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Metal Forum Top 10 Power Metal Bands


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Re: Metal Forum Top 10 Power Metal Bands

Well' date=' I personally would put Symphony X at maybe 12th place or something.[/quote'] More prog than power, but I was more inquiring about bands like Riot, Jag Panzer, Helstar, Savatage, Crimson Glory, early Fates Warning, early Queensryche, etc... Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2
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More prog than power' date=' but I was more inquiring about bands like Riot, Jag Panzer, Helstar, Savatage, Crimson Glory, early Fates Warning, early Queensryche, etc...[/quote'] Well, their early material sounds more power metal to me. I'm in the minority in that I actually think Iconoclast is the best Symphony X album. Crimson Glory is good but for some reason I don't like them. I listened to Awaken The Guardian once and don't remember liking it too much though maybe I should try it again. I suppose I should check out Savatage, I've always adored Zak Stevens' voice. What's a good album to start with for them?
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Re: Metal Forum Top 10 Power Metal Bands

Well, their early material sounds more power metal to me. I'm in the minority in that I actually think Iconoclast is the best Symphony X album. Crimson Glory is good but for some reason I don't like them. I listened to Awaken The Guardian once and don't remember liking it too much though maybe I should try it again. I suppose I should check out Savatage, I've always adored Zak Stevens' voice. What's a good album to start with for them?
Gutter Ballet is where I would start, which is the last album with Criss Oliva on guitar before his death, and is also the last album for a few years with Jon Oliva on vocals. I'm honestly not familiar with their output after that, I've heard a few tracks here and there, but nothing that stood out to me as memorable. Maybe give Awaken the Guardian another try, but definitely check out No Exit. If Awaken the Guardian sounds better this time around, try out The Spectre Within as well. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2
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How are there no US power metal bands on that list? Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2
Easily answered question: I simply don't have enough albums by bands or their discography isn't consistent enough for me to justify placing them in said list. Mind you Blind Guardian and Harmony should both be removed from my list for that same reason.
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  • 2 weeks later...

Helstar-A Distant Thunder Vicious Rumors-Digital Dictator Sleepy Hollow-Sleepy Hollow Jag Panzer-Ample Destruction Enchanter-Defenders of the Realm Fates Warning-Awaken the Guardian Manilla Road-Open the Gates Blind Guardian-Imaginations from the other side Dark Quarterer-The Etruscan Prophecy Virgin Steele-Invictus I am leaving a ton out.

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I'm not totally across the entire genre as far as knowledge goes, but I think I can manage ten. In order from Supreme Wizard to Tavern Servant: 

1. Blind Guardian

2. Luca Turilli's Rhapsody

3. Rhapsody of Fire

4. Helloween

5. Sonata Arctica

6. Dragonforce

7. Statovarius

8. Primal Fear

9. Kamelot

10. Iced Earth

 

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I can only list bands from "way back". And I now realize that I can only list German bands.

1. Helloween (up to Keepers)

2. Running Wild (from Port Royal up to The Rivalry included... before that it was heavy/speed metal and after that it's been a sad joke)

3. Blind Guardian

4. Gamma Ray

5. Scanner (first two records)

6. Rage

7. Grave Digger (from "The Reaper" onwards, prior to the 90's reunion they did not use enough double bass drum)

8. Mania 

9. Iron Savior

10. Primal Fear

Although I have that ridiculous box set with all the Iced Earth albums until Horror Show included, I do hate them with a vengeance. Stormrider is sort of good if not great, but whenever I give a try to the other albums I get bored to death. The cover album Tribute to the Gods is also good, but those are covers...

Here's a list of US 80's power(ish) metal bands I like:

1. Malice

2. Crimson Glory

3. Metal Church

4. Lizzy Borden

5. Armored Saint

6. Vicious Rumors

7. Fifth Angel 

8. Leatherwolf

9. Helstar

10. Wild Dogs

I'm keeping both Manowar, Omen and Virgin Steel out of this chart because I'd rather lump them in the Epic Metal camp. It's also fair to say that most of these bands used to border on straight heavy metal (Malice) or flirt with thrash metal (Metal Church, Vicious Rumors)... but hey, in the days of "Kill em All" even Metallica were labeled "power metal" or "the Us answer to "Fast as a Shark"!

