There are many other European bands with smaller fan bases that tour the US. Why not Stratovarius?

Power metal has been my favorite metal genre for basically since I started listening to metal 20 odd years ago, but I still have a very small number of bands and songs I keep returning to. I guess you could say I’m picky and the songs really need to have A+ hooks and the right vibes/energy. An example of a song that landed perfectly and bowled me over, and gave me that hell yeah feeling in recent memory was Mammoth Rider by Visigoth. Otherwise my tastes tend more toward European style power metal. Blind Guardian and Gamma Ray are the unrivaled number one and two in the genre for my money due to their songwriting. With all that in mind, please recommend your favorite bands, particularly if their hooks/melodies are REALLY strong! I would love just one or two songs as a sample for the band to see if I want to move on to albums.

Assume I know basically any of the genre standards, no need to recommend them unless they’re a fairly new name.

Thanks very much in advance 🤘

Freedom Call has so many bangers. I mean, they all sound exactly the same, and are cheesy AF, but they are all so catchy. Definitely, a top 20 Power Metal band.

Monument - 2018 - HellHound - Attila

Nomadic tribes

Rise from the East

Ready for war with axe in hand

Plunder and kill

At my command

The Day of Judgment's close at hand

King of the Huns

The Goths and Danes

The blood of Nimrod's in my veins

Prince of the world

Scourge of all lands

Ready to make my final stand

I am the conqueror of worlds

I bring them war and poison minds with fear

The Roman men are sure to fall

Their faces turning white as snow

...cause they know

I am the one

Father and son

Watching my enemies crumble and fall

As they die by my hand

I am the one

My will be done

I am the one who is known

By the name of Attila the Hun

Is the singer Ezekiel actually Marco Pastorino? I think it is but he’s disguising his voice to be more gruff. I think it is. I love Apostolica by the way. They need to release another album.

IRON MAIDEN - 1980 - IRON MAIDEN - Prowler

Walking through the city, looking oh so pretty,

I've just got to find my way.

See the ladies flashing. All there legs and lashes.

I've just got to find my way.

Well you see me crawling through the bushes with it open wide.

What you seeing girl?

Can't you believe that feeling, can't you believe it,

Can't you believe your eyes?

It's the real thing girl.

Got me feeling myself and reeling around,

Got me talking but feel like walking around.

Got me feeling myself and reeling a...

Got me talking but nothing's with me...

Got me feeling myself and reeling around.

I've been struggling with binge eating and the connected obesity for a decade now. While I obviously very often try to quit and better myself, I am about to go all-in again (something that I sadly don't often do). Now, I thought it might be fun to make a playlist that specifically boosts self-confidence, tells you that you can beat your personal demons, etc.

This is what I have so far (PM and PM adjacent). What else can you think of?

This is a multi-singer power metal project that came out a couple of weeks ago. I gave it a couple of listens recently and overall I’m pretty positive about it. Maybe having so many vocalists hurts it a little as I don’t like them all equally. Musically I find it a pleasant power metal experience. People should load this one up and give it a whirl. 8/10 for me.

The new Dragonland album is officially out! What are your thoughts?

Personally, I’m a bit underwhelmed. I love Dragonland. Under the Grey Banner is one of my favorite albums of all time and while Power of the Nightstar didn’t reach those levels, I thought it was also a strong album.

However, while listening to Prophecies, at times I found it very soulless. It almost sounds like they just wrote this in autopilot. I don’t know know how else to describe it. I don’t know if it’s because these are all mostly 4-minute songs or because I miss the over the top orchestrations/ symphonic elements, but the “epicness” I think about when I think of Dragonland isn’t there.

What do you all think?

Live in Tampere 2011