Power metal
Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal 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 anthem-like songs with fantasy-based subject matter and strong choruses, thus creating a theatrical, dramatic and emotionally "powerful" sound.[1][2]
This article is about the music genre. For the Pantera album, see Power Metal (album). For the Metallica demo, see List of Metallica demos § Power Metal demo.Power metal
Europe and United States in the 1980s
The term was first used in the mid-1980s[3] and refers to two different but related styles: