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IntroductionPower Metal is one of the sub-genres of heavy metal music that first appeared during the 1980's, drawing influence from traditional heavy metal, especially the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and speed metal. The term power metal actually refers to two different but closely related metal styles, nowadays known as
US/American Power Metal (
USPM) and
European Power Metal (or
Melodic Power Metal), named after the geographic regions in which the styles originated. Artists from either place are not tied down to playing that particular kind of power metal of course, such as the US band
Kamelot who play the European style, while there are also artists from other countries who play power metal such as Brazil's
Angra and Japan's
Galneryus. These days power metal bands come from many places and have many different styles, documented further on. This page primarily deals with the European brand of power metal, with
USPM placed under its own child sub-genre.
European Power MetalThough it developed a little later than USPM, in the late 1980's, specifically Germany, the European, melodic power metal sound is no doubt what most first think of when the term power metal is mentioned. Indeed it is more distinct in sound than USPM, but features the same basic influences, with the key difference to USPM being that European power metal draws more heavily on the speed metal influences rather than traditional heavy metal ones. Indeed in the late 1980's power metal was instead referred to as melodic speed metal.
European power metal is widely credited to have been started by Germany's
Helloween in 1987 with the release of their
Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I album. Prior to that,
Helloween had been a speed metal band.
Blind Guardian, another popular German power metal act, had similar roots while other bands such as
Grave Digger started more in the traditional heavy metal vein. Others like
Running Wild blended both before becoming power metal bands later in their careers. Compared to USPM European power metal acts often feature keyboards, catchy lyrics and are generally less hard hitting, though the German scene is quite notable for its additional heaviness. Popular power metal acts from other countries include Italy's
Rhapsody of Fire, Finland's
Stratovarius and Sweden's
Sabaton.
Sub-genres of Power MetalAside from the standard USPM and European power metal styles, there are a number of different sub-genres, or hybrid genres in some cases, of power metal that have since developed.
Symphonic Power Metal: A style of power metal typically only applicable to the European sound, symphonic power metal increases the use of keyboards to create a symphonic backing, drawing on classical music. The use of symphonic elements in such bands can vary greatly with some artists using them as a main element of their sound, such as Rhapsody of Fire, while some merely use symphonic elements to flavour their music, such as Avantasia. Symphonic power metal releases are always placed under power metal on MMA.
Heavy Power Metal: Not to be confused with USPM, which is closer to traditional heavy metal to begin with, this refers to a hybrid of European power metal with traditional heavy metal. Bands are typically less speed orientated than pure melodic power metal acts. HammerFall is a heavy power metal act from Sweden while Nightmare are from France. Some artists which fall into this category featured a harder hitting, more aggressive sound, such as Grave Digger of Germany, but are still considered to belong to the European power metal genre rather than USPM. They are included under power metal on MMA, although some such artists have also made albums more directly rooted in traditional heavy metal and have those tagged accordingly. Some of the older heavy power metal acts, including Grave Digger and Nightmare, started as heavy metal acts before adding power metal into their sounds later in their careers.
Folk Power Metal: The folk metal as a genre can take its metal elements from almost any other metal genre going, including power metal. Elvenking and Falconer are folk power metal bands. They are typically included under folk metal on MMA, but with cases such as Falconer where folk influences are normally minimal per album, they are included under power metal instead. Additionally some power metal artists, especially Blind Guardian but also Grave Digger, have utilised folk influences in their music.
Power-Thrash: A hybrid of power metal and thrash metal, which can be considered sister genres due to both evolving from speed metal. The so called blue collar USPM can also be considered to be power-thrash but the term typically refers to European power metal mixed with thrash metal, although the early work of Iced Earth is considered to be power-thrash. The mix of elements can vary even within the same artist with some being primarily power metal and others primarily thrash metal. As well as Iced Earth, Dark Empire and Paradox have also released power-thrash albums, while some power metal bands have included thrash metal elements in their sound in smaller amounts, such as Seven Kingdoms and Persuader. Power-thrash artists are treated on a case by case basis on MMA, for example Tales of the Weird (2012) by Paradox is placed under thrash metal, but The Fateful dark (2014) by Savage Messiah is placed under power metal.
