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Star in the night
And a bearer of hope
He rides into his glorious battle alone.
Farewell to the valiant warlord.
You say you want some metal
I’ll give you all I’ve got
My deadly grasp is lethal
This force will never stop
Power Metal!
Power metal is a subgenre of metal which grew out of classic heavy metal and speed metal with the help of progressive rock in the late Eighties, and is characterized by a more melodic sound than most other subgenres. An emphasis on speed, especially fast guitar solos is also frequently present. Many power metal bands also have fantasy based lyrics and themes with singing styles usually being higher pitched clean vocals, operatic vocals or Soprano and Gravel, however, lower vocals are not unheard of.
Because the genre formed practically simultanously in Europe and North America, there are distinct differences in styles from the two scenes. While both scenes share the same new wave of British heavy metal influence, American styled power metal tends to be also influenced by classic thrash metal and is codified with bands such as Iced Earth, Brocas Helm and Jag Panzer, while European power metal is also influenced by Progressive Rock and Progressive Metal which causes European bands to be more melodic and more focus on keyboards and is codified with bands such as Blind Guardian, Rhapsody Of Fire and Nightwish. To add to this, in relatively recent years, the Japanese power metal scene has begun to produce its own brand of power metal with most bands producing styles and sounds reminiscent of neo-classical metal bands like Stratovarius and Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force. Japanese codifiers include Galneryus, Concerto Moon and Versailles.
Power metal is also known for the ease it can be fused with other styles to the point that Symphonic Metal, Neo-Classical Metal and, correctly or otherwise, Progressive Metal are often considered directly linked to power metal. 3 Inches of Blood is a blatant fusion of Thrash Metal and power metal and Symphony X is the Trope Codifier of progressive power metal.
Or in laymans' terms: Power metal is what would happen if you take five teenagers, lock them in a room with every Iron Maiden, Rush and Metallica CD ever, a few classical records, and every Dungeons & Dragons sourcebook ever, let them out ten years later, and made them really good at playing instruments.
Examples of bands frequently associated with power metal: Due to the stylistic differences between American, European, and Japanese Power Metal, this list is sorted by region. American Power Metal
Tropes commonly associated with power metal:
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