 

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Yeah, Iced Earth are generally a terrible band. They only appeared at number 10 on my list because I ran out of power metal bands that I knew much about. Apart from 'The Glorious Burden' I really find them about as interesting as doing a tax return. 

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I can only list bands from "way back". And I now realize that I can only list German bands.

1. Helloween (up to Keepers)

2. Running Wild (from Port Royal up to The Rivalry included... before that it was heavy/speed metal and after that it's been a sad joke)

3. Blind Guardian

4. Gamma Ray

5. Scanner (first two records)

6. Rage

7. Grave Digger (from "The Reaper" onwards, prior to the 90's reunion they did not use enough double bass drum)

8. Mania 

9. Iron Savior

10. Primal Fear

Although I have that ridiculous box set with all the Iced Earth albums until Horror Show included, I do hate them with a vengeance. Stormrider is sort of good if not great, but whenever I give a try to the other albums I get bored to death. The cover album Tribute to the Gods is also good, but those are covers...

Here's a list of US 80's power(ish) metal bands I like:

1. Malice

2. Crimson Glory

3. Metal Church

4. Lizzy Borden

5. Armored Saint

6. Vicious Rumors

7. Fifth Angel 

8. Leatherwolf

9. Helstar

10. Wild Dogs

I'm keeping both Manowar, Omen and Virgin Steel out of this chart because I'd rather lump them in the Epic Metal camp. It's also fair to say that most of these bands used to border on straight heavy metal (Malice) or flirt with thrash metal (Metal Church, Vicious Rumors)... but hey, in the days of "Kill em All" even Metallica were labeled "power metal" or "the Us answer to "Fast as a Shark"!

 

 

Pretty much all of those choices would count as power metal, other than Manowar anyway. Who cares if you can only list the old stuff? New power metal is shit!

 

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Fuck yeah! And I want to stress that I love MALICE!

It's so close to Priest, I cannot but adore them!

I have this theory. Once upon a time in the 80's there were three bands in Portland, Oregon. One band chose the Def Leppard route, another the Judas Priest route and the third one the Saxon route.

Those three bands drove all the way down to California and swapped members in the process.

I am talking about Black n Blue, Malice and Wild Dogs.

Those were the days.

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  • 1 month later...

1. Stratovarius

2. Sonata Arctica

These are my favorites, I know and love almost anything Sonata does, with Stratovarius I was a HUGE, HUGE fan of 'Infinity', but I listened to other records too.

3. Iced Earth

4. Kamelot

5. Hammerfall

Not a big fan, but I really enjoyed different tracks from different periods, I even sang some IE and Hammerfall stuff and enjoyed it.

 6. Sabaton

Really awesome live band.

7. Dream Evil

'Book of Heavy Metal'. Nothing more to say.

8. Dragonforce

I like that crazy speed.

Not exactly top ten bu I think it's ok.

 

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1. Stratovarius

2. Sonata Arctica

These are my favorites, I know and love almost anything Sonata does, with Stratovarius I was a HUGE, HUGE fan of 'Infinity', but I listened to other records too.

3. Iced Earth

4. Kamelot

5. Hammerfall

Not a big fan, but I really enjoyed different tracks from different periods, I even sang some IE and Hammerfall stuff and enjoyed it.

 6. Sabaton

Really awesome live band.

7. Dream Evil

'Book of Heavy Metal'. Nothing more to say.

8. Dragonforce

I like that crazy speed.

Not exactly top ten bu I think it's ok.

 

 

Definitely check out some of the other bands that have been mentioned here then. There's plenty of good power metal, but most of it existed in the 80's, and the stuff that everyone buys these days does nothing for me.

 

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5 hours ago, BlutAusNerd said:

 

Definitely check out some of the other bands that have been mentioned here then. There's plenty of good power metal, but most of it existed in the 80's, and the stuff that everyone buys these days does nothing for me.

 

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You should listen to some Manticora if you haven't. 

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Kristiko's list doesn't do it for me. My preferences lie elsewhere but credit to him for backing in the bands he loves listening to.