Progressive Power Metal: Drawing influences from progressive rock and metal music as well as power metal of either the European or US variety, these acts are typically included under power metal on MMA, such as Pyramaze and Kamelot. The exception is when an artist’s progressive influences become the most recognisable thing about their sound. Illusion Suite is an example of such a progressive power metal act. Vandroya and Wuthering Heights are progressive power metal bands, the latter of which also being classifiable under folk power metal.
Neo-classical Power Metal: Melodic power metal that uses neo-classical guitar playing for its lead guitar parts. Magic Kingdom and Concerto Moon are neo-classical power metal acts, while other power metal acts such as Amberian Dawn and At Vance have incorporated aspects of neo-classical metal into their sounds. As there is no neo-classical metal sub on MMA all such acts are placed under power metal by default, while non-power metal based neo-classical acts are typically placed under traditional heavy metal, or sometimes progressive metal, with which there can also be crossover, as with Symphony X.
Extreme Power Metal: This particular sub-genre combines power metal with melodic death metal and covers artists such as Children of Bodom, the first album of Wintersun and to a lesser extent the first album from Seven Kingdoms. Extreme power metal typically features power metal music but with primarily growling vocals rather than power metal’s traditional clean singing. Such artists are treated with a case by case basis as to their placement on MMA. The genre is sometimes also called
Power-Death.
Power Metal Inclusive GenresMelodic Metal is sometimes included under Power Metal but usually under
Traditional Heavy Metal. Melodic metal features a presence of melody akin to European power metal but lacks the focus on speed. Many melodic metal releases tend to use some actual power metal elements as well as hard rock and sometimes other genres. An example of a melodic metal release that is placed under power metal instead of traditional heavy metal is
Arven's Black is the Colour (2013).
- Written by adg211288 (April 2013)
Sub-genre collaborators (shared with US Power Metal & Neoclassical Metal): - DippoMagoo (leader)
- adg211288
- Sisslith
Showing only albums and EPs | Based on members ratings & MMA custom algorithm | 24 hours caching
Album · 1990 ·
Power Metal
siLLy puPPy
There are a few certainties in life and one of those certainties is that if you are lucky enough to achieve enough life to be considered an elder that the whippersnappers who follow will always be nipping at your heel and even more so in the adrenaline and testosterone fueled world of heavy metal. JUDAS PRIEST is a metal band that needs no introduction. This band took the world by storm in the 70s by finally pulling the plug on blues based riffing and launched a heavier and more extreme version of hard rock that became known as heavy metal. While the band technically formed all the way back in 1970, it wasn’t until 1976’s “Sad Wings Of Destiny” that the PRIEST got a firm grip on its own idiosyncratic sound and once self-recognition was activated, there was no looking back.
These gods of thunder are virtually patron saints in the metal universe with one classic album after another ranking high on best metal albums of all time but after the one two punch of “Screaming For Vengeance” and “Defenders Of The Faith” which mesmerized a head banging public, the mighty PRIEST started to lose ground as younger, faster and more ferocious metal bands were gestating in the cauldron of caustic Promethean fire which fueled darker, faster and ever louder musical expressions. Bands like Metallica, Megadeth, Celtic Frost and Bathory were clearly breaking new grounds and the mighty PRIEST was looking more and more washed up with albums like “Turbo” and “Ram It Down” which were rich in creative experimentalism but lagged in execution. The lackluster performances of those two albums required a serious soul search and necessitated a methodology to reenergize and become relevant once again.
