The power metal is a kind of heavy metal which aims at evoking a feeling epic by incorporating characteristics mainly traditional metal as well as Thrash metal or Speed metal, often in a symphonic context. There is debate around the term, which can sometimes mean two similar but different styles: one appeared and largely played in North America, and one based in Germany and Scandinavia. In its contemporary use, the " term; power metal" generally speak about the Européen style (although the American group Kamelot is a notable exception).

Classic Power Metal

See also: US power metal

The power American metal , like the power European metal, is influenced by the groups Queen, Rainbow, Dio, Judas Priest, Savatage, and Queensrÿche. Some regard modern American groups as Iced Earth, Nevermore, and Symphony X like descendants of this style, but of others declare that the movement died out, choked by other styles like the Thrash metal and the power European metal. In the Years 1980, groups like Lizzy Borden, Savage Grace, Sanctuary, Crimson Glory, Liege Lord, and Jag Panzer represented the power metal of the United States. Others consider that the kind is of return to the United States, with more and more of groups of power metal in American areas like New York (native soil of the pioneers Manowar and Virgin Steele) or the New Jersey (from where the group Symphony X is originating). The group Floridien Kamelot recently appeared as one of the headlight groups of the kind with the exit of the albums Epica and The Black Halo . After Kamelot, the group of power metal Cellador, based in Nebraska, with signed in August 2005 a contract with Metal Blade Records, meaning the return of the style by local group in a recording company considered to the United States.
Examples: Accept, Manowar, Virgin Steele, Jag Panzer, Metal Church, Savatage, HammerFall, Edguy…

Melodic Power Metal

In the middle of the years 1980, European groups like Accept (Germany), Iron Maiden (the United Kingdom), Helloween (Germany), Serious Digger (Germany), and Europe (Sweden) put even more attention on the melody development of the songs. Although, concerning the words, Accept was Hard rock/heavy metal, in fact the musical aspects were important in the development of the power metal. Their existence contributed to the creation of the speed metal, but it is especially the power metal which was influenced. Helloween mixed fronts of speed metal with melody fronts and added powerful vocal techniques similar to those of Iron Maiden (in this manner, the sound was more clean ). So Helloween is largely regarded as the first group of power metal: their albums Keeper off the Seven Keys, Share 1 (in 1987) and Keeper off the Seven Keys, Part 2 (the following year) are revolving important in the kind. After these exits of albums, the " happy metal" (as certain people called it at the time) European had extended through all the continent (particularly in Finland) and throughout the world, although it is particularly less popular with the the United States and in other Anglophones countries. On the other hand, a great festival known under the name of Prog Power arrives every year in several countries like the the United Kingdom and the the United States and attracts many fans of the kind.

But recently, much of groups of power metal gave up the sound " happy metal" of their predecessors, and adopted a sound épique while remaining in the kind of the power metal. Groups as Blind Guardian combined the sound of the power traditional metal with an orchestral bottom just like Heavenly, Sonata Arctica, Sarasvatï, Rhapsody off Fire, or Angra.
Examples: Helloween, Stratovarius, Gamma Ray, Sonata Arctica, DragonForce…

Extreme Power Metal

Aggressive voice virtually identical to the Melodic death metal mixed with the traditional néo and the melody of the clavierists. Not to confuse with Melodic Death even if it is true that it acts more than one Extrême kind. This kind is based in Finland.
Examples: Children off Bodom, Norther, Kalmah, Wintersun, Diablo…

Folk Power Metal

Influences: Skyclad
Examples: Elvenking, Falconer, Ensiferum, Turisas

Prog Power metal

Influences: Savatage, Dream Theater, Watchtower
Examples: Symphony X, Evergrey, Angra, Kamelot, Sonata Arctica…

Symphonic Power Metal

Influences: Stratovarius
Examples: Rhapsody off Fire, Fairyland, Nightwish, Dark Moor

Thrash Power Metal

Influences: Metallica
Examples: Iced Earth, Nevermore, Demons & Wizards, Helstar

Epic Metal

Influences: Rainbow
Examples: Shackled Road, Virgin Steele, Cirith Ungol, Ball-Sagoth

See too

• neo-classic Metal
• Prog metal
• Symphonic metal

Musical characteristics

The power metal places a primary importance at a sound epic, generally at a fast speed (especially because of its influences of the Speed metal), and of the attaching melodies. While the majority of the words of rock'n'roll concentrate on " truth monde" - historical personal experiences, incidents, social comments, etc - the power metal often treats topics epic, cosmological, or Métaphysique S. Beaucoup of songs of power metal draws their inspiration from the Religion and the Mythologie, the Science-fiction and the Fantasy (especially of the High fantasy), and tends to be more optimistic than in the majority of the metal words, with powerful and amusing refrains.

