The Best Power Metal Albums of 2019
For some insane fucking reason Power Metal is the kicking boy of the metal world. It’s generally ignored with perhaps one or two exceptions every year and rarely, if ever, makes appearances on any of the major year end lists. That’s a crying shame because Power Metal is the gift that keeps on giving and this year was a legit fucking banner year for power metal.
As much as I love Power Metal I’ve never done a year-end list for the genre myself, because usually there’s not that many notable releases to necisitate an entire list but 2019 was the year Power Metal collectively said “fuck it, let’s give ‘em the goods.” By the mighty dragon gods, they did. So much, in fact, that there was even more that couldn’t fit a reasonably sized list.
So yeah, the Blood Incantations and the Tomb Molds and all the that stuff is fine and dandy, but this year, 2019, was THE fucking year of Power Metal and it smoked everything else that came out but a fucking battle-worn, and glorious mile.
TOP 20.5 POWER METAL RELEASES OF THE FUCKING YEAR
20.5. Unleash the Archers - Explorers EP
I wasn't going to include this because it was only an EP but Unleash the Archers fucking nailed this one. They execute perfectly how cover song should be done: fairly obscure songs that the band completely transforms and uses to their advantage. That advantage in Archers case is obviously Brittney Slayes vocals and the bands superbly melodic power metal guitar prowess. Fucking Hail Unleash the Archers infinitely.
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20. Elvenking - Reader of the Runes - Divination
I love Italian metal. It's always so dramatic and overtly theatrical, with all genre tropes pushed passed the limit, across the board, all genres, but especially Italian Power metal. I mean, Rhapsody (of Fire), hello. Equally as ridiculous, or perhaps more so, is Elvenking, the physical embodiment of what a Renaissance Fair would be if it were ran by the World of War Craft hive-mind. You have to be able to accept a lot of pure cheese with this band, and if you can handle the taste, there's an incredibly catchy and stupidly fun album there. And yeah, it's ridiculous, but it's fucking Italian power metal and if that's what's bothering you here perhaps you're the one to blame, not Elvenking, because I went in expecting a heaping serving of nonsense, ridiculously, fantasy fueled power metal and I came away satisfied.
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19. Mortanius - Till Death Do Us Part
Power metal is not a genre that really thrives on innovation and experimentation, and it's up for debate as whether those things are even needed in the genre, but when a band tries to play with the genre conventions, regardless of genre, I take notice. Mortanius try to turn power metal to twelve (see because eleven is already past the dial...) with even more theatrics, even more dynamics, and an extremely generous helping of prog. Seventeen minute songs, vast guitar work, insane soloing, this is power metal urging to break the mold, and they just might have done it. As good as the album is I have to mention that they do try to make something out of Wham's wretched, just wretched Christmas song "Last Christmas" and even the dynamic force of power metal can't save that horrid nightmare. Just skip the last track and pretend it isn't there and you've got a fucking awesome, forward-thinking, power metal album on your hands.
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18. ShadowStrike - Legends of Human Spirit
This here is all the insane, guitar playing and majesty of early DragonForce coupled with the grandiose, orchestra flair and soaring nature of Rhapsody... and it's so fucking sweet.
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17. Magic Kingdom - Metalmighty
Power metal from Belgium. A rare beast indeed. Magic Kingdom are about as straight-forward for a euro-centric power metal band as you're likely to get. The man thrust of the band is on crafting killer power metal epics driven by massive guitars and dynamic vocals with very little symphonic elements or soundscapes or grand orchestration. It's a bit excessive but not over indulgent, if that's a thing power metal could ever be, and really just a solid, good times album with some awesome playing and power.
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16. Rhapsody of Fire - The Eighth Mountain
Granted, Rhapsody of Fire lost aone of the best musicians with the departure of Luca Turilli in 2011 and they lost a powerful singer when Fabio Lione bolted a couple years ago BUT I still think Rhapsody is one of the best power metal bands around. They're still the most over-the-top, absurdly dramatic, cheeseball power metal band around, and their cacophony of all things majestic knows no bounds and this album finds them still on top of their game. Yeah, sure, it's not as great as the classics, but it's still Rhapsody of Fire, or whatever you want to fucking call them, and they're still power metal gods. And they have a posthumous narration from Christopher Fucking Lee on it so there you have it.