The weakest link turned out to be drummer Dave Holland who just didn’t have the magic mojo to keep up in an ever more demanding world of extreme metal and after a ten year stint as percussionist-in-chief of one of metal’s most revered bands Dave got the boot and in was a new skin abuser by the name of Scott Travis. Travis had worked with Thin Lizzy but seriously honed his chops in the Los Angeles based Racer X. He was exactly what a tired and weary JUDAS PRIEST needed in order to rekindle the magic that would kick the old JP in the arse. With Travis, long time members Rob Halford, Glenn Tipton, K.K. Downing and Ian Hill did something nobody even dared consider and that was craft one of their heaviest and most consistent albums of the band’s entire career. PAINKILLER arrived in the fall of 1990 and was the band’s 12th studio album. For those who expected another curse of mediocrity, man they must’ve been completely caught off guard with this one!
PAINKILLER took the classic style of PRIEST to the next level and made them relevant in the world of Helloween inspired power metal, lightning fast thrash metal and darkened doom-ridden death metal. Along with long time producer Tom Allom, PAINKILLER was dropped onto the metal world like an atomic bomb and still reverberates into the present as one of the crowning achievements of not only PRIEST itself as a band but as a masterpiece of metal for all time. Given Travis’ bombastic technical percussive wizardry, he forced the long time members to up their game and to their credit pulled it off with an unabashed victory. Tipton and Downing went back to guitar school to keep up with the neoclassical shredders whereas Rob Halford screamed his lungs out with amazing proficiency and vocal control. At the metaphorical eleventh hour of the band’s fading career, the gods of thunder ignited a new cauldron of creativity and raised the bar in the sound wars of the music’s world’s loudest and raucous descendent of rock.
PAINKILLER opens with the ferocious title track which immediately leaves little doubt that a new PRIEST has been resurrected from the ashes of the old and like a phoenix arising from the dying embers begins with Scott Travis pounding the living shit out of his drum set like a possessed griot narrating tales of the living dead with sounds so unruly and bombastic that the recording studio must’ve barely survived the impetuous torture that it endured. Yes, JUDAS PRIEST was back with Rob Halford shrieking like he never did before and twin guitar attacks that were on par with the fastest and most ferocious thrash and power metal of the era. If the opening track wasn’t enough to give you goosebumps, the album jets forth and never lets up for its 46 minute run. Generally speaking the first five tracks that culminate with “Metal Meltdown” display an aggressive fury characterized by ridiculously strong hooks, bombastic double guitar axe-man-ship, double bass drumming extravaganzas and a complementary bass line fury that offers a menagerie of molten metal madness.
As if an angel whispered in their ear telling them to tamp down the aggressive fury beginning with “Night Crawler” the band incorporates an atmospheric keyboard intro that sets a tone for the tale of a flesh eating monster that comes out at night and attacks with a vengeance. The keyboards played by Don Airey are fully implemented on the classic “Touch Of Evil” which offers a creepy atmospheric intro with chimes as the slower than usual track displays a completely different side of the PRIEST and unlike “Turbo” found a way to incorporate the keys appropriately into their classic heavy metal sound. The short instrumental “Battle Hymn” follows as an anthemic intro to the closing “One Shot At Glory” which finds JP in a classic 80s epic metal state of mind in the vein of Manilla Road and perhaps the most authentically sounding track of the band’s pre-PAINKILLER days although the musicianship has expanded severalfold since those days of yore and the great gods of thunder end one of their few albums of perfection. This “One Shot Of Glory” experience for the band without a doubt revitalized the sagging PRIEST like Cher’s facelift and in the process left one of metal’s most enduring albums.
Igniting the Promethean fire turned up the flames so high that so did the long suppressed tensions within the band begin to surface. After all, these guys had been playing together for well over a decade at this point with endless touring and unthinkable success. Rob Halford departed two years down the road an embarked on a successful solo career while the band morphed into the much loathed RIpper years as the alternative 90s spawned many surprises and heartbreak for long established 80s bands. But the great JUDAS PRIEST was not dead as fifteen years later Halford would return with “Angel Of Vengeance” however the momentum to follow the metal perfection of PAINKILLER would never be revived leaving this sole album as the zenith of the band’s musical prowess. It’s also well worth having the later remastered version of PAINKILLER. The bonus track “Living Bad Dreams” was recorded during the PAINKILLER sessions and presumably nixed due to lack of real estate on a 90s album but fits in perfectly with the album albeit on the slower side in the vein of “A Touch Of Evil.” The album cover depicts a secret desire we all have for some divine force to intervene and end the suffering and reign of evil that planet Earth has endured for millennia. While not exactly resurrecting the Christ consciousness, this album for a brief moment in time achieves this through the ultimate escapism. M-m-m-masterpiece!
