--- title: "Power Metal" type: "MusicGenre" url: "https://themetalnet.com/genre/power" bands: 1118 era: "mid 1980s" --- # Power Metal **Power Metal** is a metal genre, formative in the mid 1980s. TheMetalNet maps 1,118 bands and 3,975 albums under it. Power metal is fast, melodic, and triumphant, built on galloping double-kick drums, soaring high vocals, twin-guitar harmonies, and big anthemic choruses. The dominant European strain, led by Germany’s Helloween and Blind Guardian and Britain’s DragonForce, adds keyboards and speed for a bright, uplifting sound, while the US strain runs heavier and more thrash-influenced. Lyrics revel in fantasy, mythology, heroism, and hope. It is metal at its most epic and optimistic. ## Facts | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Genre | Power Metal | | Level | Macro genre | | Formative era | mid 1980s | | Bands | 1,118 | | Albums | 3,975 | | Formation span | 1960 to 2026 | ## Sub-genres - [Power Metal](https://themetalnet.com/genre/power-metal) (1,118 bands) ## Notable bands (top 60 by prominence) - [Blind Guardian](https://themetalnet.com/band/blind-guardian) (Germany, 1984) - [DragonForce](https://themetalnet.com/band/dragonforce) (United Kingdom, 1999) - [Helloween](https://themetalnet.com/band/helloween) (Germany, 1984) - [HammerFall](https://themetalnet.com/band/hammerfall) (Sweden, 1993) - [Iced Earth](https://themetalnet.com/band/iced-earth) (United States, 1988) - [Sonata Arctica](https://themetalnet.com/band/sonata-arctica) (Finland, 1999) - [Stratovarius](https://themetalnet.com/band/stratovarius) (Finland, 1984) - [Kamelot](https://themetalnet.com/band/kamelot) (United States, 1991) - [Rhapsody of Fire](https://themetalnet.com/band/rhapsody-of-fire) (Italy, 1995) - [Edguy](https://themetalnet.com/band/edguy) (Germany, 1992) - [Gamma Ray](https://themetalnet.com/band/gamma-ray) (Germany, 1989) - [Angra](https://themetalnet.com/band/angra) (Brazil, 1991) - [Sabaton](https://themetalnet.com/band/sabaton) (Sweden, 1999) - [Avantasia](https://themetalnet.com/band/avantasia) (Germany, 2000) - [Rage](https://themetalnet.com/band/rage) (Germany, 1986) - [Running Wild](https://themetalnet.com/band/running-wild) (Germany, 1976) - [Savatage](https://themetalnet.com/band/savatage) (United States, 1979) - [Primal Fear](https://themetalnet.com/band/primal-fear) (Germany, 1997) - [Dark Moor](https://themetalnet.com/band/dark-moor) (Spain, 1993) - [Elvenking](https://themetalnet.com/band/elvenking) (Italy, 1997) - [Mägo de Oz](https://themetalnet.com/band/mago-de-oz) (Spain, 1988) - [Yngwie Malmsteen](https://themetalnet.com/band/yngwie-malmsteen) (Sweden, 1963) - [Firewind](https://themetalnet.com/band/firewind) (Greece, 1998) - [Freedom Call](https://themetalnet.com/band/freedom-call) (Germany, 1998) - [Iron Savior](https://themetalnet.com/band/iron-savior) (Germany, 1996) - [Machinae Supremacy](https://themetalnet.com/band/machinae-supremacy) (Sweden, 2000) - [3 Inches of Blood](https://themetalnet.com/band/3-inches-of-blood) (Canada, 1999) - [Labÿrinth](https://themetalnet.com/band/labyrinth) (Italy, 1991) - [Brainstorm](https://themetalnet.com/band/brainstorm) (Germany, 1989) - [Dream Evil](https://themetalnet.com/band/dream-evil) (Sweden, 1999) - [At Vance](https://themetalnet.com/band/at-vance) (Germany, 1998) - [Jag Panzer](https://themetalnet.com/band/jag-panzer) (United States, 1980) - [Mercenary](https://themetalnet.com/band/mercenary) (Denmark, 1991) - [Nocturnal Rites](https://themetalnet.com/band/nocturnal-rites) (Sweden, 1990) - [Powerwolf](https://themetalnet.com/band/powerwolf) (2003) - [Эпидемия](https://themetalnet.com/band/band-efba7189) (1995) - [Mystic Prophecy](https://themetalnet.com/band/mystic-prophecy) (Germany, 2000) - [Slough Feg](https://themetalnet.com/band/slough-feg) (1990) - [Avalanch](https://themetalnet.com/band/avalanch) (1988) - [GALNERYUS](https://themetalnet.com/band/galneryus) (Japan, 2001) - [Masterplan](https://themetalnet.com/band/masterplan) (Germany, 2001) - [Vision Divine](https://themetalnet.com/band/vision-divine) (Italy, 1998) - [Helstar](https://themetalnet.com/band/helstar) (United States, 1982) - [Majesty](https://themetalnet.com/band/majesty) (Germany, 1997) - [Orden Ogan](https://themetalnet.com/band/orden-ogan) (Germany, 1996) - [Stormlord](https://themetalnet.com/band/stormlord) (Italy, 1991) - [StormWarrior](https://themetalnet.com/band/stormwarrior) (Germany, 1998) - [Van Canto](https://themetalnet.com/band/van-canto) (Germany, 2006) - [WarCry](https://themetalnet.com/band/warcry) (Spain, 1996) - [Wolfchant](https://themetalnet.com/band/wolfchant) (Germany, 2003) - [Amaranthe](https://themetalnet.com/band/amaranthe) (Sweden, 2008) - [Astral Doors](https://themetalnet.com/band/astral-doors) (Sweden, 2002) - [Bloodbound](https://themetalnet.com/band/bloodbound) (Sweden, 2004) - [Dreamtale](https://themetalnet.com/band/dreamtale) (Finland, 1998) - [Falconer](https://themetalnet.com/band/falconer) (Sweden, 2000) - [Manticora](https://themetalnet.com/band/manticora) (Denmark, 1996) - [Mob Rules](https://themetalnet.com/band/mob-rules) (Germany, 1994) - [Paragon](https://themetalnet.com/band/paragon) (Germany, 1990) - [Steel Prophet](https://themetalnet.com/band/steel-prophet) (United States, 1983) - [Tad Morose](https://themetalnet.com/band/tad-morose) (Sweden, 1991) ## Where it is played - [United States](https://themetalnet.com/country/us): 120 bands - [Germany](https://themetalnet.com/country/de): 101 bands - [Italy](https://themetalnet.com/country/it): 84 bands - [Sweden](https://themetalnet.com/country/se): 77 bands - [Brazil](https://themetalnet.com/country/br): 51 bands - [Finland](https://themetalnet.com/country/fi): 49 bands - [Japan](https://themetalnet.com/country/jp): 49 bands - [Spain](https://themetalnet.com/country/es): 28 bands ## Bands formed by decade | Decade | Bands formed | | --- | --- | | 1960s | 7 | | 1970s | 26 | | 1980s | 102 | | 1990s | 242 | | 2000s | 307 | | 2010s | 215 | | 2020s | 61 | --- Source: [TheMetalNet https://themetalnet.com/genre/power](https://themetalnet.com/genre/power). Catalog data from MusicBrainz and Metal Archives. Full site index: https://themetalnet.com/llms.txt