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15. Turilli & Lione Rhapsody - Zero Gravity (Rebirth and Evolution)
The promise of Luca Turilli and Fabio Lione reuniting under the Rhapsody banner sent my power metal heart all a flitter with visions of power metal majesty and fantastical lands full of warriors and dragons and all sorts of nerd-ery, accompanied by vast and grand power metal theatrics. That's not what happened. Instead the two concocted a sci-fi, operatic epic that is completely different that the traditional Rhapsody fare. And, you know, fair enough, because this is fucking amazing. Not at all what I expected yet still delivering all the pomposity and bombastic, theatrical metal and vision these two men are legends at. Simply breathtaking.
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14. Iron Savior - Kill or be Killed
Iron Savior has been putting out remarkably consistent albums for decades now and they're constantly just under the radar. They do power metal in such a comfort food way that is always good and always just what you want when you want. Full of hooks and blasting choruses, Iron Savior's sci-fi lean is undeniably catchy and fun and they sure as fuck know how to craft a killer power metal song and album. Kudos to them for the unending consistency and releasing their 12th album that might just be their best.
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13. The Three Tremors - The Three Tremors
The Three Tremors concept (a play on the "Three Tenors" of opera) originally came into being as a project featuring the massive vocal talents of Rob Halford, Bruce Dickinson, and Geoff Tate in the early 2000's and fizzled away producing nothing tangible. The concept was resurrected last year this time featuring Tim Ripper Owens of Rob Halford, Judas Priest replacement fame (or infamy) as well as a stint in Iced Earth and his highly underrated Charred Walls of the Damned project, as well as Sean Peck of Cage and more recently the Mercyful Fate guitarists reunion band Denner/Sherman where he's been crushing the vocals, and the legend that is Harry "The Tyrant" Conklin of the fucking amazing Jag Panzer and Satan's Host. Phew, let me catch my breath. Of course I was drawn to this project based on the pedigree alone and I fully expected it to be a classic, power metal infused heavy metal cacophony of cheese and brilliant vocal performance, and that's exactly what it is. It's a stripped down, heavy, American power metal album that musically exists to let the three vocalists bounce off each other and shine in their own ways. Ripper is unmistakeable and continues to impress me when he's doing his own thing and not being wedged into established bands. Cage has a powerful voice but seems a little out of his element here as both vocalists, good as they are, are pretty much overpowered by Conklin's amazing and unmistakeable voice. When they're all bouncing back in forth Conklin dominates, as do the songs where he's featured. The others have their moments as well and when they're isolated they hit the mark but when all three come together it's a bit of a mess. None of the vocals mesh well together as all three are such dynamic singers, but it's kind of a glorious mess of power metal and indulgent cheese. I fucking love it.
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12. Thornbridge - Theatrical Masterpiece
Only on album number two, Thornbridge is rapidly becoming one of the most promising power metal bands around. Blasting things out with that straight away, edgier German power metal take, mixing in the old Blind Guardian speed metal riffing and drive, then amping it up with grand theatrics, Thornbridge is fucking undeniably awesome and a huge fucking bright spot for new power metal bands.
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11. Ivory Tower - Stronger
Ivory Tower is clearly influenced by the super prog metal bands like Dream Theater but where as Dream Theater gets lost in their own desire to be creative, Ivory Tower takes the melody and progressive creativity to make a power metal album that is both highly intricate and one that fucking rocks.
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10. Dream Troll - Second to None
What originally grabbed me about Dream Troll was how willing they were to push the sound of power metal past it's breaking point and then keep going. I feel that perhaps on this album they've officially gone past power metal into more of a groovier, futuristic kind of heavy metal but they've still retained the heart of power metal sonically. It's not the kind of power metal you'd expect and that's a massive win if you ask me, and the album is fucking insanely catchy and even maybe... danceable? Fucking nuts.
