POWER METAL FAQ by Feanor Q: What is exactly power metal? A: In second half of 80' new metal genre was form as evolution of heavy and trash metal, and it was called the power metal. Bands taken as the first power metal bands are running wild and helloween and they were very trash influenced at the time. From year to year power became more melodic and caracteristic for it self. Characteristics of today's power metal and difrences from 70's and 80' metal are: it's more melodic, it's faster, vocals are high-pitched (clear), riffs are played in quarts and powerchords, keyboards are frequenntly used, twin pedals are used and lyric are inspired with fantasy and epic storys (but not nececerily).

Q: What bends play power metal? A: Abraxas, Afterworld, Angel Dust, Angra, Arachnes. Archangel, Athena, At Vance, Avalon, Avantasia, Balance of Power, Beholder, Black Symphony, Blind Guardian, Brainstorm, Brayndance, Breaker, Burning Hell, Burning Point, Cage, Chimaera, Chinchilla, Concerto Moon, Cryonic Temple, Crystal Eyes, Cydonia, Dark Moor, Demons & Wizards, Delpht, Desire, Destiny's End, DGM, Domine, Double Dealer, Dr Sin, Dragonheart, Dragonland, Drakkar, Dreams of sanity, Dyslesia, Edguy, Edenbridge, Eldritch, Elvenking, Enola Gay, Evergrey, Excelsis, Falconer, Fison, Freedom Call, Gamma Ray, Grave Digger, HammerFall, Hanker, Headstone epitaph, Heavenly, Heavens Gate, Heimdall, Helloween, Heresy, Hollow, Holy Knights, Hrossharsgrani, Human Fortress, Hyperion, Iced Earth, Insania, Intense, Iron Fire, Iron Savior, Jacob's Dream, Jag Panzer, Kamelot, Labyrinth, Legionaires, Lions Share, Lost Horizon, Logar's Diary, Luca Turilli, Magnitude 9, Majestic, Manticora, Mennen, Mercury Falling, Mesmerize, Metalium, Mind Ashses, Mind Masque, Mind Odyssey, Mob Rules, Momento Mori, Morgana Lefay, Morifade, Morrigan, Narnia, New Eden, Nightmare, Nightwish, Nocturnal Rites, Nostradameus, Oratory, Paragon, Pegazus, Personal War, Pink Cream 69, Primal Fear, Power Symphony, Rage, Rawhead Rexx, Rhapsody, Rebellion, Reign of Terror, Rikitix, Ring Of Fire, Riot, Rolen, Rough Silk, Royal Hunt, Running Wild, Sacred Steel, Secret Sphere, Shaman, Shock Machine, Silent Force, Sinner, Sinergy, Skylark, Sorcerer, Steel Attack, Steeler, Steel Dragon, Steel Prophet, Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica, Squealer, Supreme Majesty, Symbols, Tad Morose, Taraxacum, Telltalehard, Time Machine, The Storyteller, Thought Sphere, Thy Majestie, Twilight Guardians, Twisted Tower Dire, Uirapuru, Virgin Steele, Unreal, Viper, Virgo, Vision Divine, White Skull, Wicked Mystic, Winterlong, Wisdom Call, Wolf, Wuthering Heights, Zonata This is the list of power metal bands I colected so far. There is a posibilaty that some of these bands are not power metal, because I heavent heard them all, but soon as I find out that they are not I will erase them from the list. Also some of the bands are not clearly power bands but have some characteristic in their music. I would like to thank all the people that helped me to create this list. Q:In wich countries is power metal moast popular? A:I would say that Germany and Italy have the moast powerful power metal scene. Q:What is the conection betwien power metal and fantasy?

A:Many bends like Bilind Guadian have lyrics influenced with fantasy storys like JRR Tolkiens Lord of the Rings, Troyan Wars saga, King Arthur Saga or bunch of storys on sword & sorcery thematics... Some of the bends have their own concept storys. Q:I'm new with this music. What bands/albums do you recomend me to start with? A:Well for start maby you should try listening to Helloween (Keeper of the Seven Keys, Time of the Oath), Blind Guardian (Imaginations from the Other Side, Nightfall in the Middle Earth) or Stratovarius (Visions). HammerFall, Nightwish, Iced Earth and Rhapsody are also good bends to start with.