Try these:

Wuthering Heights - Far from the Madding Crowd (folky power/prog that proves for quite an endearing listen)

Nocturnal Rites - Shadowland (pretty much a blueprint for how Power Metal should be made)

Landguard - Eden of a Parallel Dimension (great symphonic Power Metal)

Spellblast - Horns of Silence (Blind Guardian-esque Power Metal, very entertaining)

Insania - Sunrise in Riverland (the best Stratovarius worship ever)

Twilightning - Delirium Veil (innovative, progressive Finnish Power Metal with a serious punch. Ignore everything else they've done though.)

Timeless Miracle - Into the Enchanted Chamber (Cheesy, overblown and fun as hell.)

Virgin Steele - The House of Atreus - Act I (possibly the best epic/symphonic metal album I've ever heard)

Excalion - Waterlines (I always mention these guys.)

Machinae Supremacy - Redeemer (Godly prog. I'm serious.)

Leverage - Blind Fire (Excellent melodic Heavy/Power Metal that provides many an entertaining listen.)

Just another heads up for my fellow treasure hunters: Tension's Breaking Point is very well-done power/speed/thrash. The singer is really good, reminds me of...uh...someone. Harry Conklin? Maybe. Bruce Dickinson? Kinda. Anyway, they're quite diverse, with some really speedy stuff, a slower power ballad, some thrash bashers, etc., so there's bound to be something there for everyone. They're not the most original or spectacular band, but certainly solid nonetheless. Check 'em out.

Also, I figure I might as well lump in heavy/traditional/NWOBHM/whatever and speed into this help thread too, as they're twisting in the wind right now.

Here is the right thread. I am looking for bands and albums that sound like Priest (like Primal Fear, Winter's Bane). Started a thread named "Priest worshipping..." yesterday, and a similar one a few months ago.
I'm not looking for bands like Iron Savior, Godiva, Firewind, Messiah's Kiss, etc. I am looking for Painkiller/Defenders/Screaming-esque speed: melodic, not bubbly or sweet, but fast, catchy and heavy (a little evil, think: "The Sentinel" "Hell Patrol" "Riding on the Wind" etc.) - without a soft voice (I'm thinking Halford, Owens or Scheepers - even Barlow, NOT the guy from Iron Savior, or anything like Hammerfall). Something with more balls than most of the aforementioned power bands, in other words more on the speed/thrash side than the speed/power side.
The only bands I've heard that pull it off (the way I'm looking for at least) are Primal Fear and Winter's Bane - surely ther must be more out there than that...?
If you could supply downloads locations too that would be great.

Looking for a thrash or death influenced (musically, not vocally) power metal band with ridiculous talent, and EPIC KEYBOARD LINES. For vocals, I'd prefer someone completely over the top, though not a requirement.

EDIT - Sort of like Manticora with extra cheese and more high pitched vocals.

Know of any fast paced Speed/Power metal?

Similar to Dragonforce, Hibria and Cellador.

Timelord is what you're looking for.

And as to the guy above, do you like old Stratovarius?

I think you would enjoy Burning in Hell.

Emp, have you heard of them? I highly reccomend them.

I've heard of em, yeah - haven't checked 'em out yet though.

How about early albums by X Japan?

I'd like to find more power metal bands with ridiculously over-the-top layered vocals, preferably later-era-Blind Guardian-like if possible (later Sonata Arctica is also a good example.) If the music is a bit on the heavier side, that'd be great, and keyboard use is also a big plus.

The only ones I can think of are well known bands like Pagan's Mind, and they definitely aren't what you want, are they?

Thanks a lot.

Burning in Hell are fucking good. Sort of a midway point between Angra and Hibria, speaking in terms of their countrymen. If they had better vocals, they'd be an A class band.

Glad you like them.

I'm listening to Eagleheart right now, after reading your review.

Another band that badly needs a vocalist change. I wonder what it is with Power Metal bands hiring guys who have about as much attitude as a blank canvass.

I just checked out Terasbetoni, and they rule. Exactly what I wanted from my Finnish Power Metal request a few pages ago.

