Power Metal

[Zook]

No no no, it's Urban breed. Lower case b. Get it right, noobs.

[Lowdz]

No no no, it's Urban breed. Lower case b. Get it right, noobs.

Zook is right. 
Yes TAC, it's a guy. He used to sing in Tad Morose and BloodBound. He's vocalist in Trail of Murder whose album you should own. Its a modern classic.

[bl5150]

Tim.........you have detention for not studying my Top 50 properly 

I think a couple of us chatted about Project Arcadia a few weeks back in the melrock thread.   I'm not entirely sold on it tbh - I love the guy's voice but my initial impression is that it's not a patch on Trail of Murder.

I'm still enjoying Unisonic - it's sounding to me more and more like a heavier Place Vendome with dashes of Helloween the more I listen to it.  Which isn't surprising seeing as Ward wrote the whole album , compared to the debut where Hansen had about half the credit.  I much prefer Ward as a writer.

[TAC]

No no no, it's Urban breed. Lower case b. Get it right, noobs.

Zook is right. 
Yes TAC, it's a guy. He used to sing in Tad Morose and BloodBound. He's vocalist in Trail of Murder whose album you should own. Its a modern classic.

He's got a great voice. Will check out!

Tim.........you have detention for not studying my Top 50 properly 

I think a couple of us chatted about Project Arcadia a few weeks back in the melrock thread.   I'm not entirely sold on it tbh - I love the guy's voice but my initial impression is that it's not a patch on Trail of Murder.

I'm still enjoying Unisonic - it's sounding to me more and more like a heavier Place Vendome with dashes of Helloween the more I listen to it.  Which isn't surprising seeing as Ward wrote the whole album , compared to the debut where Hansen had about half the credit.  I much prefer Ward as a writer.

Guilty!

The new Unisonic is  Album Of The Year candidate.

[wolfking]

Tim.........you have detention for not studying my Top 50 properly 

I think a couple of us chatted about Project Arcadia a few weeks back in the melrock thread.   I'm not entirely sold on it tbh - I love the guy's voice but my initial impression is that it's not a patch on Trail of Murder.

I'm still enjoying Unisonic - it's sounding to me more and more like a heavier Place Vendome with dashes of Helloween the more I listen to it.  Which isn't surprising seeing as Ward wrote the whole album , compared to the debut where Hansen had about half the credit.  I much prefer Ward as a writer.

I'm happy with that description.

[gazinwales]

I posted this in the Stratovarius thread which everyone ignored, so here it is again 

Looking what seems to be the modern yardstick for popularity, official band Facebook page;

Blind Guardian - 667,074
Helloween - 1,666,839
Stratovarius - 1,175,862
Edguy - 381,977
Gamma Ray - 246,364
DragonForce - 1,771,057
Avantasia - 534,908
Hammerfall - 793,643
Nightwish - 4,396,729
Sonata Arctica - 1,164,893

So thus the big 4 of power metal are:
1. Nightwish - by a long shot and I very much consider them a PM band.
2. DragonForce
3. Helloween
4. Stratovarius

Which to me at least is surprising, almost shocking 

[wolfking]

I don't consider Nightwish power metal at all.

[wolfking]

I keep spinning the new Unisonic a lot, it's fantastic.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I don't consider Nightwish power metal at all.

Yeah, this.

[jingle.boy]

I don't consider Nightwish power metal at all.

Yeah, this.

Agreed.  Or Avantasia.  They have some Power Metal moments, but by-and-large I wouldn't broadly categorize them as such ala most of the others on that listing.

[wolfking]

I don't consider Nightwish power metal at all.

Yeah, this.

Agreed.  Or Avantasia.  They have some Power Metal moments, but by-and-large I wouldn't broadly categorize them as such ala most of the others on that listing.

Agree with this too.

Dragonforce would have to be power metal cause you couldn't really classify them as anything else, but to me they are not true traditional power metal.

[Evermind]

Avantasia was pure power metal like twelve years ago on Metal Operas, but it's totally not power metal now. Nightwish is pretty far from power metal too, I agree.

And damn, I'm still waiting for this new Unisonic.

[wolfking]

Avantasia was pure power metal like twelve years ago on Metal Operas, but it's totally not power metal now. Nightwish is pretty far from power metal too, I agree.

And damn, I'm still waiting for this new Unisonic.

