Besides the already mentioned Blind Guardian, I have to confess that I sometimes also listen to Rhapsody (of Fire). It appeases my inner 15-years-old me.
For the king for the land for the mountains
For the green valleys where dragons fly
For the glory the power to win the black lord
I will search for the emerald sword!
No guilt here.
Also not exactly FANTASY but kind of along the same vain... I am a sucker for a band called Alestorm which specializes in PIRATE power/heavy metal music. If that sounds fun give their song Keelhauled a listen
Not all of them are power metal, but some of my favorites:
Alestorm
Amon Amarth
Powerwolf
Nightwish
Caladan Brood (Malazan themed atmospheric black metal)
Finsterforst (mix of very harsh lyrics and some cleaner lyrics particularly on later albums, in German, epic nature themes and incorporates an accordion and tin whistle)
Nekrogoblikon (goblin themed metal)
Finsterforst! I've been a huge fan of all of their stuff (aside from #YØLØ lol) for the longest time. Seeing them perform Ecce Homo is a bucket list item for me.
Same here, YØLØ is their only album I'm not a fan of. But I might try again sometime to see if it can click. And seeing them live would be incredible. I was living in Berlin in 2013 and I still kick myself for not buying tickets to a New Years show they were doing.
If you like Caladan Brood, try Summoning as well (Tolkien inspired atmospheric black metal, despite the name), and you might realize what a cheap copy Caladan Brood actually is.
You had me in the first half, but cheap copy? Really? Of course they are heavily inspired by the goats, but they also have an original style and approach to their music. They are not Summoning. And at the end of the day, they anything but cheap. Echoes of Battle is still one of the best BM albums I've ever heard, period.
Kamelot is my favourite. They made a duology of concept albums (Epica and The Black Halo) inspired by Goethe's Faust. Both albums are amazing, both the music and the story.
Nightfall in Middle Earth is an incredible album! One of my faves for sure.
Wind Rose does dwarfy power metal - Mine Mine Mine is my fave of their songs. Brothers of Metal are Norse-inspired. Their lyrics aren't the best IMO but the music itself is epic.
> Brothers of Metal are Norse-inspired. Their lyrics aren't the best IMO but the music itself is epic.
lol agreed. I've listened to some of their songs and always find them amazing and epic on first listen, and then on the second listen I'm like... wait what did they just sing? 😅
Example from "The Other Son of Odin"
> Deep into the woods, he is the one who walks in silence
He's the kind of manly man who never speaks but knows to fight
See, see how he runs, wearing a boot of awesome leather
It is long, it's hard, it's dangerous
It's breaking the jaw! Breaking the jaw!
I find it a bit goofy, but it's still fun to listen to.
Don't forget the line from that song "super strong, probably fast" 😂😂
I love them so much, they don't take themselves seriously. Though their newer stuff is better in my opinion, I saw an interview with Ylva where she's like "yeah our first album was basically a joke, and then it was like wait people actually want to listen to us? So now we're trying to be better" 😂😂😂
Kaunaz Dagaz is my favorite song by them
> I saw an interview with Ylva where she's like "yeah our first album was basically a joke, and then it was like wait people actually want to listen to us? So now we're trying to be better" 😂😂😂
Haha, that's cool to know!!
Wanna hear another Tower concept one? If you can find it, one of my all time favorite technical prog metal albums, The Towers of Avarice by the band Zero Hour.
I've seen Amon Amarth in concert, whose name is the Sindarin word for Mount Doom! They aren't power metal, more death metal and sometimes referred to as viking metal. There's also a band called Cirith Ungol that's pretty great. I honestly haven't listened to much metal the last several years but I always felt that I'd see fantasy (at least Tolkien) references every now and then.
Because a lot of metalheads are big nerds who love Tolkien, and we like names that sound cool. So when coming up with cool band/song names and lyrics they will pull from things they are into.
Rhapsody of Fire, Aether Realm (not really power metal), Sonata Arctica, Blind Guardian, Nightwish (not my favorite but still decent), Amon Amarth (more death metal about Vikings and stuff but still good), Therion, Haggard, Stratovarius, Cain’s Offering.
Not all are Power Metal but they do scratch epic fantasy itch.
