know about a problem when you can't seem to stream more than 2 seconds of ANY video on ANY site. I seem to be having that problem. And yes, its exactly 2 seconds everywhere i go.

Another Edit: Just restarted computer and everything is working fine again. Really wierd.

[Mr. Mud]

Hey now there are Cradle and Dimmu fans who have good taste in metal too you know. :smalltongue:

I didn't see dragonforce getting popular much until guitar hero.

Also on a further note if you want true awesome fast guitar licks listen to Norther, Children of Bodom,yngwie malmsteen, people like that.

Malmsteen's 'Arpeggios from hell' is heavenly (bad pun intended)

Also I heard of Dragonforce way before GH3... failing that epicly usually gets around on the vine.

[Renegade Paladin]

Rhapsody of Fire and Blind Guardian.

[Toil3T]

Pegazus. Melbourne band. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3zc3mfl6x8&feature=related

The song playing in the car is Wings Of Steel by them. I also like Manowar and Hammerfall. And Through The Fire And Flames is why I actually own a Dragonforce album.

\m/

[DraPrime]

I'm surprised only one person has mentioned Avantasia yet. Seriously. If you haven't listened to them, go do it now. Don't keep reading to see what I'm going to write after this. Just go listen to them.

Anyway, I also greatly enjoy Iced Earth, Blind Guardian, Demons and Wizards, Rhapsody, Helloween, Gamma Ray, and Iron Saviour. I also happen to be one of the people who knew about, and disliked Dragonforce before GH3. I always thought that their songs all sound almost exactly the same.

Now I notice quite a bit of manowar support here. Now my opinion is that they make decent music, but their arrogance is just incredibly irritating. They seriously call themselves the kings of metal. First of all, who the kings of metal are is entirely subjective. Second of all, while bands that created the entire genre such as Black Sabbath and Judas Priest still live, I think they can hardly claim that they're the kings. Annoying arrogance aside, I still enjoy occasionally listening to them.

[CannibalHymn]

Hey now there are Cradle and Dimmu fans who have good taste in metal too you know. :smalltongue:
As they evidently enjoy Black metal, this is a falsehood.

[zeratul]

As they evidently enjoy Black metal, this is a falsehood.

*drowns out with venom* Unbrutalsayswhat?:smalltongue:

[Myatar_Panwar]

I also happen to be one of the people who knew about, and disliked Dragonforce before GH3. I always thought that their songs all sound almost exactly the same.

Yeah, many of their songs are pretty same-y. But hey, if youve got the EPIC going already, why change it?

[Jack Squat]

Spinal Tap

[DraPrime]

Yeah, many of their songs are pretty same-y. But hey, if youve got the EPIC going already, why change it?

Because it's boring and repetitive?

[TigerHunter]

Because it's boring and repetitive?
Only if you listen to the entire album at once. My iTunes library is set to "Shuffle All", so...

[DraPrime]

Only if you listen to the entire album at once. My iTunes library is set to "Shuffle All", so...

A band shouldn't have to have its fans shuffle songs just so that their music can be enjoyed. There's only so many tricks you can do to make decent music good music, and none of them should be done because at that point you're just deceiving yourself.

[TigerHunter]

A band shouldn't have to have its fans shuffle songs just so that their music can be enjoyed. There's only so many tricks you can do to make decent music good music, and none of them should be done because at that point you're just deceiving yourself.
I agree that their recorded music is only decent, and they can't play live to save their lives (I saw a YouTube video. My ears have never forgiven me.) But I think that they're often given a worse rap than they deserve. People can't seem to leave it at just "overrated", they seem to have a compulsion to list all the reasons why they hate them.

[Jayngfet]

You know I always thought that there was a completely(or slightly different) genere of metal called viking metal, which has a different(and obvious) difference. Which is why I didn't mention Manowar and tyr.

[Decoy Lockbox]

Been listening to alot of The Sword (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldpwBm6gyCY). At least I think its power metal, I am truely horrible at discerning the many types of metal apart. Oh yeah, Manowar (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS47QWBycHw) too.


The sword are doom metal. If the band in question is playing very fast, and signing in a high falsetto about swords and swords, you can tell pretty easily if its power metal.

[DraPrime]

You know I always thought that there was a completely(or slightly different) genere of metal called viking metal, which has a different(and obvious) difference. Which is why I didn't mention Manowar and tyr.