For some reason this totally slipped my mind.  Of course the first two albums were power metal.  Duh me.  After that though, no way.

You're in for a treat with the Unisonic.  It keeps growing and even the songs I was a bit iffy about have become really strong.  I knew they had the potential though.

[gazinwales]

Nightwish have always had a core power metal sound.
Have a listen to Oceanborn - Wishmaster - Century Child and even Once.
All those albums basic sound, underneath all the keyboards and symphonic sounds, had the fundamental ingredients that make up the PM sound.
The drums, guitars, bass and tempo's are all basic power metal.

[jingle.boy]

Keyword in your own post ... "underneath" all those other sounds.

They're more known for their symphonic sounds, and operatic vocals.

[Evermind]

Just received my copy of new Unisonic. It gets the Flimsiest Digipack of the Year award.  Anyway, nice thing to get at Friday evening, gonna spin it now.

[Zydar]

Stop the bus, Frankie. Unisonic has a new album out? Sweet, I'll be sure to check it out.

[Evermind]

Stop the bus, Frankie. Unisonic has a new album out? Sweet, I'll be sure to check it out.

I'm not sure if this is sarcasm or not Anyway, it's been out for over a month and it was talked about in this thread for the last three pages, I think.

[Zydar]

Oh I barely visit this thread, and no it wasn't sarcastic at all

I had no clue they were going to release something.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Me neither and I visit the thread.... 

[wolfking]

Stop the bus, Frankie. Unisonic has a new album out? Sweet, I'll be sure to check it out.

Do it, it's awesome.

[Evermind]

Stop the bus, Frankie. Unisonic has a new album out? Sweet, I'll be sure to check it out.

Do it, it's awesome.

Listened to it like four times and man, you're damn right it is. Right now it's tied for my AOTY with IQ's The Road of Bones. I actually loved the first Unisonic and thought they won't top it, but hell I was wrong.  Amazing record. 

[bl5150]

I just finished my first listen of the Project Arcadia and rate it around 78% at this stage.  I find it all a bit unusual to be honest - they have a very distinct way of laying down the rhythm guitars which is rather staccato and off beat that , to me at least , really isn't necessary and doesn't work in favour of the songs which are otherwise standard melodic metal.   As per usual Urban breed does a great job on vocals but , as with many of his projects , the music doesn't quite rise to the same heights.

I think it may well grow a bit and the production is great ...........certainly worth a listen. Not sure that it's power metal to be honest , but it's been discussed here before so .........

[wolfking]

I'll probably check that Arcadia disc out.  The song you pimped a couple of weeks ago was solid.

[jingle.boy]

I'll probably check that Arcadia disc out.  The song you pimped a couple of weeks ago was solid.

[wolfking]

New Hammerfall is pretty damn good.

[Zydar]

New Hammerfall is pretty damn good.

Their best in a long while.

[wolfking]

New Hammerfall is pretty damn good.

Their best in a long while.

Infected was the best since Crimson Thunder IMO.  I've only listened to this new one once, but I think it could overtake it.

I'm not totally sold on the 'back to the roots' thing, but Bushido, Hector's Hymn and Origins definitely have an older Hammerfall vibe, but everything else sounds like what they have been doing lately, but a bit more exciting.  Wildfire is stunning and one of the coolest things they've ever done.

[Zydar]

Oh yeah, Wildfire is perhaps my favourite track here.

[wolfking]

It's just so original for the band, really good stuff.

[wolfking]

Johansson is leaving Hammerfall.  The guy from PAIN has joined.  Bass player is also on parental leave and Stefan Elmgren is filling in the bass duites.  Yes, that's the old lead guitarist.

[TAC]

Just got the Hammerfall yesterday. Afdter one listen, I like it. Feels like it will be a grower.
Hector's Hymn, Bushido, We Won't Back Down, Origins, Wildfire, Demonized. Lots of great potential Hammerfall classics here.

Johansson is leaving Hammerfall. 

Really? Wow!
Ironically, while listening yesterday, I felt that the drumming in HF was getting pretty stale. I mean, he's good and steady but I don't feel like the drums really ADD anything.

[wolfking]

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/hammerfall-parts-ways-with-drummer-anders-johansson/

[jingle.boy]

You know .... Unisonic is growing on me.

[wolfking]

You know .... Unisonic is growing on me.

It's awesome.