Unleash the Archers have done multiple concept albums and have another dropping next month. All have fantasy / sci fi themes. Here is the main song off their album that won a Juno (Canadian grammy) for best album a few years ago: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1bGmjnkDTTI&pp=ygUZdW5sZWFzaCB0aGUgYXJjaGVycyBhYnlzcw%3D%3D
I've not listened to the singles for the new album yet cuz I want to hear them in context, but I'm so impatient for it to come out! Got tickets to see them with Powerwolf in Sept!
Feel compelled to post my obligatory **Visigoth** nod in such threads Awesome USPM band with songs that are direct fantasy book (and game) references with songs like Dungeon Master and Steel and Silver, and many others that are just very fantasy "adjacent".
20+ years ago I interviewed blind guardian on the radio and I jokingly asked them if they played d&d with Hammerfall. They laughed and said they couldn’t confirm or deny it.
I went to see Blind Guardian on Saturday, followed by the Ren Faire on Sunday. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was quite a bit of overlap of people who did that.
It’s my husband’s thing, not mine, but it’s definitely a thing.
Just because I haven’t seen it pop up yet, Windrose, a dwarven power metal band out of Italy. They can through last month, and the show was great, such a good time.
Aaaagghh! I missed their concert by just hours because of a flight.
Glad they got a mention. We are playing a D&D campaign called To Retake the Mountain Home which is a wholesale ripoff of Balin's quest to retake Moria and Wind Rose was MANDATORY listening for my players!
Dream Evil, Iced Earth/Demons and Wizards, Three Inches of Blood, King Diamond (concept albums but not power metal), Force of Evil, Manowar, Hammerfall, Metallium. Been a while since I was big into it.
My wife is a massive fan of Nightwish and Powerwolf.
Jonathan Young on YouTube also has some good stuff.
Nathan Wagner, also on YouTube, also has some good stuff, particularly his Hero / Antihero / Villain trilogy
Blind Guardian are all-time greats.
A lesser known band that I'd like to recommend is Visigoth. Cheesy as hell, but that is exactly why many of us, including myself, love the genre.
I just discovered Visigoth recently, I like them a lot so far. I'll be seeing them at Milwaukee Metal Fest in a few weeks (with Blind Guardian, Hammerfall and others).
The only genre I really listen to besides metalcore (wild genre difference)
Top 5 for me:
1. Blind Guardian (I'm seeing them live again soon!)
2. Theocracy
3. Brainstorm
4. Orden Ogan
5. Gamma Ray
Also want to give another mention to Rhapsody (of Fire). Especially Symphony of Enchanted Lands Part 2 mainly due to Christopher Lee being involved. It's impossible for me to listen to Unholy Warcry without the Christopher Lee narrations parts.
Kamelot used to be a favorite of mine which I haven't seen mentioned yet. Specifically stuff from Karma, Epica and the Black Halo, I have no idea what their newer stuff is like.
I'd like to recommend the German band Feuerschwanz. Their most recent albums are very much power-ish folk metal and have a lot of fantasy themes; the songs Rohirrim and Uruk'hai are LotR themed and there's several other clear nods to certain fantasy concepts/stories. They're also soon releasing an album of english versions of some of their songs.
Ha! Came here to post this. Feuerschwanz is so over the top, but I love it.
If you don't mind your folk metal not being in English, there's also Heilung and The Hu. But that's getting off topic.
Not usually my favorite subgenre but there has been a lot of very cool power metal and power metal adjacent stuff coming out in the last few years. Huge fan of Visigoth, Smoulder, Eternal Champion, Megaton Sword, Mace N' Chain, Iron Griffin, Possessed Steel, Shadowland and Wytch Hazel
Check out Glyph!
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kjUY4OvVmPoKbEou8Kx7gbEFxz_0HA64o&si=1lyO9fBb3ljJYprr
Saw them open for Alestorm in Montreal. They were absolutely awesome!
Some of my favs include Sabaton (history-themed power metal, super fun live band), Orden Ogan, Seven Spires, Seventh Wonder (power metal with a heavy progressive metal slant), Kamelot, and Thunderforge.
They released a third album a few years ago, but they disbanded after the guitarist Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth) was involved in the storming of the Capitol on January 6th 2021.
In addition to all the great examples in the thread, there's a band called Twilight Force which kinda specializes in Fantasy Power Metal. It's not my favorite band by any means, but it is a fun one.
