Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contrast with the heaviness and dissonance prevalent, for example, in extreme metal. Power metal bands usually have anthem-like songs with fantasy-based subject matter and strong choruses, thus creating a theatrical, dramatic and emotionally "powerful" sound.
A number of heavy metal genres have developed since the emergence of heavy metal during the late 1960s and early 1970s. At times, heavy metal genres may overlap or are difficult to distinguish, but they can be identified by a number of traits. They may differ in terms of instrumentation, tempo, song structure, vocal style, lyrics, guitar playing style, drumming style, and so on.
The Jester Race is the second studio album by Swedish metal band In Flames, released in February 1996. It is the first album to feature Anders Fridén as the band's vocalist, Björn Gelotte as the drummer, and Jester Head as the band's mascot.
Crimson Moonlight is a Swedish unblack metal band. The band was formed in the summer of 1997 with the mere intention of recording a primitive old school black metal demo and playing one show before breaking up. However, the breakup never happened, and they have since recorded two EPs and three full-length albums. They were previously signed to Rivel Records, currently to Endtime Productions. They have toured US twice, and have been featured in two metal documentary films.
Unblack metal is a religious philosophy and subgenre within black metal whose artists either directly oppose the Satanism prevalent in most black metal, or promote Christianity in their lyrics and imagery. Unblack metal artists are controversial within the black metal subculture, because black metal's pioneers, especially those of the Second Wave, were anti-Christian. It is also suggested that Christianity contradicts black metal's dark nature and the individualistic and misanthropic ideals of many bands.
Theatres des Vampires is an Italian gothic metal band, mostly noted for the predominant theme of vampirism within their lyrics. The band's early material was credited as melodic black metal or symphonic black metal, but the group completely abandoned all black metal influence by the mid-2000s. Theatres des Vampires have released eleven full-length albums.
Demoniac were a heavy metal band from New Zealand formed in Wellington in 1993 by singer and bass player Lindsay Dawson, guitarist Sam Totman and Drummer Steve Francis. They later moved to London, UK. Three of the members went on to form DragonForce. Their rather unusual musical style has often been labeled as "blackened power metal".
Bloodlust is the debut studio album by American deathcore band Through the Eyes of the Dead, released on October 25, 2005 through Prosthetic Records. After releasing an EP and a split, Through the Eyes of the Dead released Bloodlust. The album is considered a deathcore album with elements of melodic death metal, featuring a musical style similar to bands like At the Gates and The Black Dahlia Murder. Before the deathcore label existed, Bloodlust was labeled as metalcore due to its combination of melodic death metal with occasional hardcore breakdowns, which resembled metalcore. Bloodlust's lyrics were inspired by serial killers, and depicted poetic lyrics telling stories and imagery. Through the Eyes of the Dead cited Cannibal Corpse, Carcass, Death, In Flames, At the Gates and Dark Tranquility as influences.
Holy Blood is a folk metal band from Kyiv, Ukraine, formed in 1999. The band is notable for being one of the few Christian bands in its genre, and the fact that they are the most successful group on its label Bombworks Records, and the band has been noted worldwide despite being an underground group. Holy Blood has released six albums: The Wanderer, Waves Are Dancing, The Patriot, Shining Sun, Day of Vengeance and Voice of Blood.
The Covenant Progress is the first full-length album by the Swedish group Crimson Moonlight. The album was released in 2003 on Rivel Records. In 2010, HM Magazine ranked it #52 on the Top 100 Christian metal albums of all time list with Beck stating that it is "Well-produced symphonic black metal that rivals the best any other band in this subgenre can offer."
Waves Are Dancing is the second studio album by Ukrainian folk metal band Holy Blood, released in 2005. The band's and their label's best selling album, Waves saw the band moving even further towards the highly melodic folk metal style while still keeping the black metal elements, particularly the thin and high-pitched shrieking vocals. In 2010, HM Magazine ranked it #88 on the Top 100 Christian metal albums of all-time list.
Sanctifica was a Swedish unblack metal band, formed in 1996, and disbanded in 2003. After releasing their EP, In the Bleak Midwinter, in 1997, they were considered to be one of the leading modern Christian black metal bands in the early 2000s with their album Spirit of Purity. Signed to Swedish Rivel Records and Finnish Little Rose Productions, the band played progressive death metal on their second and last album Negative B. They did a tour through Scandinavia to support that album, performing at some of the best known rock clubs in big cities. Hubertus Liljegren went to join Crimson Moonlight, while the rest formed a rock group called As a Reminder.
