Top 10 Greatest Power Metal Albums

Pick the 10 records that had the biggest impact on power metal. I know, I know - everybody has a different definition of what is power metal, but I don't care. Go for a mix of all styles, or just the best power metal albums.

I'll go first.

1. Helloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys, pt.2
- doesn't matter if it's this or the pt.1, I chose this because it's better. But these albums had a massive influence on the genre, especially of the European melodic power metal kind.

2. Blind Guardian - Imaginations from the Other Side
- a powerhouse band of the genre. This was their best album, though you could make a case for Nightfall as well, but I don't think that's as good a power metal album. This one has more raw power and speed. I think this was a bigger, higher moment for the genre.

3. Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King
- you pretty much can't do power metal any better than this album. It's not as popular as the top 2, but they gained fans with this anyway. And it's just good that you could say it defined a genre.

4. Powerwolf - Blood of the Saints
- I'll throw this album in here this early because it went #1 in the charts in Germany in 2011, and it's become a peak moment of popularity for modern European power metal. And of course, it's solid and I love it. It's my list, so it goes here.

5. Iced Earth - Night of the Stormrider
- Iced Earth has to be this high for carrying the torch in the 90's, and I kind of struggled to choose just one album (it was this or Burnt Offerings), but in the end went with the earlier release. Their debut was a little rough, but they got on a roll starting from this one. If you're a Barlow fanboy, then feel free to switch with Burnt Offerings. They are almost on par anyway.

6. Rage - Black in Mind
- Personally, this might be my favourite power metal album ever. While I don't think it necessarily pioneered anything new, this is a band that put in the work and they have a catalogue that deserves respect. I think everybody should own this album because it smokes.

7. Nightwish - Wishmaster
- this needs to be here for the impact this band has had. You could swap it with Oceanborn if you prefer that one, but Wishmaster to me is their signature album. They kind of took what Stratovarius did and went from there. It's very fast and melodic, almost a blueprint for Euro-power if it wasn't for the female vocals. And those vocals do make it unique for its time. Now there are plenty of copycats of course.

8. Grave Digger - Tunes of War
- that song Rebellion has universal appeal among metal fans. And this is a respected record, found in a lot of CD collections. Fast and fun and gritty.

9. Riot - Thundersteel
- Painkiller before Painkiller was a thing. A band that didn't always necessarily even play power metal, ends up recording a definitive power metal record in 1988 (good year in metal).

10. Metal Church - Blessing in Disguise
- I maybe wanted to put their earlier work here, but in the end it's Blessing in Disguise because I like Mike Howe and because the earlier ones maybe represented something that died with the lineup change. This one had a more lasting impact and Metal Church needs to be on this list.

I feel like I could do another ten, or a top 50, but I think it's better to show restraint and stop here. It's a top 10. Even if it hurts excluding some of my favourite CDs.

I was inspired by this video (click).

Now you.

I love these type of threads -
because I get to catch some insights in what to maybe buy next.
The forum could all write some great reviews too - lol
Above - I only have 3 and 10.

That's a good list and I agree with most of the bands but I'd swap a few albums:

Blind Guardian - Nightfall In Middle Earth
Savatage - Gutter Ballet
Iced Earth - either Burnt Offerings or Something Wicked This Way Comes
Riot - Fire Down Under

And I totally agree with Wishmaster; that album completely rocked my musical world the first time I heard it.  I've since drifted away from this style of music for the most part but I still spin that one once in a while (Iced Earth too for that matter).

Ded Engine s/t
Running Wild “ Branded and Exiled “
Cities “ Annihilation Absolute “
Meliah Rage “ Kill to Survive “
Lion “ Dangerous Attraction “
Witchkiller “ Day of the Saxon “
Sword “ Metalized “
Witch Cross “ Fit for Fight “
Satan “ Court in the Act “
Grim Reaper “ See You in Hell “
Blacklace s/t

Metal Church-Hanging In the Balance I'm the only one I know who thinks this is their best but it had some epic songs.

Blind Guardian-NIME don't think I need to say anything about this one.

Helloween-Gambling With the Devil I thought they were in coast mode then they came out with this

Iced Earth-Something Wicked This Way Comes Epic, epic, epic.

Savatage-Edge of Thorns Yes, I prefer Zakk over Jon.

Armored Saint-Symbol of Salvation While I missed Dave, they were on fire here.

Liege Lord-Master Control Joe Comeau on vocals put them ahead of the pack.

Sabaton-Attero Dominatus It's fun to listen to.

Tad Morose-Modus Vivendi Urban Breed, 'nough said.

Sword-Metalized Caught lighting on this album.

Dark Horseman wrote:

Armored Saint-Symbol of Salvation While I missed Dave, they were on fire here.