Well Manowar kind of overlaps. Viking metal is more determined lyrically. You can play in the powermetal style, but have your lyrics put you into viking metal.

[zeratul]

You know I always thought that there was a completely(or slightly different) genere of metal called viking metal, which has a different(and obvious) difference. Which is why I didn't mention Manowar and tyr.

Manowar isn't really viking metal per se. Tyr Enslaved, Bathory, Amon Amarth, and arguably Ensiferum are viking metal bands. One must remember that a lot of Manowar's songs have nothing to do with vikings or Norse mythology, thus they would remain power metal. Viking metal originated out of black metal, thus many viking metal bands use screaming instead of power metal's falsetto singing. Tyr would be an exception to this.

[CannibalHymn]

Whether or not I am brutal, Zeratul, I happen to find a genre of music with a self-defined ideological consistancy based in prejudice against specific religious groups to possess about the same artistic value as blackface pantomime and nazi propagandist posters. So, I guess, "what."

[zeratul]

Whether or not I am brutal, Zeratul, I happen to find a genre of music with a self-defined ideological consistancy based in prejudice against specific religious groups to possess about the same artistic value as blackface pantomime and nazi propagandist posters. So, I guess, "what."

Dude I was kidding before. You know there are BM bands that are in fact more about telling a story then about necessarily believing in it or being anti that group. I'd like to discuss this further in a PM or something but, It's verging on a religious topic so it would be wise not to discuss it here.

[CannibalHymn]

Yeah, sorry, I'm touchy about the whole black metal thing, after I once said I thought it was silly and stupid and got punched, then got an assault ticket for my trouble.

[Hawriel]

There is heavy metal, speed metal, and death metal. Apparintly there is a crap load of other metal. I just think of it as metal. I listen to what I like.

Ive heard that metal fans can be prissy about what is X type metal, and why its better than Y. I just havent seen it untill now. Metal is metal.

[Myatar_Panwar]

Some do sound pretty dang different though. I just listened to some folk metal today for one of the first times in my life, and dang, that stuff is not what I expected. Not sure what to think of it yet, most metal takes time to settle in for me.

And woulden't it actually be "Rock is Rock"? As I have always assumed that metal is a sub-genre of rock. But I actually do hate getting this deep with labels. All it does is confuse.

re Dragonforce: Do you honestly think that all of their music sounds exactly the same? I find it quite easy to listen to one of their albums all the way through and find it varying and good. Never boring. Except with their more recent album, Inhuman Rampage. I infact find their earlier albums more appealing and different.

[Powerslave44]

Viking metal is based on lyrical content. That could range from Ensiferum (folk metal) to Amon Amarth (melodic death), or any of the plethora of power metal bands that sing about viking ass-beatings and such.

[Mattarias, King.]

I like me some Manowar, meself. And I liked Dragonforce since way before guitar hero even launched. Still do. So there. :smallamused:

edit: Oh yeah. Forgot about Rhapsody of Fire. They're great.

[Decoy Lockbox]

Some do sound pretty dang different though. I just listened to some folk metal today for one of the first times in my life, and dang, that stuff is not what I expected. Not sure what to think of it yet, most metal takes time to settle in for me.


Just for curiosity's sake, what did you expect it to sound like?

The labels for subgenres thing has sorta gotten out of hand. I think the original idea is to make it clear what type of metal one is discussing, or as a clue to help you think about what a band sounds like before actually listening to it.

I consider the primary seven genres of metal as:

Heavy/traditional (Maiden, Priest, Sabbath, Mercyful Fate, Diamond Head etc)

Doom (Candlemass, St. Vitus, Pentagram, Trouble, etc)

Thrash/speed (Sodom, Slayer, Metallica, Kreator, Sepultura, etc)

Black (Darkthrone, Mayhem, Deathspell Omega, Leviathan, Watain)

Death (Morbid Angel, Decapitated, Necrophagist, )

Folk (Finntroll, Korpiklaani, Cruachan, Skyclad, etc)

Power (Iron Savior, Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, etc)

Each of these genres has one or more sonic properties that make them fundamentally different from each other. Some can overlap at the boundaries however. For example, early death metal sounds a lot like a more brutal version of thrash, and power metal can sometimes sound a lot like a sped-up, upbeat version of traditional heavy metal.

Everything else like "symphonic", "melodic", "ambient", "industrial" and so forth I just consider to be flavors of the main genres above, not true "sub-subgenres"...so for example, most of Burzum's work would probably be classified as ambient black metal. Its not a new subgenre, just a different flavor of one of the already existent subgenres.