Album · 2020 ·
Power Metal
adg211288
Japanese act Lovebites do not have the most metal sounding name. You'd think that a metal band with such a name would, at most, belong to the glam metal genre (in fact there is a glam metal act with the similar name Lovebite). The all female band has never been afraid to show off their femininity either, challenging the entire genre's stereotypes on image since they hit the scene, but that's not actually unusually for Japanese acts. These things may lead those out there with a habit of pre-judging to get the wrong idea about what kind of music that Lovebites play or if they do get it right, assume that the calibre of the band will be the same as others in their country's little sub-scene.
So let's say it plainly: Lovebites plays power metal infused with old school speed/thrash metal influences, with some tasteful but never domineering symphonic elements. Any uses of terms like j-pop and Visual kei to describe them is by those judging based on mere association with other power metal acts of the Japanese sub-scene or the members gender itself, which in this context may even amount to the same thing, since those other Japanese female power metal bands sometimes do have these things. More important than Lovebites' genre, is their chops as musicians. These young ladies are some of the best in the game right now, showcases blistering power metal speed from all four instrumentalists and incredible guitar solos. They also have a great singer in Asami, whose voice admittedly comes across as very accented to these English ears, yet for me that just adds a regional charm to the band. Togther they fully deserve to be recognised not just as Japan's best power metal export since Galneryus, but also one of the best power metal acts to emerge in the 2010s, a decade which gave the world the masterful albums Awakening From Abyss (2017) and Clockwork Immortality (2018).
Electric Pentagram (2020), the band's third full-length album that continues their Morbid Angel-esque naming conventions (the EP Battle Against Damnation (2018) and live album Daughters of the Dawn (2019) were sandwiched between the full-length albums, while Electric Pentagram has more recently been followed by a second live album, Five of a Kind (2020) - so we can only assume their next release will start with a G), is therefore the work of a band who already has nothing left to prove. It would have been very easy for it to be the record where the band slipped up. Instead it's the work of a band that don't seem to be losing any creative steam just yet.
One caveat with that last statement though, I would say that Electric Pentagram doesn't make itself more essential than what Lovebites has already released up until this point. For me their first album is the one that remains the true must have. While Clockwork Immortality was in many ways a refinement, wow factor and nostalgia are powerful things. Someone who discovered Lovebites through a later album (including this one) could easily feel the same about it as I do about their first. On Electric Pentagram it does feel like the band have taken a step back toward the debut again in terms of influences – more obvious deviations into speed metal and even some outright thrashy territory compared to Clockwork Immortality's more polished sound, but the differences between all three albums are really subtle.
What I can say about Electric Pentagram though is that it's another collection of great songs from Lovebites. It is perhaps their weakest album on account of the length though. It's seventy minutes long, which is a lot for a power metal album to be honest. They do have the skill to handle it without it getting into the area of being too much of a good thing, but the previous albums do come across as tighter packages for being even just ten minutes shorter, as was the case with the debut. It's not that there's an excessive amount of songs included here, just twelve, which is the same number as Awakening From Abyss, but their writing style, while never too elongated, has produced no track shorter than five minutes this time (with that said nothing breaks seven minutes either), so on paper it does start to look a little formulaic, like they've sat down and said 'okay, this is what works, let's stick to it'. With that said, I couldn't possible pinpoint any exact point where I'd say they should have trimmed something down or any particular song that should have been pruned entirely; it's just a feeling that upon conclusion, while an immensely satisfying third album, that this will go down on one to complement better, more essential works by Lovebites. I feel like they are at the point where their next record will need to try to be braver and break some new ground, though of course hopefully without ruining the identity of the band.
