Power Metal

Same... lots of stuff out there to flesh out the emotional spectrum..

Fates Warning(John Arch-era).

SAXON1500 wrote:

Not a fan in the slightest. All sounds the same to me. But there is always exceptions. And that exception, to my ears, is Conception. Those guys flat out SHRED!!!! And I recently listened to an Angel Dust album that I did not immediately turn off [Enlighten the Darkness]. So maybe there is hope for me yet? Kmorg - please do not respond to my post. Thank you.

Saxon, my brother, you of all people should know that you LOVE power metal. The real power metal, as in older Savatage, Metal Church, Powermad, Helstar etc. It's the fluffy modern European stuff you can't handle. And Conception is prog metal, not power metal. not even the "modern" kind.

You have many reviews of "fluffy" music... why berate something you like?

Orion Crystal Ice wrote:

You have many reviews of "fluffy" music... why berate something you like?

Oh, don't get me wrong. I love the stuff! I'm just trying to simplify the differences between the power metal of old, and what is called pm today.

Quote :

The real power metal, as in older Savatage,

I thought that they weren't power metal?

Now I know why i hate genres.

Wow this got a lot of comments. Awesome. Thanks guys I'll have to look into all this stuff.

post 2000 I've gone ahead and merged my prog metal, power metal, euro melodic, and neo-traditional metal playlists into one big one. they sound just fine together, and I don't have to try to figure out these definitions that are constantly morphing anymore.

Quote :

Saxon, my brother, you of all people should know that you LOVE power metal. The real power metal, as in older Savatage, Metal Church, Powermad, Helstar etc. It's the fluffy modern European stuff you can't handle. And Conception is prog metal, not power metal. not even the "modern" kind.

Ok - Totally agree with every word of that. But, yeah, when I hear the term "Power Metal", I automatically think of all the Helloween clones and Hammerfall, Edguy, Stratovarius, and the rest of the samey-sounding garbage.

And If Conception is prog, then I love 1 90's prog band too.

I agree Sax. the whole pm genre is too crowded with lots and lots of subpar bands and labels. the amount of re-tread is obnoxious....

Alex

kmorg wrote:

I'm just trying to simplify the differences between the power metal of old, and what is called pm today.

Man I'm really out of touch. When I saw the title "Power Metal" the first bands I thought of were Savatage, Metal Church, Overkill, Running Wild, etc.

Just an old fart am I.

No you're not. Your definition is as good as anybody elses. There are at least 300 definitions I've seen on this board for power metal. None of them make sense to me despite the fact that I probley have 80% of the albums mentioned.

Some additions, that Banjoman could check out:

Falconer
Grave Digger
Rage
Gun Barrel
Elvenking
Majesty
Masterplan
Mystic Prophecy
Seven Witches
Wuthering Heights
Silent Force

Cryonic Temple
Human Fortress (first 2 [3 maybe] albums)
Rob Rock
Avantasia (first 2, Scarecrow is more melodic metal)
Alestorm
Galloglass
Gothic Knights
Axenstar
Royal Hunt (though more progressive)
Cydonia
late Axxis
Hammerfall (though someone probably mentioned them)
Seventh Avenue
Jacob's Dream (first 2)
Axel Rudi Pell
Narnia
Metalium
Dawnrider
Jag Panzer
Lanfear
Primal Fear
Sacred Warrior
Symphorce
Twisted Tower Dire
Tribuzy
Pyramaze

SAHB Healer wrote:

No you're not. Your definition is as good as anybody elses. There are at least 300 definitions I've seen on this board for power metal. None of them make sense to me despite the fact that I probley have 80% of the albums mentioned.

Yea, what he said. I've always thought that "power metal" was one of the most useless "genre classifications" out there because if you ask a hundred people what "power metal" is, you're gonna get 100 different answers.

detuned wrote:

Just an old fart am I.

At least you admit it

See - Now you guys are naming a bunch of bands that I DO enjoy, but never really thought was "power metal":

Rob Rock
Seven Witches [and anything Rivera-related]
ARP
Sacred Warrior?

and alot of bands that were cool, then became crappy:

Rage
Jag Panzer
Grave Digger

Helstar, old Fates Warning, Sacred Warrior, that is true arcane power metal to me.

Bands like old Metal Church, Running Wild, old Rage, 1st 3 Helloween records is what I always thought was "Speed Metal".

Fat Freddy wrote:

SAHB Healer wrote:

No you're not. Your definition is as good as anybody elses. There are at least 300 definitions I've seen on this board for power metal. None of them make sense to me despite the fact that I probley have 80% of the albums mentioned.

Yea, what he said. I've always thought that "power metal" was one of the most useless "genre classifications" out there because if you ask a hundred people what "power metal" is, you're gonna get 100 different answers.

I agree

I've never understood why this is so difficult. I know ultmetal and Temple Of Blood agrees with me on this.

Power metal was a definition for bands heavier than classic heavy metal, but not as fast and/or aggressive as thrash metal. Yes, speed metal was sort of lumoed together with power metal. But speed metal also usually was fast, but maybe not as aggresisive, and usually had high pitched vocals. Here are some examples:

Power metal:

Metal Church
Savatage (up 'til Hall of the Montain King anyway)
Malteze
Armageddon
Armored Saint
Seven Witches
Distant Thunder
Wayne
Overlorde
Destiny's End
Vicious Rumors
Onward

Speed metal:

Agent Steel
Deliverance (first 3 albums)
Messiah Force
Helloween (w/Kai Hansen singing)

In between:

Helstar
New Eden
Steel Prophet

kmorg wrote:

I've never understood why this is so difficult. I know ultmetal and Temple Of Blood agrees with me on this.

If I don't agree, do I forfeit my free foot rub you promised me if I came to Norway on holiday?

spectrefate wrote:

kmorg wrote:

I've never understood why this is so difficult. I know ultmetal and Temple Of Blood agrees with me on this.

If I don't agree, do I forfeit my free foot rub you promised me if I came to Norway on holiday?

NO footrub for yoo!

I totally agree with your definition of the three,Kmorg.

But I'll pass on a foot rub

I see there is a lot of discussion on the definition of Power Metal here. The way I see it, or really what I'm looking for I guess, is the epic fantasy dungeons & dragons cheesy stuff. With fast playing, lots of lead guitar and high pitched vocals. And the more over the top Blind Guardianish it is the better

I'm with Kmorg as well. And even if you don't consider most of Savatage's music power, it's still progressive.

Plus, it rules.