Liege Lord-Master Control Joe Comeau on vocals put them ahead of the pack.

I had that Armored Saint album on my shortlist, and it was one of the very last cuts I made. A great record, almost sounds like a mix of Skid Row and Anthrax, if you were to put them together.

I need to get that Liege Lord CD. I loved Comeau in Annihilator.

Man, I have to give this some thought. Some great answers already...

I would have no idea whom had the biggest impact. And my definition of "Power Metal" kind of goes along the lines of speedy riffs, clean soaring vox, and too many solos. I am not a big fan, but I can, at least, name 10 that I like, if that works.


Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King
Blind Guardian - Battalions of Fear
Helloween - Walls of Jericho
ASKA - Absolute Power
Conception - The Last Sunset
Rob Rock - Rage of Creation
Seven Witches - Second War in Heaven
Holy Mother - My World War
Burning Starr - No Turning Back
Attacker - Soul Taker

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS wrote:

Rob Rock - Rage of Creation

It is his first solo record, and thus probably the most important, but I got to say it's only like my third favourite of his. And he only has four albums! I much prefer both Holy Hell and especially Garden of Chaos.

Still, a good album though. I can see it being on a top ten list, but I just had to opine on this.

Lari wrote:

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS wrote:

Rob Rock - Rage of Creation

It is his first solo record, and thus probably the most important, but I got to say it's only like my third favourite of his. And he only has four albums! I much prefer both Holy Hell and especially Garden of Chaos.

Still, a good album though. I can see it being on a top ten list, but I just had to opine on this.

I guess I have all four, plus the Driver demos [not sure if that was official]. I like them all, but Rage was the one that popped to mind right away.

Dark Horseman wrote:

Tad Morose-Modus Vivendi  Urban Breed, 'nough said.

I've seen Tad Morose live, and Urban Breed sounded phenomenal, but to this day the only album of his I've ever bought was Serious Black - As Daylight Breaks. And I think I bought that more because of Thomen Stauch and Roland Grapow. But Urban Breed does sound good on that record.

Obviously that whole Serious Black project is a minor player in the power metal field.

Urban is a one of a kind vocalist imo, makes everything better.
Good call on Conception, Uncle.

Can't believe no one has mentioned the great Fates Warning yet. No list is complete without them.

Fates Warning- Awaken the Guardian
Helloween- Keeper, part 1 and 2
Iced Earth- Something Wicked and The Glorious Burden
Winters Bane- Heart of a Killer
Warrior- The Code of Life
Armored Saint- Symbol of Salvation
Sanctuary- Refuge Denied
Edguy- Hellfire Club
Theocracy- Mirror of Souls
Helstar- Nosferatu

I can't believe i still don't own Keeper II.

Here is a monster of a song by a band that should not be ignored:

Would this qualify as power metal? If so, this is one hell of an album:

Warrior is a good call.
Ram is more of a Retro, NWOBHM sound but of course American power metal leans that way.

1.) Helloween - Keepers Pt.1
2.) Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King
3.) Leatherwolf - S/T '87
4.) Armored Saint - S/T
5.) Liege Lord - Master Control
6.) Chastain - For Those Who Dare
7.) Shok Paris - Steel and Starlight
8.) Cities - Annihilation Absolute
9.) Razormaid - Razormaid
10.) Warrior - Fighting For the Earth

Nice list Sentinel, it was hard to leave Leatherwolf off.

Thrasher73 wrote:

Winters Bane- Heart of a Killer

\m/ \m/

I used to listen to this one every day for months.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Thrasher73 wrote:

Winters Bane- Heart of a Killer

\m/ \m/

I used to listen to this one every day for months.

Great record

scottmitchell74 wrote:

Man, I have to give this some thought. Some great answers already...

Your time's up, where your list!?

1a - Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle-Earth - The perfect Powermetal album. I simply can't believe how good this is. I love every note (not counting the interludes, which don't bother me, I just skip them) Speed, skill, strong vocals, awesome lyrics!, this had it all for me. The girls and I were playing Clue and listening to this, #1b and #6 last night. Metal!

1b - Timeless Miracle - Into the Enchanted Chamber - greatest one-album-wonder ever. I simply can't believe how good this is. I love every note, including interludes. I love the vocals, the melodies, the keys.

3 - Cage - Hell Destoyer - This is so heavy, so fast, yet so melodic. Man, this is why heavy metal was invented...to get to this album. Sean Peck is the new Metal God.

4 - Masterplan - Aeronautics - This sounds like is was written specifically for Jorn Lande's voice. This is smooth, fast, powerful yet at times crunchy and ballsy. No mistakes. It might be one of the best executed albums in Metal history (in my opinion).