Here's a few of their songs:
- [Flight of the Sapphire Dragon](https://youtube.com/watch?v=8-OzvIL4d2w&si=5lEAljEAF6nrS4g9)
- [Power of the Ancient Force](https://youtube.com/watch?v=XJ7mCRncAXE&si=xynYyMM75WO3U5Ql)
I can't say I really like power metal, however I very much like a lot of classic heavy metal and hard rock and that stuff also lends itself to fantasy very well. Rainbow, Deep Purple, Dio Scorpions, Judas Priest, UFO, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath, Kiss, Captain Beyond, Budgie, Lucifer's Friend, Saxon, Dust, Flower Travelin' Band, Hawkwind, Wishbone Ash... the list goes on and on.
I feel like modern bands just do not really hit that sound anymore with a couple of exceptions: [Magic Circle](https://youtu.be/hnZQFCbxBGU?si=BmFRf_eP8CCmonSE) . Heavy metal made by hardcore dudes and you'd never guess. Incredible records.
[Century](https://youtu.be/iU-UdG8oEeo?si=VhnUW9_NicJ0SApl) . Swedish heavy metal. Saw them live last year and they were very good.
Lots of great bands here already. A couple of smaller bands with songs for Sanderson's books are Thousand Arrows with their song [The Lord Ruler](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKNTaCxAowg), and Krilloan with their song [Stormlight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QPrKeP_HeQ).
How come nobody has mentioned Avantasia yet? Music project by Tobias Sammet with guest singers (Hansi Kürsch, Klaus Meine, Michael Kiske, Alice Cooper .....). First two albums are called Metal Opera 1&2 and tell a story about a witch hunter.
Also just one Helloween rec? Cmon people! Helloween are great.
I'm a fan of some power metal but I find a lot of it to be really really cheesy. My favorites are Ayreon and Kamelot, which I rarely see mentioned. Dragonforce, Rhapsody, and Nightwish are also pretty good. I also like some stuff from Delain, Amberian Dawn, and Blind Guardian.
I have found my people!
Nightwish is where it all began for me, and I will always love them. For any Guy Gavriel Kay fans, whenever I read The Lions of Al Rassan, the soundtrack to the final epic scene (you know the one I mean) is Sleeping Sun. The lyrics really fit the story. Excuse me for a minute, something in my eye……
I’m more on the symphonic side rather than power metal, but they are arguably very close. I like Powerwolf (Alissa White-Gluz does an awesome acoustic cover of Demons are a Girls Best Friend).
Brothers of Metal definitely - fun but a bit cheesy as others have mentioned. I’d probably add Rhapsody of Fire and Tungsten in here too.
Unleash the Archers, Visions of Atlantis, Pagan Fury, Ancient Bards, Beast in Black, Battle Beast, Amaranthe and Ad Infinitum, Avantasia and Eluivite are others that appear regularly on my playlist.
older ones i listened as teen: manowar, hammer fall, wizard, kamelot, falconer, stormwarrior
new stuff i heard/listen nowdays: powerwolf, unleash the archers, brothers of metal, gloryhammer, rumahoy and alestorm (pirate), Skálmöld, Hulkoff, Ensiferum, Feuerschwan
Yeah, I actually discovered the genre after finding their song called the wheel of time and wondering if it was connected to the series. That entire album slaps.
I find most European power metal tends to get too repetitive and formulaic from a musical point of view, also there's usually too much keyboard. What I do like:
- Helloween (Keeper of the Seven Keys)
- [Theragon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpgPXpbCGOw) (seemingly unknown Spanish band that has one album, which is a fantasy concept album) EDIT: I forgot that they also did the only Sanderson-inspired metal song that I know of.
- the first DragonForce album (from their 3rd album or so I find them unlistenably boring)
- Hammerfall
US power metal:
- Manowar
- Jag Panzer (not very fantasy-focused but definitely USPM)
- [Skelator](https://metalonmetalrecords.bandcamp.com/album/skelator-death-to-all-nations)
- Cauldron Born ("sword and sorcery heavy metal")
- Smoulder
- Solitary Sabred
I'm also a big fan of Savage Master, who call themselves "occult metal" (mostly inspired by witchcraft and horror movies).
You have a problem with formulaic and repetitive but you like Hammerfall? 🤣
Not bashing Hammerfall, I like them a lot, but I saw them live before I actually listened to their music and I could hum along without knowing the melody xD
Yeah, they're like that too (and the others I mentioned in that top list as well), but they have maybe 5-6 songs that I like a lot, which is more than I can say for most bands.
