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power metal
Sign in to savesubgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal
Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that combines the loud, distorted guitar-driven sound of traditional metal with the fast, technical playing style of speed metal. It emerged as a distinct style in the 1980s and has attracted a dedicated global fanbase who appreciate its blend of aggressive musicianship and melodic elements.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
In the Vinony graph
Within Vinony's link graph, power metal is referenced by 2,573 other articles, and connects out to Rhapsody of Fire, heavy metal music and doom metal.
It is catalogued under topics including Heavy metal genres, Popular music navigational boxes and Power metal.
Its subject is documented across 53 Wikipedia language editions.
Key facts
- Stylistic origins
- Heavy metal NWOBHM speed metal neoclassical metal
- Cultural origins
- Europe and United States in the 1980s
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- music genre
- Country of origin
- Europe
- Image
- Blind Guardian - Wacken Open Air 2016-AL2554.jpg
Show 3 more facts
- Commons category
- Power metal
- topic's main category
- Category:Power metal
- inception
- 1982-01-01
Sources (3)
via Wikidata · CC0
~14 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within a symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contrast with the heaviness and dissonance prevalent in, for example, extreme metal. Power metal bands usually have anthemic songs with fantasy-based subject matter and strong choruses, thus creating a theatrical, dramatic and emotionally "powerful" sound.
The term was first used in the mid-1980s and refers to two different but related styles: the first largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal; and a later, more widespread and popular style based in Europe with a lighter, more melodic sound and frequent use of keyboards.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “power metal” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.