Essential Power Metal Albums | Lock Horns

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Lock Horns with us in the live chat exclusively on Twitch every Wednesday 4:30 pm EST / 1:30pm PST Follow us on TWITCH: http://twitch.tv/bangertv

This week Grant Truesdell of @Unleash The Archers joins us to decide the top 10 essential power metal albums.

Check out Grant’s Essential Power Metal playlist on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0SWUIcvS7mXJgI3OZkg4lU?si=uumyNUu9ToO2sKEQUEBelA

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42 thoughts on “Essential Power Metal Albums | Lock Horns”

  5. I would say that Power Metal is 2 genres. One is the USPM sound that developed in the first half of the 80's in the US and then the more melodic european variant. USPM: Helstar, Jag Panzer, Omen, etc. Euro PM: Blind Guardian, Helloween and Gammaray.

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  6. BangerTV, will YT not let you play excerpts for these shows? I know they've been weird w/Metal Monthly. Although this one had a ton of classics, hearing some of these bands would be great, while you're discussing them.

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  7. Just picked up the new G.I.V.E. Unnatural CD and it rocks! Are you planning on reviewing it? It is awesome AF! I streamed it so much, I bought the CD. HAHA. Great video.

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  10. If we're talking essentials, I think it would prudent to split European power metal from US power metal since the sound between the two differs enough to be a different scene. I suppose the closest parallel would be Death Metal and Swedish Death Metal. Both share elements and of course there will be bands from either place that defy the rule, but for the most part, at the blossoming of the scene, the sounds were different. Here would be my lists:

    European (in no particular order):

    1. Blind Guardian – Somewhere Far Beyond (it's their first real power metal album. The previous albums are fantastic but still retain a lot of that speed metal feel).

    2. Gamma Ray – Land of the Free (I think I personally prefer Somewhere Out in Space or No World Order, but I think LOTF is the most influential)

    3. Helloween – Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I & II (I don't think you can really separate these two)

    4. Rhapsody – Power of the Dragonflame (any of the first five albums could really be up here)

    5. Sabaton – Primo Victoria

    6. Stratovarius – Destiny (or Visions)

    7. Hammerfall – Glory to the Brave (not my personal favorite but it was significant in reviving the scene)

    8. Angra – Temple of Shadows (or Angels Cry)

    9. Sonata Arctica – Winterheart's Guild

    10. Avantasia – The Metal Opera

    There are a few bands I'm not sure whether to include or not and I think they could easily replace any of the bands on this list other than Blind Guardian, Helloween, Gamma Ray, and Rhapsody. Running Wild's Black Hand Inn is one of my favorite albums of all time and is definitely the one often considered best by the band (though pretty much everything up through Victory is awesome). I just don't know about considering Running Wild "pure" power metal. They have a lot of speed and heavy metal elements. There are other bands I'm not sure to include based upon not having enough influence. Their music is amazing, but I don't think they had a huge impact: Powerwolf – Blood of the Saints, Edguy – Mandrake OR Theater of Salvation, Crimson Glory – Crimson Glory OR Transcendance, Dragonforce – Inhuman Rampage, Freedom Call – Eternity, Heavenly – Sign of the Winner OR Dust to Dust, Iron Savior – Iron Savior, Lost Horizon – Awakening the World OR A Flame to the Ground Beneath, Nocturnal Rites – Shadowland OR Tales of Mystery and Imagination, Royal Jester – Night Is Young, Timeless Miracle – Into the Enchanted Chamber

    I'm not nearly as familiar with US power metal but there are some albums I think should be in the top 10.

    1. Virgin Steel – The Marriage of Heaven and Hell I, II, or Invictus

    2. Symphony X – The Divine Wings of Tragedy OR The Odyssey

    3. Savatage – In the Hall of the Mountain King

    4. Riot – Thundersteel

    5. Manowar – Hail to England, Sign of the Hammer, Kings of Metal, OR The Triumph of Steel

    6. Manilla Road – Crystal Logic

    7. Jag Panzer – Ample Destruction

    8. Iced Earth – Burnt Offerings OR Night of the Stormrider

    9. Helstar – Nosferatu

    10 – Armored Saint – Symbol of Salvation

    Honorable mentions would be Omen – Battle Cry, Queensryche – Operation: Mindcrime,

    Also, there's some other bands I think could make the list, though I wouldn't put them because of not fitting into the genre and/or not having enough influence. I personally think they're symphonic metal, but one could make an argument for Nightwish, Epica, Within Temptation, Kamelot, and Therion. Stormwarrior, Primal Fear, Firewind, Crystal Eyes, Brainstorm, and Sacred Steel.

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  11. I'm sure this is just a gripe stemming from me being old and grumpy, but I think I now hate the Banger guitar riffs. Is that a Twitch thing? I feel like it's making me insane and not in a cool metal way

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  20. It’s very rare that new power metal excites me and I never really gave Unleash the Archers a chance, but after this I decided I would give Apex a shot and…

    HOLY FUCK! This is so damn good. And a top-tier workout album to boot. Thanks to Grant and thanks to Banger!

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  27. It feels like there was a big focus on 00s (or later) albums, but power metal was around since the 80s. So many important bands from the previous decades were missed. This focus also effectively excluded the entire US strain of power metal, which was very influential to the genre even if the European strain has endured more.

    Rage? Grave Digger? Running Wild? Jag Panzer? Virgin Steele? Savatage?

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  34. Yall are letting your political views disregard Iced Earth. They are an essential Power Metal Band. Jon schaffner's actions pale in comparison to so many other metal artists that continue to be celebrated. Pathetic

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  36. If the keyboards sound like a synth it’s definitely power metal. If the keyboards sound like strings/horns/winds it could be either depending on the balance between guitar and keys. It’s symphonic metal if the keyboards are the main instrument and the guitars play mostly chords and gallops. It’s power metal if the guitars are the main instrument and the keyboards add layers and the occasional melody. If the balance is pretty equal I guess you could call it symphonic power metal.

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  37. Sometimes the bonus tracks are one of the best songs but the label wouldn’t put them on the album. Broken One by Trivium is a good example. They wanted to put it on The Crusade but their label said no and had them put The Rising instead.

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  42. So, I kind of slept on the 2020 serenity album "the last knight". And the past 2 weeks it hasnt left the cd player in my car. I dont think there is a bad track on it.

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