5 - Wuthering Heights - Far From the Madding Crowd - The voice. The musical tightness and execution. The songwriting, the lyrics, the melodies. Man, this album is so well done. I want to be and do everything this album is singing/playing about when I hear it.

6 - Theocracy - Mirror of Souls - How (basically) one man can be responsible for so much awesomeness is amazing to me. This is so melodic, so lightning fast and has such great and meaningful lyrics. I shake my head in awe every time I listen to it. It also has my 6 year old's favorite Metal song, so that matters big time.

7 - Falconer - Northwind - So many Falconer albums could be in this spot, but this is the one where I think they absolutely hit a home run. Perfect Voice. Perfect Melody. Perfect Riffs from the best riff writer in my book. This gives me a far-away dreamy fealing when I listen to it.

8 - Sonata Arctica - Silence - I love everything they do, but this is the one where they put it all together, in my opinion. The super-fast songs are great. Then, they slow it down and write great ballad type songs.

9 - Brainstorm - Liquid Monster - This album sounds like an angry band that cares. These songs all weigh more, if that makes sense. Such power, speed, precision and gritty/dirty sounding vocals. Their zenith.

10 - Tyr - By the Light of the Northern Star - Awesome! That's the one word description I wrote when taking notes for this album when first researching my 2009 purchases. This album is catchiness in a bottle. The songs are such great sing-along anthems that I - I kid you not - want to now go to the Faroe Islands and learn more. I went so far as to check flights. Ain't gonna happen (at least for years), but I researched the Faroe Islands on the web. Very interesting. Bonus points for being my 9 year old's "homework music" lately.

scottmitchell74 wrote:

1a - Blind Guardian - Nightfall in Middle-Earth - The perfect Powermetal album. I simply can't believe how good this is. I love every note (not counting the interludes, which don't bother me, I just skip them) Speed, skill, strong vocals, awesome lyrics!, this had it all for me. The girls and I were playing Clue and listening to this, #1b and #6 last night. Metal!

1b - Timeless Miracle - Into the Enchanted Chamber - greatest one-album-wonder ever. I simply can't believe how good this is. I love every note, including interludes. I love the vocals, the melodies, the keys.

3 - Cage - Hell Destoyer - This is so heavy, so fast, yet so melodic. Man, this is why heavy metal was invented...to get to this album. Sean Peck is the new Metal God.

4 - Masterplan - Aeronautics - This sounds like is was written specifically for Jorn Lande's voice. This is smooth, fast, powerful yet at times crunchy and ballsy. No mistakes. It might be one of the best executed albums in Metal history (in my opinion).

5 - Wuthering Heights - Far From the Madding Crowd - The voice. The musical tightness and execution. The songwriting, the lyrics, the melodies. Man, this album is so well done. I want to be and do everything this album is singing/playing about when I hear it.

6 - Theocracy - Mirror of Souls - How (basically) one man can be responsible for so much awesomeness is amazing to me. This is so melodic, so lightning fast and has such great and meaningful lyrics. I shake my head in awe every time I listen to it. It also has my 6 year old's favorite Metal song, so that matters big time.

7 - Falconer - Northwind - So many Falconer albums could be in this spot, but this is the one where I think they absolutely hit a home run. Perfect Voice. Perfect Melody. Perfect Riffs from the best riff writer in my book. This gives me a far-away dreamy fealing when I listen to it.

8 - Sonata Arctica - Silence - I love everything they do, but this is the one where they put it all together, in my opinion. The super-fast songs are great. Then, they slow it down and write great ballad type songs.

9 - Brainstorm - Liquid Monster - This album sounds like an angry band that cares. These songs all weigh more, if that makes sense. Such power, speed, precision and gritty/dirty sounding vocals. Their zenith.

10 - Tyr - By the Light of the Northern Star - Awesome! That's the one word description I wrote when taking notes for this album when first researching my 2009 purchases. This album is catchiness in a bottle. The songs are such great sing-along anthems that I - I kid you not - want to now go to the Faroe Islands and learn more. I went so far as to check flights. Ain't gonna happen (at least for years), but I researched the Faroe Islands on the web. Very interesting. Bonus points for being my 9 year old's "homework music" lately.

 Wow.  I thought I was "over" power metal.

Then I read this list.  I love 1,5,6,7,8 and 9. 

I guess I'm maybe only over "new" power metal; the "classics" still rock my musical world.

And I think Brainstorm should just hang it up; they will NEVER come up with anything as great as Liquid Monster.  It's like expecting Boston to ever top their S/T.

Dark Horseman wrote:

Nice list Sentinel, it was hard to leave Leatherwolf off.

Thanks, brother. It was tough to narrow them down and have to leave out other faves like Lion, Blind Guardian, etc.