Downing and Glenn Tipton also highly influenced this subgenre. The twin-guitar sound promoted by Judas Priest's duo of K. His almost constant high-pitched singing became one of the main characteristics of power metal. In his 2011 documentary series Metal Evolution, Dunn further explained how Rob Halford of Judas Priest created a blueprint for power metal vocal delivery. According to Dunn, the songs 'Stargazer' and 'A Light in the Black' from the 1976 album Rising, as well as 'Kill the King' and 'Lady of the Lake' from the 1978 album Long Live Rock 'n' Roll, might be among the earliest examples of power metal.

The fantasy-oriented lyrics he wrote for Rainbow, concentrated around medieval, renaissance, folk, and science fiction themes, directly influenced modern power metal bands. Hansen is regarded as one of the biggest influences in the early development of power metal.Īnthropologist Sam Dunn traced the origins of power metal back to the late 1970s, when the groundwork for power metal lyrical style was laid down by Ronnie James Dio.

Kai Hansen of Gamma Ray during a show in Barcelona, Spain.

a later, more widespread and popular style based in Europe (especially Scandinavia, Germany, Greece, Spain, and Italy), South America (especially Brazil and Argentina) and East Asia with a lighter, more melodic sound and frequent use of keyboards.

the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal,.

The term was first used in the mid-1980s and refers to two different but related styles: 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. 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 is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Power metalĮurope and the United States in the 1980s For the Metallica demo, see List of Metallica demos § Power Metal demo. For the Pantera album, see Power Metal (album). This article is about the subgenre of heavy metal music.

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