The vocal techniques of the power metal are generally clean , contrary to the Grunt S used in the Death metal, and are delivered by a trained vocalist. According to the tradition established by Bruce Dickinson and Rob Halford, the singers (or singers) of power metal tend to sing with a height more acute E and often in Fausset. The majority of the singers of the kind sing on the level of the Ténor S with the possibility of reaching notes as falsettos (with the notable exceptions of the former leader of Iced Earth, Matt Barlow and the leader of Sabaton, Joakim Broden, who sing is in baritone or low). Some singers, like Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian and Matt Smith of Theocracy, enrengistrent multitrack voices which can point out the public of Queen. Because of the major importance of the vocal technique in the power metal, the vocalists can make either success or the ruin of a group of this kind and generally do not play of an instrument while singing.

The Guitarist S and the Bassiste S of power metal generally play of the fast successions of notes, but change agreements relatively slowly, with a harmonic tempo of once by measurement or more slowly sometimes. Of another with dimensions, demanding and fast solos of guitar are almost always guaranteed.

The Batteur S of power metal generally play with two large cases to add speed, often by exploiting constant flood of sixteen notes per measurement with accents of clear Caisse the rate/rhythm. Some groups defy this formula, but it is almost universal in this kind.

Many groups also play with a clavierist, but the keyboards are not generally the most important instrument in the music. Some groups, as the group Italy N Rhapsody off Fire, were also known to have recorded with more symphonic elements. Rhapsody off Fire calls its style of music " Hollywood metal " , underlining its resemblance with the modern film musics. It must be noted that " Hollywood metal" is not a sub-genus of metal to whole share because only one group claims to form part of it.

The power symphonic metal is more popular in Europe, with the Japan, and in certain countries of South America, like the Brésil, the Venezuela, the Argentine or the Chile, and has an increasingly large popularity in certain parts of the North America, in particular in the province of the Quebec, with the Canada, where there is great number of fans of the kind.

History

The power metal was the most popular the metal shape which could survive without too much of encumber after the decline of the metal of the Années 1990. However, its origins remain discussed:

• the term “power metal” was used for the first time by Ron McGovney in 1982, bass player of Metallica at the time: “ It is funny of history. I was to make print calling cards with the name of the group so that one sends them to persons in charge of club with our demonstration. The chart was just to comprise the logo of Metallica and our phone number. But I found that had the too unspecified air, then I decided to add something under the logo. I did not want to put “hard rock” nor “heavy metal”, then I had idea to put “power metal”. I found that sounded well. In so far as I know, no group had employed this expression before us. ”

• the term “power metal” was used for groups of “ Warriors ”, i.e. groups having a powerful sound and a warlike imagery, in particular Manowar (first album Battle Hymns in 1982) and Running Wild (first album Gates to Purgatory in 1984).

• the term “speed melody” was used to him for Helloween (first album Walls Of Jericho in 1985). At the time, that seemed more one emanation of the Thrash metal, which one called also Speed metal, with a stress laid on the melody (this is in particular obvious for the first albums of Helloween with Michael Kiske with the song).

Currently, the tendency is rather to gather the two branches, which present great similarities.

One can notice that with the wire of time the kind remains very discrete and “underground” in spite of its popularity: full houses of 1500 people in North America, arenas full to crack in Europe and generally, the groups of power metal are at the head of poster of the largest festivals in the open air, in particular it from now on legendary Wacken Open Air in the Land of the Schleswig-Holstein, in Germany (more: 45000 métalleux which meets over three days of festivities).

Various topics

Many topics are approached in the power metal but one can distinguish two from them principal, each one specific according to the branch from which they go down:

• There are initially the groups of power metal epic which take sources in “glory” and the “force” of the “brothers in arms”, the heroes who kill the dragons and release the princess… it is not there a description which wants to turn this kind to derision in spite of its a little “stereotyped” side. This branch of the power metal speaks about Heroic fantasy, dragons and knights. All this glory and this ambition to save the world belong to Manowar. It is not rare only the “Glory of the Brothers of Metal, linked by steel in fusion who run in our veins” is in subject. Imposing anthems and strongly “symphonized” are used.

• the second branch literally wants to be a descendant of the style speed of Helloween. Instead of speaking about glory, to use of méga-symphonies to excess and speaking about works of H.P. Lovecraft and J.R.R. Tolkien, one speaks about things of the life, love, internal wars, feelings. In short of passable things to the Finnish radio. One chooses shorter parts (in the 4-5 minutes) instead of making some 10 minutes movements with final which makes pour tears. The power melody metal direct, concrete, is formed according to concepts of marketing. Soloists and vocal are with the honor, of the refrains easy to retain for the fans and of the subjects which touch everyone and not only the amateurs of whimsical novels and roleplays.

List groups

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