In summary I have enjoyed Electric Pentagram a lot, with a few cautious criticism that don't really detract from my enjoyment while listening to it, though this will be the lowest rating I've given to a Lovebites album so far and that sounds like a blow but this is is still a 4.5 star album for me, just following two 5 star albums, which is a pretty damn good achievement for any band. I still think that Electric Pentagram is a stronger release that many new power metal albums are as well and reviewing it in October after it's January 2020 release I can safely say that it's still the one to beat for the year in the genre.
Album · 2020 ·
Power Metal
voila_la_scorie
It’s only been a couple of days since I received my copy of “Abyss” and I am sure without a doubt that I haven’t properly heard the album yet. Nevertheless, I’ve been reading reviews and interviews and watching videos with Britney's commentary in order to get an idea of exactly how monumental this album is supposed to be and to prepare myself.
Unleash the Archers released their fourth full-length album, “Apex”, in 2017. It was a concept story about a character named Immortal and a nemesis named the Grand Matriarch and I think something about a battle for the souls of people. I first heard about the band on a video on Banger TV’s YouTube channel. I checked out a couple of songs, thinking UtA was pretty good. Then I heard “Awakening” and I was blown through the stratosphere. I hadn’t really shown much interest in power metal until I heard that song. Even now, after picking up a few of power metal’s classic albums and bands, that song remains my favourite.
So, “Abyss” is the sequel to “Apex”. Immortal’s saga continues and the Grand Matriarch is still out there. I’m afraid I haven’t really followed the story, but I heard there’s a graphic novel series in the works. The first track I heard was “Faster Than Light”, which I heard while enjoying the humorous but a little dark video of the four runners and their race against death. The song exhibits the high speed, high precision playing of guitarists Andrew Kingsley and Grant Truesdell as well as the incredible drumming of Scott Buchanan while Britney alternates between tension-filled vocal deliveries for the verses and a melody that will have you soaring amidst towers of cumulous clouds for the chorus.
That’s enough preamble. Let’s get on with the album.
“Apex” has been praised by many, calling it that album that delivered a solid but non-exemplary heavy metal band of mixed subgenres into the eyes of the global power metal community. Indeed, that album seems to have so much praise on the Internet that it could be an album UtA could never top. Whether they did with “Abyss” or not is up to the listener, but the band has certainly pushed themselves and their sound even further. While the charged, high-tech, power metal style they executed so brilliantly on “Apex” is here is spadefuls (I’m already considering “Faster Than Light” to be on equal grounds of excellence with “Awakening”), the band has approached this album as a big production. They even brought in Flesh God Apocalypse’s Francesco Ferrini to add orchestral contributions for the closing track, “Afterlife”.
You’ll certainly notice the addition of keyboards, sometimes quite subtle as a supporting instrument, other times very much to the forefront as in “Through the Stars”, which sounds like a late eighties track by some Swedish band like TNT or Europe or perhaps a bit like Queensryche with keyboards. There’s a hefty use of keyboards in the title track too, though that one still keeps a power metal pace and feel to the music. Tracks like “Legacy” and “Return to Me” have such a big production quality that I’m really reminded of Devin Townsend Project albums like “Epicloud” and “Sky Blue”.
Probably the biggest surprise here is the second last track, “Carry the Flame”, yet another late eighties-sounding track like one of Whitesnake’s or Lita Ford’s melodic mid-tempo power rockers except that this track is a duet between Britney Slayes and growler/screamer Andrew Kingsley (guitars) who is singing with clean vocals. Seriously, if you love late eighties/early nineties melodic hard rock like Joe Lynn Turner, Harem Scarem and the likes, you’ll be in heaven. Me, I’m not totally keen on it usually but I can’t deny that they have pulled it off extremely well.
