Journey to the Valley of the Damned Through the Fire and Flames: An Introduction to Power Metal
- The American Guitar Academy
- 22 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Have you ever imagined what our life would be like if you were a noble adventurer, fighting dragons and ancient beasts in mystical realms in forgotten times? Well, some people have anyway. One small problem with this is that it is not really possible given that dragons and other assorted beats are rather hard to obtain. The closest we can get is to immerse ourselves in the world of power metal, where the themes often revolve around fantasy and, in many cases, the whole band is created with that concept in mind (portraying themselves as the characters they sing about – like Steel Panther but with magic and swords!).
In this blog post, I will introduce you to some of what I consider to be the quintessential power metal bands of the last few decades. Some may divide opinion, but this is my list and hopefully it will turn you on to something new!
What is Power Metal?
Power metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal that could have some theatrical elements in the background (such as an orchestra or choir), but frequently use fantasy-based themes and make storytelling a big part of their lyrical content. As for instrumentation, there is always fast guitars and intense drums sections, often you will find synthesizers and prominent keyboard parts too.
Something that might catch you off guard is the occasional resolve to a major key, and sometimes a complete switch to a major tonality. Often this coincides with a positive event described in the lyrics, such as a mighty warrior winning a battle or similar.
The Bands
Dragonforce
Despite facing accusations of speeding up their studio tracks, miming live or not being very entertaining (the last is hearsay, as I have not seen them live), you simply cannot have a list of power metal bands without mentioning Dragonforce. They have been a band for over 20 years, but I really think they skyrocketed from 2007 onwards thanks to the release of Guitar Hero 3. The band’s most famous track ‘Through the Fire and Flames’ was the trickiest song in the base version of the game and it exposed the band to so many more listeners. Trying and failing to complete this song on expert difficulty was a rite of passage amongst gamers and young rockers, and the rare few that were able to achieve 100% accuracy on this tune on the highest difficulty setting were lauded as gods amongst men.
I have not properly listened to the band in many years, so I can only faithfully recommend the first few albums. I did however have ‘Inhuman Rampage’ and ‘Ultra Beatdown’ on repeat in my early teens.
I feel I must comment on guitarist Herman Li’s new signature PRS the ‘Chleo’. Ew.
‘Valley of the Damned’ is probably one of my favourite Dragonforce tunes, for many reasons, chief among which are the iconic solo sections, driving chorus and a stellar performance from then-singer ZP Theart.
Gloryhammer
The lead singer of Gloryhammer, a character by the name of Angus McFife, has been portrayed by two singers since the inception of the band. Visually I think of a ‘good guy’ version of the Marvel villain Ronan – he wields a large Warhammer that means you cannot mistake Gloryhammer for anyone else!
If you like a good chant along with your metal, anthemic music and world building that few bands struggle to achieve then this is the band for you!
Most of my listening to Gloryhammer was whilst working a very specific job after I left university (alongside teaching and performing around Europe). As a result, I did not really know what the song was, which album was what or have any idea of the lore behind the band. It was only a couple of years ago I started watching some pro-shot live videos and realised how entertaining they are – this is something lost amongst too many people, just enjoy the music!
This song is great fun – check it out!
Sabaton
Sabaton are unique amongst this list in that they are almost exclusively themed in war, with topics spanning centuries, different eras and types of battle. Like other power metal bands, there is no shortage of heavy metal chant sections, but there is also a captivating stage show. Often these shows rival that of the biggest acts in any genre, featuring full sized tank props amongst other visually impressive designs. They really lean into the theatrical side of the genre here.
This song is pretty short as power metal songs go, at just a touch under four minutes long. The groove here is unmistakable with a four on the floor groove through the verse and chorus sections. There is also a great lesson to be learned in this song, with the simple addition of 16th notes in the second verse to give a sense of progression, but still keep familiarity. In terms of the lead guitar, the focus is always on effective melody and, although the solo is technically proficient, it still manages to achieve what it set out to do.
Historically, the song details events surrounding the village of Osowiec in Poland during World War One. It discusses the harrowing event known by the same name of ‘Attack of the Dead Men’ where it is reported a number of Russian troops had survived a chlorine gas attack by Kaiser Wilhelm II’s forces. The men were assumed dead until the counter-attack. You get a history lesson and a headbanging tune at the same time!
Stratovarius
Stratovarius are veterans of the genre, hailing from Finland since the early 1980s. They have a strong global following, especially in Europe and Japan. Unlike many bands, not all of their songs were focused on fantasy topics; the band often wrote songs with positive affirmations being the main theme.
Stratovarius are also a very annoying band, because their melodies are written beautifully and you will not be able to get them out of your head! As well-written as the solos are, they are overshadowed by the melodies frequently.
Eagleheart is a classic anthem from the early 2000s, and you can definitely tell if you watch the music video! Cheesy effects and early 21st century nonsense aside, the melodies will stick with you, and the arpeggios in the guitar solo will give you a good work out!
Final Thoughts
I personally have to be in the right mood to listen to a lot of power metal. Sometimes I find it too cheesy, or I want something more aggressive. The most enjoyment I have had when listening to this style is when working out, playing an adventure game like Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and even playing LaserQuest (though I did not have much of a choice then!). Anything that is a high energy situation works well!
There are many, many other power metal bands, or those that share similar traits but do not fit into the genre comfortably. You could argue that bands like Symphony X, Dream Theater and Nightwish share some of the soaring vocal melodies and fast rhythms, but the more complicated or orchestral elements of their music make them more symphonic or progressive (or you could do what I do, and disregard sub-genre labels and just listen to what you enjoy).
Here is a fun exercise to try – when listening to any one of the songs above, or something similar, close your eyes and try to imagine what the song looks like. Songs in this style lean heavily on descriptive passages and conjure up images for many people - what can you see?