I've been really getting into power metal a lot lately. It's always had a soft spot for me since Iced Earth was the band that got me away from nu-metal in the first place. Lately I've been listening to a lot of Helloween (Walls and Keepers), Gamma Ray (Land of the Free on), Iron Savior, Stormwarrior, and Avantasia. Basically I'm looking for more of the same. Happy, happy Helloween double bass frenzy type music. Someone recommended Aquaria to me and it's pretty good, especially said double bass frenzy parts.

Also I was recommended Stratovarius, but the only song that has clicked so far is Eagleheart, most of it just isn't what I'm wanting. Anyway, any recommendations would be great.

Galloglass, Celesty, Eagleheart, Burning in Hell, Angra, Freedom Call, Fairyland, old Heavenly, Insania, Freternia, Timeless Miracle and Twilightning should fill you up for a good while.

I should have included Freedom Call in my list. My fault for not thinking of it. Thanks for the recommendations though I'll start checking them out as soon as this Aquaria album is done.

two obscure bands that I found recently. It's a sin that neither has been reissued


http://media.putfile.com/80s-power-metal Messiah Force (Ca)
http://media.putfile.com/90s-power-metal Axiom (US)


happy now?

It'd be nice if you included real info, well at least with the first track. Easy to tell if you know them though! My magical powers tells me that it's Messiah Force "White Knight". Excellent band.

Axiom isn't bad, though they somehow come off as a bit anticlimatic to me.

Okay guys, power/thrash like Destiny's End/Helstar, Persuader, Scariot?

Not necessarily terribly close to what you want, but Tension (US), Forte, and Matthias Steele, are all good. I honestly haven't found a hell of a lot of good power/thrash, but I suppose my standards may be different from others'. Oh, Oblivion's demo is very good and has some thrashy elements, though the production is pretty rough. Aftermath are good too, though they're a bit on the weird side.

Oliver Magnum, maybe?

http://www.myspace.com/olivermagnum

Can somebody recommand me stuff similar to early Anthrax? DON'T recommand me any agressive thrash metal bands, but more speed/ thrash metal bands without any agression, fast, loud riffs and high pithched vocals. Lyrics by the band must be in english and i don't care about production.

Thrash Metal Help Thread is more fitting.

I'm sorry ^^ my mistake

I am looking for NWOBHM similar to Motorhead, Manowar, and Venom. I'd also like some 'ballsy' Power Metal like Holy Dragons or Skiltron. None of that Elvenking crap though.

Any help would be great, Power Metal isn't a genre I like but I am getting to a few bands lately.

I've been on a USPM binge lately and am wondering what key bands/albums I might be missing. These are my current favourites: Attacker, Exxplorer, Helstar, Liege Lord, Metal Church, Nasty Savatage, Oracle, Realm, Running Wild, Steel Assassin.

Not sure if these are all considered to be USPM though. Oh and no flowery crap, please. Thanks!

You should look into the following:

Omen - Battle Cry

Griffin - Flight of the Griffin

Sacred Oath - A Crystal Vision


Top notch stuff courtesy of Xeogred and FSM.

For USPM, I recommend Fates Warning, Manilla Road, Crimson Glory and Savatage.

You mean Nasty Savage, right?

Heir Apparent.

Yeah, typo. I like Manilla Road and Savatage and I'll check out the other bands, thanks for the suggestions guys!

I'll pretty much second everything that has been mentioned so far, and also recommend Black Knight, might not be exactly what your looking for but definitely a band you should be checking out. Also since they don't seem to have been mentioned yet you should check out Deadly Blessing, and Abattoir.

I think Liege Lord is like my musical Bible.

I'll second what some others said above: Omen (first three are good), Fates Warning, Crimson Glory (first two), Heir Apparent (debut mainly), Black Knight, Deadly Blessing (debut), and Abattoir (first two. though I say they're more Exciter-ish, speed metal, still some worthwhile stuff). Griffin's debut ... fuck yes.