Negative B is the second and last album by the Swedish band Sanctifica, released on Rivel Records in 2002. This album saw the band abandoning their previous black metal style for a more alternative, electronic, avantgarde, experimental, progressive death metal sound. The album received mixed reviews: some found the album too bizarre, unfocused and unbalanced, while others praised it for its unique style. Many fans of Sanctifica's old style were disappointed on the drastic style change, but Negative B brought the band a new group of fans from the progressive metal crowd.
Amberian Dawn is a Finnish symphonic power metal band, formed in 2006 by Tuomas Seppälä and Tommi Kuri. Their fifth album Re-Evolution was released on KHY Suomen Musiikki & Encore Music in summer 2013. Their latest album Looking for You was released in January 2020, via Napalm Records.
Majestica is a symphonic/power metal band from Boden, Sweden. They were formed in 2000 by vocalist Tommy Johansson. They are influenced by soundtrack focused films such as The Lord of the Rings and bands like Helloween with Michael Kiske, and Rhapsody of Fire.
Demo 98/99 is a demo from the Norwegian unblack symphonic black metal band Vaakevandring, released in 1999 through Nordic Mission, a label co-founded by Vaakevandring member Pål Dæhlen. Demo 98/99 was produced by Stian Aarstad, a former keyboardist from the symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir. Aaarstad also contributed vocals to the track "Fader Vaar". The band titled the recording as it did to ensure that listeners would not expect a studio quality album. The style of the album was described as symphonic and melodic black metal influenced by Norwegian folk music. The output was considered comparable to that of Sanctifica, Crimson Moonlight, and Dimmu Borgir. Though only a demo recording, the release was very well received and propelled the band into popularity. HM writer Matt Morrow rated the album 9.5 out of 10, and writer Johannes Jonsson gave the album 3 out of 5. The songs from the demo were later re-mastered and re-released with an additional song — "To Find Eternal Peace" — in 2004 as an extended play entitled Vaakevandring, through the label Momentum Scandinavia.
Overcome or Burn Forever in Hell/Arachnid Terror Sampler is an EP by black metal band Paradox combined with a sampler album featuring fourteen different artists, released in 2002 by the band's own Tarantula Promotions label. Limited to five hundred copies, it contains two songs by Paradox, which were the final recordings of that band, along with a compilation of fourteen songs previously recorded by their respective artists. The album's musical style was described as extreme metal, with the various genres on the album falling under black metal, death metal, grindcore, deathcore, and doom metal. Apart from Paradox, the other artists represented on the album include Soul Embraced, Sanctifica, Frosthardr, Frost Like Ashes, Kekal, Pantokrator, and Tortured Conscience, among others. According to Paradox founder Michael "John Tarantula", the release was a result of his newsletter project, Fangs of Life, which he published through his Tarantula Promotions label.
Ukrainian metal is the heavy metal music scene of Ukraine. The most common Ukrainian heavy metal subgenres are black, pagan, folk and death metal. The most popular and well-known bands are black metal bands Drudkh, Nokturnal Mortum, Khors, death metal bands Fleshgore, Firelake, folk metal bands Tin Sontsia, Veremiy and Jinjer, a metalcore band. 1914, founded in 2014, and IGNEA, founded in 2015, are two of Ukraine's newest metal bands with international notoriety. Among the biggest festivals are Metal Heads Mission, Carpathian Alliance, Global East (Kyiv), ProRock (Kyiv). Media: among some old and established on ex-USSR territory paper magazines like Terroraiser, Atmosfear there is also English-language portal Antichrist magazine.
Pantokrator is a Swedish Christian metal band that was formed in 1996. The band's name means "Lord Almighty" in Ancient Greek. Several members have been in Crimson Moonlight and Sanctifica.
Ghost Notes is the debut studio album by the Norwegian Christian extreme metal band Vardøger, released on November 24, 2015. The album marked a departure from the band's previous unblack metal and Viking metal style, instead performing a broader mix of extreme metal, progressive metal, and melodic death metal. The album was met with a highly positive critical reception. In 2018, the members of Vardøger opted to disband.
