Power Metal American vs Euro The Argument

[Ryacus]

I've saw this argument many times,alot of modern power metal fans reject american power metal as really being power metal calling it "traditional metal" or "power/thrash" american power metal fans usually reject this modern power metal influenced by helloweens keeper albums and many of the bands add even more elements that make it even further from metal such as symphonic power metal,nightwish is a perfect example of this they don't even seem to be metal in my opinon,what do you think of this age old argument,In my opinion real power metal has to actually have power,but some people seem to think power metal should sound weak,happy and have alot of keyboards or weak riffs for some odd reason.

[DaN]

That is indeed one of the most apalling and tragic paradoxes in the "Metal Scene" today. "Power Metal" today seems to mean "Overproduced Symphoninc (Syphilitic?) Upbeat Hurry-Hurry-Metal" - i.e. as powerless as Metal can possibly get

It's getting to the point where you don't want to use the term at all anymore, but how are you then going to referre to the sound of bands like METAL CHURCH, SAVAGE GRACE, HEATHEN'S RAGE, OMEN, JAG PANZER etc?

Perhaps we should seriously consider *CENSORED in a wiff of sanity* the complete line-ups of homovarious and crapsody? I'm at wits end - if you got a better idea, let me know

[Ryacus]

I don't know really,when I mention power metal,extreme metal fans are quick to say "power metal is that weak keyboard shit" or people say "hell yeah man symphony xand rhapsody are so good" I'm like no I mean real power metal and I get a blank look from all sides.

Well Stratovarius had a decent record in the form of Fright Night,I like to mention it to modern Stratovarius fans just to piss them off,Its power/speed without the symphonic bullshit.

"Excellent classically influenced, yet razor sharp metal. Loads of speedy riffs and smoking Yngwie-esque guitar solos. I was actually surprised at how much I liked this album since I had heard some of their awesome later day stuff first. What is cool about this early stuff is that the music is heavier as the band focuses less on technical prowess and sophisticated writing and just lets it rip." from no life 'til metal.

What do you consider bands like Scanner,I've heard them called speed metal and I've heard many people say they've influenced this modern sound as well in bands like Iron Savior and Gamma Ray.

[ION BRITTON]

The same old discussion...I really don't feel the need to make a comment. The second paragrah of Dan's post covers me well enough.

It's getting to the point where you don't want to use the term at all anymore, but how are you then going to referre to the sound of bands like METAL CHURCH, SAVAGE GRACE, HEATHEN'S RAGE, OMEN, JAG PANZER etc?

[The Sentinel]

Agree, Another example is the band Dragonforce. Everybody around me is calling them one of the finest "Power metal" act of the last 5 years. Well I don't make a comment without hearing it first, so I borrowed a copy of 2 of their albums and listened and yes: It's very technical and overproduced shit. The guitar is present, oke, and that chinees plays some nice leads but there is no feeling in it. It's one rollercoaster from beginning to the end. I could listen to this a thousand times without remebering ONE second of it. I find it also a bit typical that all these fans of modern "power-metal" are HUGE fans of Dream Theater. The similarities are present though: very technical and very good produced but no music at all IMO

Well, enough modern metal bashing for me.

[omen of hate]

I think that the main guilty for this is HELLOWEEN. After two decent albums, they decided to kick out Kai Hansen and engage this total gay guy Michael Kiske and recorded the 2 "Keepers of the 7 Keys", they got so popular that they influenced a bunch of european bands wich provoked the decline of the genre and the emergence of STRATOVARIUS and thousands followers.
HELLOWEEN was at the bill of the HELLFEST this summer. I was upset to see how much they're still popular. They almost had the biggest audience that day. Horrible sight.

I totally agree with you Sentinel about DRAGONFORCE. A friend of mine who is heavily into it convinced me to see them in concert a few weeks ago.
Those endless technical demonstrations are unbearable !! I stay there for 3 songs and decided then to hit the bar (the best moment of that evening !!).

[Fucking Åmål]

I've saw this argument many times,alot of modern power metal fans reject american power metal as really being power metal calling it "traditional metal" or "power/thrash" american power metal fans usually reject this modern power metal influenced by helloweens keeper albums and many of the bands add even more elements that make it even further from metal such as symphonic power metal,nightwish is a perfect example of this they don't even seem to be metal in my opinon,what do you think of this age old argument,In my opinion real power metal has to actually have power,but some people seem to think power metal should sound weak,happy and have alot of keyboards or weak riffs for some odd reason.

No the thread that Ryacus introduced isn't boring.Power metal as a term was used also in the 80's(ex.Maniac-Power Metal Addicts).Usually we tend to call power metal the Euro-Metal mainly of the 90's or of the todays.But what i sadly dislike is that sometimes the sound is even more lighter and even more childish/naive/happy/progressive/technical/philosophical that for the last 10 years the power metal term is used also for bands like Rhapsody or Nightwish clones.I like a lot Stratovarius(well until the Infinity),Edguy,Gamma Ray,Primal Fear,Nightwish(the first two records) and others and i would say this was the mainstream (not equal at all)continuing of heavy metal bands of the 80's.But what to do?The 80's bands are all unique and they can't be repeated.Thank god they were many interesting power metal bands in the 90's or todays because the death,grind,black,progressive,nu, and milions other genres would have gnawed popularity of classic HM sound.It is something to think about.

