10 Greatest Power Metal Albums Of All Time
Unsheath the swords, release the dragons, let the greatest power metal heroes come to the fore.
Powerful choruses, fast-paced drums, symphonic melodies, and epic themes, Power Metal is effectively the theatrical part of the heavy metal spectrum.
Ever since emerging in the 80s, and powering its way into the hearts of fans, the genre has steadily accumulated a dedicated fanbase and some of the best musical work in the history of metal.
From the early days where bands like Jag Panzer, Warlord and Riot began popularizing the genre, to the world famous Dragonforce epics of modern times, the world has been fed a steady diet of power metal masterpieces.
These albums, incorporating a wonderful array of fantastical and sci-fi themes, with a myriad of sounds and instruments, are still raved about to this day. And because fans love transitioning into comparison mode, as much as they love a Herman Li-Sam Totman twin guitar sequence, a ranking list is absolutely in order.
Of course, this will be subjective, as there is no way everyone can come to an agreement over what the greatest power metal album of all time is. There is no KEY to unlocking that argument (maybe). With that out the way, here are the greatest power metal albums of all time.
10. Winterheart's Guild - Sonata Arctica
Sonata Arctica lit up the power metal scene in the early 2000s. Winterheart’s Guild was the best work they produced during that time. And in terms of vocal melodies, it ranks right up there with the best of the best.
Featuring a sound more complex than their previous works, the album opens with the rather oddly named Abandoned, Pleased, Brainwashed, Exploited. Its bone chilling melody takes listeners right into the heart of the album’s icy world. In terms of the music itself, there isn’t anything too crazy or unorthodox, but with lyrics and melodies as good as these, it’s more than enough.
With that being said, fans are treated to a few sensational guitar solos throughout the course of the album.
Best songs on the album include Abandoned, The Cage, and Victoria’s Secret.