 

Now if I were to make a list it would be something like this:

 

1. Persuader

These guys are like an angrier Blind Guardian and that's as awesome as it sounds.

2. Demons & Wizards

What happens when you take the best parts of Iced Earth and fuse them with the best elements of Blind Guardian? You get this and it's incredible

3. Jag Panzer

These guys do everything right. Great riffs, hard hitting vocals, do yourself a favour and check 'em out.

4. Nevermore

Sure they aren't the most consistently amazing band but when Warrell and co are on it's incredible. Dreaming Neon Black anyone?

5. Fates Warning

Do I even need to explain this one?

6. Crimson Glory

Take Fates Warning, lighten the tone a bit, this is what you get. First tow albums in particular are phenomenal.

7. Blind Guardian

Epic songwriting, fantastic vocals. catchy choruses, and all inspired by J.R.R Tolkien? Yes please.

May have run out of bands at this point...

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On 29.6.2017. at 1:31 PM, RelentlessOblivion said:

Kristiko's list doesn't do it for me. My preferences lie elsewhere but credit to him for backing in the bands he loves listening to.

 

Now if I were to make a list it would be something like this:

 

1. Persuader

These guys are like an angrier Blind Guardian and that's as awesome as it sounds.

2. Demons & Wizards

What happens when you take the best parts of Iced Earth and fuse them with the best elements of Blind Guardian? You get this and it's incredible

3. Jag Panzer

These guys do everything right. Great riffs, hard hitting vocals, do yourself a favour and check 'em out.

4. Nevermore

Sure they aren't the most consistently amazing band but when Warrell and co are on it's incredible. Dreaming Neon Black anyone?

5. Fates Warning

Do I even need to explain this one?

6. Crimson Glory

Take Fates Warning, lighten the tone a bit, this is what you get. First tow albums in particular are phenomenal.

7. Blind Guardian

Epic songwriting, fantastic vocals. catchy choruses, and all inspired by J.R.R Tolkien? Yes please.

May have run out of bands at this point...

Demons and Wizards, damn, I listened "My Last Sunrise" more than a decade ago, I reminded myself right now. 

Again, when we talk about a band like Nevermore, I have their album "This Godless Endevavor" almost ten years on my computer, I always liked "Born" and "Medicated Nation" but nothing much more aside from that. That record has a great production, pretty powerful stuff.

Fates Warning listened only once live, great, I was surprised that riffs are so heavy considering that they are more of a 80s band.

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On 29.6.2017. at 1:31 PM, RelentlessOblivion said: Kristiko's list doesn't do it for me. My preferences lie elsewhere but credit to him for backing in the bands he loves listening to.

 

Now if I were to make a list it would be something like this:

 

1. Persuader

These guys are like an angrier Blind Guardian and that's as awesome as it sounds.

2. Demons & Wizards

What happens when you take the best parts of Iced Earth and fuse them with the best elements of Blind Guardian? You get this and it's incredible

3. Jag Panzer

These guys do everything right. Great riffs, hard hitting vocals, do yourself a favour and check 'em out.

4. Nevermore

Sure they aren't the most consistently amazing band but when Warrell and co are on it's incredible. Dreaming Neon Black anyone?

5. Fates Warning

Do I even need to explain this one?

6. Crimson Glory

Take Fates Warning, lighten the tone a bit, this is what you get. First tow albums in particular are phenomenal.

7. Blind Guardian

Epic songwriting, fantastic vocals. catchy choruses, and all inspired by J.R.R Tolkien? Yes please.

May have run out of bands at this point...

Demons and Wizards, damn, I listened "My Last Sunrise" more than a decade ago, I reminded myself right now. 

Again, when we talk about a band like Nevermore, I have their album "This Godless Endevavor" almost ten years on my computer, I always liked "Born" and "Medicated Nation" but nothing much more aside from that. That record has a great production, pretty powerful stuff.

Fates Warning listened only once live, great, I was surprised that riffs are so heavy considering that they are more of a 80s band.

 

Fates Warning was one of the best bands of the 80's AFAIC, but don't get much credit for it these days.

 

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

 

 

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