Metal Reviews

I dislike most power metal, but I'll admit to there being a few songs and an album or two that I like to listen to on occasion. For some reason I've always like Stratovarius' Visions, f.ex. and will like an occasional song from some other band. Other than that, there's just nothing much that catches my attention about power metal and it's probably because of what I tend to look for in music.



Agree with this minus the leads and soloing. I also think there's a huge lack of intensity, power and aggression, which is important for me. Also agreed on too much emphasis on singing/clean vox.

I think it's one of those things that's too safe, too tame. I don't hate it by any means, but I don't get why people love it. Or how they can hate it for that matter. It's like the color gray, it's no one's favorite color cause that doesn't say anything about them. To me people like Hammerfall, Dave Mathews, and B.o.B fit into this category. They're so safe, so hesitant to push boundaries but they still seem to act like they do. I'd rather listen to people who push the envelope or on the other end drop all pretense. I'd rather listen to Soulja Boy or OFWGKTA than B.o.B, Katy Perry or James Blake than Dave Mathews, and Poison or Blut Aus Nord than Hammerfall.

Comes down to the emphasis on vocals/tendency for pop song structures for me. There are obviously numerous exceptions, however. I also think we are blending prog and power in this discussion more than might be fair.

DAMN!
To power metal's benefit surely?

Honestly im more of a fan of bands than genres, but many of my favourite bands play Power Metal, (Jag Panzer, Metal Church, Virgin Steele, Blind Guardian, Omen, etc) so i guess i do like Power Metal, just no Rhapsody, Sonata Arctica and the likes please.

I can't stand the sing-a-long choruses backed up by boring riffs. It's mostly the singing though, that's what kills it. I feel like I should have a lollipop while walking in a flowery medow when listneing to it, and that's not the feeling I want when I listen to POWER metal.

I started on the more extreme side of metal and have always been a fan of black metal and such genres more than anything. Even Iron Maiden came into my life later than Emperor and Immortal. Now power metal sounds too weak. When I listen to power metal it just does not fill the need I find in extreme metal. The poppyness and catchyness is something I found in Protest the Hero and Slough Feg so when I feel like listening to something like that they are the bands I go to. Don't really need power metal for anything.


Having said that, I must add that I love Blind Guardian. They are just too far above any other power metal band. Their epic storytelling is unmatched.

So we're all agreed. It's good when its good, and its bad when its bad.

Yeah. That works.

There's a lot of variety with PM. I like about 75% of it. There's something for everyone, unless someone doesn't really like metal or something or it has to be death metal or thrash. People get different things from the same records which is why we have 100 subgenres anyway.

I like the classically influenced bands and the metal bands writing pop songs stuff too. I really love that sound the Italian metal bands get, but the play in so many keys and scales they can really find the melodies well.

I can't understand someone being a fan of Prog. Metal and hating PM.

I'm still at the point that none of it is good and those who say the good is great are only referring to Blind Guardian it seems.

I think a lot of it is great, just don't feel like explaining why anymore on these forums, let alone this thread.

If I want a break from black metal I just listen to some old pop/rock: Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, or some acoustic/indie stuff like Bon Iver.

uhhh...

I don't like those things in metal. Pop music is another thing altogether.

Sorry, but that doesn't make sense.

Totally does:

The leads, singing, lack of power and wussiness of pop music are different than the way those things come about in power metal.

And if I want to listen to metal, those things just don't cut it, which is why I don't listen to power metal.

Ie the idea of metal and wussiness is not compatible, but pop and wussiness is.

Also, never got the whole "I'm taking a break from this genre" thing that a lot of people seem to always say. If I'm in the mood for black metal (which I mostly am, and death metal and thrash) then I'll listen to black metal/whatever band I'm in the mood for. If I'm in the mood for Running Wild I listen to Running Wild and so on. It's not like I wake up one morning all like "gee I'm gonna take a break from X style for the next month, I think I'm over my quota!" Just sayin'...

For some reason, I'm craving Power Metal now. Fuck, you guys are getting all in my head.

Like any genre it's got it's highlights and its failures.

Some of my favourite bands are Power Metal: Iced Earth and Blind Guardian come to mind. I also love Helloween and Gamma Ray.

But then stuff like Rhapsody or Stratovarious really doesn't appeal to me.

May I suggest Dignity's Project Destiny?