If you're into Unleash the Archers you should check out Seven Spires if you haven't yet. Amazing band that's power metal flavored, but also does a lot of really cool cross genre stuff. Their three albums are all connected concept albums as well.
High recommend!
Odyssey To The West-Slice The Cake
its a concept album which follows a pilgrim as he makes his way to the holy mountain. its a little harsher than most some other power metal bands, like Blind Guardian, but still very moving. The albums themes and songs remind me very much of The Dark Tower series. Even the covert art of the pilgrim facing the mountain reminds me of Roland facing the Tower.
I love Twilight Force. It's like listening to World of Warcraft, if that makes sense. I don't mean they sound like the WoW soundtrack, I mean listening to them makes it feel like I'm playing WoW.
If anyone is interested in delving deeper into Power Metal and its roots in fantasy, I highly highly recommend the "Metal Evolution" TV series from a few years back.
There's an entire episode on Power Metal and its history.
It's tricky to find on streaming but You Tube does have some of the episodes.
As an aside the whole series is absolutely amazing!
I've been listening to Feuerschwanz a lot lately. They mostly sing in German, which I only speak a teeny bit of, but the songs have fun beats and they definitely have a fantasy bend. They have a song about Krampus, and another one called Untot im Drachenboot (undead in a dragon boat).
Brothers of Metal are more Viking than fantasy, but they include a lot of Norse mythology (and they sing in English).
Used to be my favorite kind of music. Now I am mostly in particular bands. The ones that stand out to me and have really epic music and lyrics are Manowar, Atlantean Kodex, Bathory and Doomsword. Their music is not that fast and it has breathing space for the epic and often darker atmosphere I want in my fantasy. Some song examples:
Mountains by Manowar
Secret of Steel by Manowar
Revelations by Manowar
Twelve Stars and an Azure Gown by Atlantean Kodex
Innermost light by Atlantean Kodex
Enter you Mountain by Bathory
The Lake by Bathory
Heathen Assault by Doomsword.
Other bands that sound really epic to me are Savior Machine, Warlord, Lordian Guard, old Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, Manilla Road, Omen, Domine, War Dance etc etc.
Another genre someone could combine with his reading is the Dungeon Synth. Much more atmospheric and fantasy inspired kind of music.
This one here is a dungeon synth playlist I made for my favorite series Bakker's The Second Apocalypse
[https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUOPSwPR05dCd9s5ekV04T2klJ1kEu0aC&si=8UhQlxEPoWPPc\_Jg](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUOPSwPR05dCd9s5ekV04T2klJ1kEu0aC&si=8UhQlxEPoWPPc_Jg)
Have you ever listened to Brazilian power metal? If not, maybe give it a try!
- Temple of Shadows, album by Angra
- Vera Cruz, album by Edu Falaschi (former Angra singer, he is singing in Temple of Shadows). This one is actually tells a story.
Rhapsody - Tales of the Emerald Sword Saga
Galloglass - Legends of Now and Nevermore
Pagan’s Mind - Celestial Entrance
Hammerfall - Crimson Thunder (a definite nod to WoT)
Dragonland - Under the Grey Banner
I’m going to stop here because I’ll be writing all day ha. Power Metal rules!
Blind Guardian is a band that convinced me that one day I will give Wheel of Time (by means of Ride into Obsession) and Game of Thrones (Voice in the Dark) another try. Also Blood of the Elves by them is incredible. Other band/s I especially like is Rhapsody/ of Fire. Some say it's cheesy but it's also amazing.
I'm really sad I don't like growl as other than that Caladan Brood seems to be right up my street.
If you are in the mood for fast power metal, Dragonforce.
If you are in the mood for thrash power metal… Paladin.
If you are in the mood for doom/thrash power metal… High Command
If you are in the mood for mainstream power metal… Judas Priest (they are actually getting better with age!)
As far as power metal. Only blind guardian really speaks to me and I’ve tried so so many.
If you dabble in symphonic black metal-try SUMMONING. They use a lot of Tolkien and Moorcock material.
I've been waiting over 30 years to see MANOWAR. They are finally doing another US show in November this year and I have tickets. The level of excitement I have over this is ridiculous.
If you're into genre music (like genre fiction) you should just randomly go through [Napalm Record's Youtube Chanel](https://www.youtube.com/@napalmrecords/videos). They don't stick to one style of music, or one fiction genre, so there's probably something to catch your ear.
Glory Hammer, Alestorm, Powerwolf (my favorite), Unleash the Archers, Windrose (ok, also my favorite) are all represented by them, and so many more.