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9. Gloryhammer - Legends From Beyond the Galactic Terrorvortex
Gloryhammer is pure power metal excess and the musical equivalent of junk food. While I appreciate the not-so-subtle humor and self mockery of the band, even without all the gimmick, this band would be sheer power metal fun. In Hoots We Trust!
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8. Twisted Tower Dire - Wars in the Unknown
Twisted Tower Dire is just full to the brim with the ability to write catchy as fuck and infectiously fun power metal songs. No bells or whistles here, just maximum catchiness and melodic, powerful songs full of lyrics you can't help but sing along with, out load, no matter where you are.
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7. Skelator - Cyber Metal
An absolute barn burner of traditional, guitar focussed, power metal and unending nerd-ery. Beyond catchy, where every single song is just as good as the one before it, Skelator dominates the straight forward power metal approach with simple focus on songwriting, even when those songs are about Akira and Highlander. Also, the cover is a robot Samurai chopping suckers in half so how can you deny that?
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6. Lord - Fallen Idols
Lord was not a band I was familiar with until this year but this, their sixth album, just fucking smashed down the power metal doors this year with its sheer aggression and power metal fury. Easily the "heaviest" power metal album on this list, Lord straddles the fence between full on Euro excess and more grounded straight-up, traditional power metal and heavy metal but never for a single second is it not fucking epic and larger than life. If that isn't enough the strength of the final track "Master of Darkness" is enough to get them on any best of list. The most epic recounting of Darth Vader's story and it's done with such gusto and fervor the Darth Vader element is just icing on the cake. Lord may not be the headliner at any power metal show but god damn, they might just bring the fucking house down.
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5. Tanagra - Meridiem
Tanagra couldn't decide if they wanted to be a power metal band or a progressive metal band so they just fused both into one massive fucking sound of progressive prowess and power metal hooks then cranked up the theatrics and sci-fi worship and made this amazing fucking sophomore album that easily out does their debut. Completely beautiful and awe-inspiring.
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4. Eternity's End - Unyielding
God damn, these guys are some fucking shredders. Taking a not from the keyboard heavy power metal stylings of Sonata Arctica or Stratovarious, Eternity's End puts way more might and beef into the mix with riffs of not only extreme technical prowess but fucking righteous power metal glory. This is a stand up and pump your fist in triumph power metal album if ever there was one.
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3. Avantasia - Moonglow
Pure power metal excess. Avantasia's mastermind Tobias Sammet is anything but restrained and Avantasia has been dude's outlet for sheer bombastic, overtly dramatic, and so far over the top power metal music for going on damn near 20 years. On this album all the excess works in its favor as Tobias has crafted not only the best Avantasia album in a good long time, if not ever, but one of the best power metal albums of the year. I was not expecting that at all.
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2. Twilight Force - Dawn of the Dragonstar
Twilight Force is power metal completely. They embody the full bombastic, grandiose glory of power metal and they do it without being tongue in cheek about it or without shame. They aren't joking around at all, which adds to the ridiculous nature of their music, but atop all the majesty and solos, and orchestration is a band that is performing at peak levels. You'll not find as much fun in any other album this year then you will with Twilight Force.
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1. Dimhav - The Boreal Flame
If I'd have known that the lead singer of Lost Horizon was in a new power metal band and that they were releasing a new album this year it would have been on the top of my anticipated albums list. As it is, Dimhav sneakily released this fucking masterpiece of theatrical, magnificent, awe-inspiring power metal with almost zero fucking fanfare and just blew the competition out of the water. Part folk, part power metal, part orchestral, part symphonic, it indulges in power metal excess but keeps things tasteful. It's just simply, well, powerful, and maybe, no, is almost as good as that first Lost Horizon album. This is peak metal, right here, and the best album of the year of any genre.