There are some reasons why fans of the older style of Unleash the Archers might not like this album and for those same reasons, some power metal fans and even metal fans might not like this album - big production and keyboards being stand out features. My opinion is that all the work and effort they put into making this has really paid off. I like a band that pushes themselves in new directions and doesn’t shy away from trying new things. I wouldn’t want a whole album of “Through the Stars” or “Carry the Flame”, but songs like that nestled in between other tracks like “Legacy”, “Faster Than Light”, “The Wind That Shapes the Land” and “Afterlife” make for a diverse album with lots of texture and atmosphere.
I’d love to give this album five stars but something is holding me back. Will the synth wave influence in a couple of tracks eventually taint my opinion of this album? Or will I tire of the big production sound? Maybe or maybe not. When the dust has settled a little more, I might just come back to this review and tweak my rating a half star this way or that.
Movie · 2019 ·
Power Metal
Kingcrimsonprog
Imagine a Judas Priest show with both Tim Ripper Owens and Rob Halford singing together. No wait… Imagine a Sepultura show with both Max Cavelera and Derick Green singing. No wait, that’s not even it. I’ve got it… Imagine an Iron Maiden show with Paul Dianno, Bruce Dickinson and Blaze Bailey all singing. Well, maybe, if Dickinson had left after four albums and Blaze had been there ever since. Ok, Now swap out the zombie mascot for some comedy pumpkins and you’re approaching the situation here. Helloween, one of Germany’s biggest and most important bands, one of the most iconic Power Metal bands in history, with one of the most impressive family trees (Gamma Ray, Masterplan, Freedom Call, Unisonic, Iron Savior etc) make one of the most anticipated decisions in the history of the genre.
Who is your favourite Helloween singer? Is it Kai Hansen, the heaviest singer and the original? Is it Michael Kiske, the most technically accomplished and the one from their most iconic record? Or is it Andi Deris, their best frontman and the singer on the most albums? – Turns out, now you don’t have to choose. United Alive, the live video from the Pumpkins United tour sees all three join the stage together, cracking out a career spanning mixture of material from the earliest thrashiest material to the modern gems, with all the iconic genre defining masterpieces from the peerless Keepers’ era sprinkled in too.
There are over 20 tracks here (some are intros and solos, and some are medleys/combinations, but still…) that’s a lot of Helloween. All three singers take it turns to sing. Sometimes not even a song each, but rather dividing it up section by section inside each song, or all at once. It is very welcome to hear them back on some of their own tracks like ‘Heavy Metal Is The Law’ after not hearing it on the other live videos, or ‘Dr. Stein’ after having heard only Deri’s take on it previously. Conversely it is very interesting to see Kai or Kiske sing on some of the big commercial ‘90s/’00s hits like ‘Perfect Gentleman’ or ‘If I Could Fly.’
There are often 7 members on stage at the one time (or 8 if you count the keyboardist, Eddy Wrapiprou). There’s Weikath and Grosskopft on guitar and bass as always. Sascha Gerstner and Daniel Löble on guitar and drums like the last several albums. And the three aforementioned singers (with Kai also playing guitar).
There’s a mix of footage, ranging from headline shows in Madrid, Spain to festival appearances at Wacken and in Brazil. Sort of like they did already on their previous ‘Legacy World Tour 2005/2006 DVD.
Normally I really prefer a concert DVD to come from one single show, rather than complied from a series of different dates in different places with different lighting, sound and camera work, but given that the band itself is now a compilation of past and present members and some of the songs included are medleys, I don’t know why but it just works here.
The band put on a great show. There’s a lot going on. There’s video screens, a big pumpkin stage set piece around the drum kit (which has 4 kickdrums for some reason, just to add to the over-the-top feel of it all), a light show, and a few cheesy moments like members coming out dressed in a top hat and cane, or raining pumpkin balloons.
Deris, ever the consummate front man is great at revving up the crowd, and then the different members get spotlights for certain tunes and join up on others, there’s prolonged solo segments, a tribute to late drummer Ingo Schichtenberg, its all very diverse and entertaining. They even do a stripped-down bare bones version of the ballad ‘Forever And One’ straight after a super heavy Walls Of Jericho/EP medley, which pretty much shows both polar opposites of the band’s varied discography.