Some stuff coming to mind here:

Others (pardon me for not remembering what you may have heard already, lol...)--:
~ Apollo Ra - Really varied. Insane vocalist, shriekfuckingmaster.
~ Tyrant (US), you might know them though?
~ Defender (Hol) City Ad Mortis EP. Almost like Metal Church from the Netherlands! First time I heard this it destroyed me, still a favorite.
~ Agent Steel ... hey, it's a stretch but if you haven't heard them, maybe you'd like their first two. "Unstoppable Force" is kind of comparable to some of this stuff.
~ Savage Grace - first two. Well if you don't mind Agent Steel-ish stuff, Abattoir, etc, check them out. Their debut is insanely awesome, the second album is a bit more power-ish.
~ Vicious Rumors first two. One of the earlier classic bands I got into a long time ago along with Helstar.
~ Commandment - Engraved in the Stone. Has is moments.
~ Jag Panzer - Ample Destruction (an obvious one. But hey, if you haven't check out Satan's Host debut and Titan Force's two albums too. Not bad..)
~ Cloven Hoof - Dominator and A Sultan's Ransom. UK, but whatever, epic stuff.
~ Cyperus' first two demo's. Don't let the "demo" tag fool you! High quality stuff and excellent productions, ballsy classic USPM.
~ Dark Age - 1984 s/t EP, the one with a few reviews. An incredibly interesting blend of NWOBHM influenced metal with speed/power influences, really awesome.
~ Glacier - EP and 88' demo. Again, small releases here, but with incredible productions. Great stuff.
~ Heretic - Breaking Point. Hey, I like it! If you dig Mike Howe from Metal Church, check out where he started ... nothing groundbreaking, but solid stuff.
~ Lords of the Crimson Alliance - You'll probably love it or hate it. Nothing sounds quite like it at all though, very out there. Check out Grudge too.
~ Oliver Magnum - 88' s/t album. Not bad.
~ Medieval Steel - 84' EP. You know, it doesn't make my head explode or anything but fuck ... utterly timeless. You can never make metal like this ever again. (similar to Glacier).
~ Chastain - Mystery of Illusion through 7th of Never are worthwhile. Leather Leone is a badass female vocalist.
~ Original Sin - Sin Will Find You Out. Pretty damn ballsy and completely made up of women!
~ Cruella - Vengeance Is Mine. Pretty messy, but fairly fun.

~ Slauter Xstroyes - both albums. You like Realm? You will probably dig these guys a lot. Really jacked up weird, creative, and insanely awesome. The vocalist sounds like a fucking psychopath. One of those bands you can't classify at all.


More high quality demo's/EP's that could pass off as full lengths:
~ Assalant - The Damage Is Done. Okay, the production is drained but if you blast that volume it works. Really awesome power/thrash.
~ Brute Force - Fight To Survive. Shriektastic at times, excellent production, really awesome. First demo isn't bad either, low quality though.
~ Ghost Story - The Image and Reality. Fairly technical power/thrash, awesome.
~ Heathen's Rage. Drained productions, but this band should've been fucking huge.
~ Oblivion - Quest For Power. Liege Lord's brother, maybe... insane stuff.
... :oh shit:

edit: Oh you mentioned Running Wild, what albums specifically? There's some other cool European albums that might come to mind here.

Figured I might as well weigh in here even after Xeogred's massive list, considering you mentioned Oracle. Cauldron Born are really really awesome, though obviously from slightly later, but they sound a lot like Oracle but more over the top. Also Dead Calm, Zions Abyss, Screamer, Damien Steele, and Medieval Steel's recent compilation (includes their 84 EP plus other worthwhile stuff!).

Dragonheart is cool. Get their latest album Vengeance in Black, nice head-stomping goodness. And all of Xeogred's recs are great, especially Slauter Xstroyes. Free the Beast is such a fucking great album. And Black Knight and Deadly Blessing are both also awesome bands.

Nasty Savatage, though That's awesome.

Seconding Flight of the Griffin. That album is amazing

Damnit, I thought I'd have an easy Saturday but now I'm going through all the bands listed that I haven't heard yet.

I'm liking this Heretic.

I'll check these bands out but it'll take a very long time to do all of those, haha. Thanks!
Liking Crimson Glory so far.

Imagine if they were a bit heavier and more aggressive, that's basically Apollo Ra.