[tbieri]

I've saw this argument many times,alot of modern power metal fans reject american power metal as really being power metal calling it "traditional metal" or "power/thrash" american power metal fans usually reject this modern power metal influenced by helloweens keeper albums and many of the bands add even more elements that make it even further from metal such as symphonic power metal,nightwish is a perfect example of this they don't even seem to be metal in my opinon,what do you think of this age old argument,In my opinion real power metal has to actually have power,but some people seem to think power metal should sound weak,happy and have alot of keyboards or weak riffs for some odd reason.

In the 80ies it was exactly the contrary ! American Metal Bands like RUFFIANS, SANCTUARY, METAL CHURCH, VICIOUS RUMORS were called Power Metal and the European Stuff like HELLOWEEN and GAMMA RAY was called Melodic Speed Metal !!!
In the 90ies Melodic Speed Metal became a bad image, so Record Labels and Mailorders began to call it Power Metal. Then the young Metal Fans picked this up and called Bands they liked Power Metal, even if it was Melodic Speed Metal. Obviously it was too much of shame to admit to like a Melodic Speed Metal Band !
And now it is too late ! We must live with this mistake ! I've already talked about this on other forums, but the young Metalheads are quite Dickheads and dont want believe an old freak who lived Metal from the beginning !
And don't try to convince me with Style descriptions from Wikipedia or Metal Archives, they're all wrong !!!

[Korgüll]

I always considered American 'Power' Metal to be more 'serious & tougher' than European Power Metal. As mentioned before, when I think of American power metal, I think of VICIOUS RUMORS, TYRANT, LETHAL, SANCTUARY, JAG PANZER, VIRGIN STEELE, LIEGE LORD, HEIR APPARENT, early HEXX etc etc...all cool bands. The riffs were heavy & serious, the image was tough & the lyrics were about fighting in the street or being a warrior or sometimes even politics! You could play this to 'non-metal' people & even they could hear/see the 'toughness' in it.
On the other hand European PM always seemed a little more happy, especially with the galloping style riffs & choruses. The image was a little cleaner & most lyrics were fantasy orientated or even science fiction based (nothing wrong with both topics at all! )
When I think of Euro PM all I can think of is STRATOVARIUS, HELLOWEEN, GAMMA RAY, HF, DRAGONFORCE etc... & with the exception of an album or song here and there I can't really think of anything too good to say about these bands and their music (with the exception of LOST HORIZON, I always thought their 2 albums were great) & when I've seen these bands played to 'non-metal' people, they just laugh & cringe & cant help but comment on how 'gay' the image is!!
That's my view on it.

[Ryacus]

I some what agree with you Fucking Åmål, I believe european power metal can have balls but its even harder to find when so many bands want to sound weak and poppy with tons of keyboars so many bands have done this that this is why europe has become associated with that style ,I don't think its worth my time to dig through crap to find gems in recent years though,I will sometimes but Its alot easier to sift through older bands.

tbieri brings up an interesting argument with calling it "melodic speed metal" I will some what agree with him here,but even speed metal is a highly debated term and some of these bands are even weaker than melodic heavy metal,I am only 19 but I learned about metal through an old school scope so I am I find myself arguing with many people my age who like rhapsody and dragonforce,they call it power metal and I get very angry and an argument ensues luckily these people are usually wimpy pushovers and will back down pretty quickly.

[doomedplanet]

a few years ago I was at a gig in SF (forget who I was seeing, maybe Slough Feg) talking to this Spanish dude I always see at shows about how I love old power metal. He argued with me and gave a nasty look like he ate something bad, so I said ok and took him to my car and cranked up a couple of tracks from POWERLORD "The Awakening" and said: "That is power metal!" I said anything that isn't that heavy and in your face should be ashamed to masquerade as 'power metal". He had to agree. In the face of that who wouldn't?

[The Sentinel]

AARRGGHH, POWERLORD: The Awakening: MASTERPIECE, Lately I finally got an original (US press) of this beauty and is more than once terrorizing my neighbourhood.

[Nicko McBuff]

The whole arguement is silly, it should be '80s Power Metal sounds vs Flower Metal/Modernism' as last time I checked Europe had hundreds of kick arse Power Metal bands. Did Oz, Aria, Sortilege, H-Bomb, Demon Eyes, Atlain, Paradox, Heavy Load, Destiny, Satan, Cloven Hoof, IRON FUCKING MAIDEN etc etc? not play Power Metal at all?

[Derrick Metaliszta]

what a stupid thing to discuss, who gives a damn really?

[Ryacus]

The whole arguement is silly, it should be '80s Power Metal sounds vs Flower Metal/Modernism' as last time I checked Europe had hundreds of kick arse Power Metal bands. Did Oz, Aria, Sortilege, H-Bomb, Demon Eyes, Atlain, Paradox, Heavy Load, Destiny, Satan, Cloven Hoof, IRON FUCKING MAIDEN etc etc? not play Power Metal at all?

none of those bands are power metal.