There’s multiple different ways you can buy it. DVD, Blu Ray, combinations thereof. Versions with CDs. The version I got it two Blu Rays. One with the concert and one with a load of extra footage. There’s a few extra songs (Including the underrated ‘Kids Of The Century’ from the oft maligned Pink Bubbles Go Ape album). There’s a bunch of behind the scenes footage looking at various aspects of the tour and production. It comes in a nice shiny digi-book with some brief liner notes and a glossy photo booklet. You know, just as if it wasn’t value for money enough already with an almost three-hour concert of a Helloween fan’s wildest fantasy line-up.
As a concept you really have to hand it to them; its quite a clever move to reuinite with past members without losing current members as some fans never got over Kiske leaving the band or only ever even tried the Keepers albums. Some fans really love the Kai era and you never get to see Helloween play much material from it anymore (you only really get the chance if he chucks one in to a Gamma Ray show some time). Its a great idea to reel them back in and show them how great the Deris era can be too. Come for ‘Halloween’ and ‘Future World’ but stay for ‘Sole Survivor’ and ‘Power’ then learn to love the Deris era if you don’t already.
Thankfully though, its not just the concept that’s good. The whole package is good. The sound, footage, editing and bonus material. Most importantly though, the performance. It doesn’t come across as a novelty cash grab, it really feels like a jubilant celebration. As they say in the opening track ‘Halloween’ ”There’s magic in the air.” This may be cheesy to say (but hey, if you like Helloween, you better be used to cheesy) but it really is a heavy metal dream come true. Buy it!
Movie · 1997 ·
Power Metal
Kingcrimsonprog
High Live is a concert DVD by the legendary German Power Metal band Helloween, recorded in Milan, Italy (and Gerona, Spain) in 1996 on the Time Of The Oath tour.
The main feature is a scorching 84-minute concert, in which an energetic and totally on-form band blast through a lot of material from Master Of The Rings and Time Of The Oath to an enthusiastic crowd. Just going off the performance, this is an absolute 5-star live album.
Songs like “Sole Survivor,” “Before The War” and “Power” sound absolutely blistering here, and I’d highly recommend checking it out on that basis. Andi’s vocals on his own material are absolutely excellent on this release, and Uli’s powerful, understated drumming absolutely kills.
There are a few downsides to the overall product however, such as the picture being a little soft and not the sharpest. The sound is pretty great in one way, and you really get that “live feel,” but you have to turn it up fairly loud for it to become clear, as things can sound a bit muddy on low volumes. Nothing show-destroying though.
The other potential downside is that at the end of some songs, it stops, when they cut to the other concert (eg. from Italy to Spain) and the transition isn’t perfectly smooth, which may interrupt the flow a little. Luckily this never happens in the middle of songs or anything outrageous like that, and for the most part isn’t actually too disruptive.
Apart from that, this is a pretty great main feature all round, and shows the band proving why they are still one of the biggest names in Power Metal. In terms of bonus features: There is a text “History” feature, a discography feature and a photo gallery. All your standard ‘90s DVD extras that don’t add too much really, but look good written on the back of the box.
There is also a five minute “review” feature by Malcome Dome, which is a brief Metal Evolution style history lesson with a mixture of archive footage of the band and talking-head footage of Dome. The dialogue is a bit stiff and the audio is a bit muffled, but as a free extra its still worth a watch.
The track-listing for the main concert is:
1. We Burn 2. Wake Up The Mountain 3. Sole Survivor 4. The Change 5. Why 6. Eagle Fly Free 7. Time Of The Oath 8. Future World 9. Dr. Stein 10. Before The War 11. Mr Ego 12. Power 13. Where The Rain Grows 14. In The Middle Of A Heartbeat 15. Perfect Gentleman 16. Steel Tormentor
Overall; If you like the band, especially if you like the Deris era, then it’s a pretty worthwhile purchase. It shows the band at their Europe-conquering best, dripping with enthusiasm and playing like they mean it. The sound and editing are a tiny bit imperfect, but the band themselves more than make up for it. Comment