Then there are bands like Sabbat, Sigh, Iced Earth or Dissection that blur the boundaries between genres.

Speaking in terms of genre is useful when one of the groups in the conversation isn't familiar with the band's music, but once everyone is familiar with what the music actually sounds like, arguing about genres becomes sorta pointless.

[zeratul]

There are some other big genres to though, some of them being

Gothic metal: Poisonblack, Sentenced, Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil

Glam Metal: Poison, Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister, Skid Row

Metalcore: Maylene and the sons of disaster, Killswitch Engage. Shadows Fall

Industrial Metal: Static-x, Rob Zombie, Dope, Marilyn Manson

[Myatar_Panwar]

Just for curiosity's sake, what did you expect it to sound like?


Well, I started listening to Finntroll (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpDo0BdC2SU) to start. Everyone in the local folk thread seemed to reccomend them. So I'm listening, and it's kind of reminding me of something you might hear in the Shire if you were a hobbit or something, dancing on a table. Kind of cheery. Then it goes into the really deep brutal singing, while keeping with the cheery folk background for the music interludes.

Just surprised me I guess. The more I listen, the more I like it.

[zeratul]

Well, I started listening to Finntroll (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpDo0BdC2SU) to start. Everyone in the local folk thread seemed to reccomend them. So I'm listening, and it's kind of reminding me of something you might hear in the Shire if you were a hobbit or something, dancing on a table. Kind of cheery. Then it goes into the really deep brutal singing, while keeping with the cheery folk background.

Just surprised me I guess.

That's a good example of what Fintroll and korpiklaani sound like. Check out Ensiferum Turisas and Moonsorrow, they're also great, more epic occasionally darker folk metal. They're not that dark though, just more so than the still awesome Fintroll and korpiklaani

[Decoy Lockbox]

There are some other big genres to though, some of them being

Gothic metal: Poisonblack, Sentenced, Within Temptation, Lacuna Coil

Glam Metal: Poison, Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister, Skid Row

Metalcore: Maylene and the sons of disaster, Killswitch Engage. Shadows Fall

Industrial Metal: Static-x, Rob Zombie, Dope, Marilyn Manson

I left gothic metal out because I couldn't figure out the defining sonic qualities that seperated it from the other types.

As for the other types...well, lets just say that I deliberately left them out. I don't consider Glam metal or metalcore to be actual metal (more like metal-esque versions of pop-rock and hardcore respectively). As for Industrial metal, I just haven't listened to enough of comment. Though Marilyn Manson's music has never struck me as being particularly metallic.

[Killersquid]

Ohhhh...tough one. My favorite has to be Blind Guardian, but I like a lot of them. List follows:

Kamelot; Blind Guardian; Sonata Arctica; Hammerfall; Rhapsody (of fire); Nightwish (though thats more symphonic metal); Iced Earth; Demons & Wizards.

[zeratul]

I left gothic metal out because I couldn't figure out the defining sonic qualities that seperated it from the other types.

As for the other types...well, lets just say that I deliberately left them out. I don't consider Glam metal or metalcore to be actual metal (more like metal-esque versions of pop-rock and hardcore respectively). As for Industrial metal, I just haven't listened to enough of comment. Though Marilyn Manson's music has never struck me as being particularly metallic.

Some glam bands were really metal. Skid Row, Twisted sister and WASP to point them out. I enjoy some metalcore once again the more metal of it, my favorite metalcore being MATSOD and Killswitch.

Gothic metal is a fusion of goth rock and metal. Often fused with symphonic metal.

[DraPrime]

Since we're going into a discussion of metal in general shouldn't we just resurrect the great metal discussion thread?

[zeratul]

Since we're going into a discussion of metal in general shouldn't we just resurrect the great metal discussion thread?

A mod has been PM'ed about fusing the three threads, we're awaiting a response.

[DraPrime]

Well recently I discovered an interesting band called Dark Empire. They have 2 albums so far, and they're pretty damn good. They're kind of power metal-y, but have some death and thrash influences too. I recommend them to all of you. Here's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8oUKsEr1Bw) one of their songs.

[Decoy Lockbox]

The reviews for Dark Empire's albums on metal-archives (www.metal-archives.com/band.php?id=63043) look promising. I always love bands that really blur the genres a lot -- Sigh is one of my favorites.