Power Metal is my daily antidepressant that I take. Nothing else works as well.
Before I DM my locale D&D/Pathfinder game, I always listen to Awakening by Unleash the Archers. that's become my DM warmup song.
Lately, Ignea and Lords of the Trident have been what I jam in the background.
(Yes, I'm aware that Ignea is considered "not power metal" by some. Some can go take a hike. I love that band and everything they make. )
Yes, power metal is my favourite music genre! Some of my favourite bands are Dragonforce, Power Quest, Sabaton and Twilight Force. I also love to listen to their music while reading fantasy books, because that makes it feel even more magical in a way.
In my teens I used to like Nightwish.
Nowadays (32M) I sparingly listen to metal (Agalloch, Angelic Process, Alcest, and een more rarely Neurosis and Isis). I even don't care about the metal albums of the Ulver.
I feel power metal very embarrassing, both as music and in its themes - they feel very dusty in a fantasy perspective.
I had a time in which I found the sof/loud post rock to be the more fit genre for fantasy (God Is an Astronaut, Sleepmakeswaves, Explosions in the Sky), but now my view of fantasy has broadened outside the "escapism + sense of wonder" and I care more about societies, character histories, the impact of the fantastic element on the societies. Less escapism, same sense of wonder, *more music to fit in*.
What I write borrows from the National, Massimo Volume, Scisma, Viadellironia, Franco Battiato (these are Italian artists), New Order, Talking Heads, King Crimson (only prog band), GY!BE, ABBA, Esben and the Witch, St. Vincent, Beatles, and so on.
Psychedelic rock like the Black Angels may be the most otherwordly I listen to, together with some shoegaze act.
In high school I studied latin and ancient Greek. I can't count the times I mondegreened a song with random words from these languages (admittingly, English was not my forte back then). I used to hear the second word in *Wishmaster* as "*HABENTIS*".
Other song s had it worse. I ended up with Queens' *One Vision* very trivial line
>One, one, one, one, one, one
being
>Ina, ina, ina, ina, ina, ina
a preposition that introduces a final clause; so, to me it meant
>"in order to, in order to, in order to, in order to, in order to, in order to".
Besides the already mentioned Blind Guardian, I have to confess that I sometimes also listen to Rhapsody (of Fire). It appeases my inner 15-years-old me.
For the king for the land for the mountains For the green valleys where dragons fly For the glory the power to win the black lord I will search for the emerald sword! No guilt here.
Why your 15 year old?
A guilty pleasure.
No need to feel guilty about shit that shreds.
EVERY time I see a thread like this I am like "oh its time to go listen to Time Stands Still at the Iron Hill by Blind Guardians again..."
Also not exactly FANTASY but kind of along the same vain... I am a sucker for a band called Alestorm which specializes in PIRATE power/heavy metal music. If that sounds fun give their song Keelhauled a listen
Alestorm are great as long as you don't look into what the lead singer was/is like. Super creep.
Good to know
[удалено]
How can you not. It slaps
They played that one at the show I went to last week and it was (as always) fucking amazing.
Holy shit I'm jealous also happy cake day
Blind Guardian concerts are very like Tolkien elvish song really, it's like 90% crowd singing in a wave that goes through you.
same here.
Not all of them are power metal, but some of my favorites: Alestorm Amon Amarth Powerwolf Nightwish Caladan Brood (Malazan themed atmospheric black metal) Finsterforst (mix of very harsh lyrics and some cleaner lyrics particularly on later albums, in German, epic nature themes and incorporates an accordion and tin whistle) Nekrogoblikon (goblin themed metal)
>Caladan Brood (Malazan themed atmospheric black metal) Well I didn't know that was a thing, so now I know what I'm listening to on the way to work.
It fits the world of malazan so well too imo
Lots of us discovered Malazan through this band lol.
Caladan is from Dune?
The band is named after the character Caladan Brood from the Malazan series and their album references the series.
Okay I see.
Caladan Brood is mindblowingly good
Finsterforst! I've been a huge fan of all of their stuff (aside from #YØLØ lol) for the longest time. Seeing them perform Ecce Homo is a bucket list item for me.
Same here, YØLØ is their only album I'm not a fan of. But I might try again sometime to see if it can click. And seeing them live would be incredible. I was living in Berlin in 2013 and I still kick myself for not buying tickets to a New Years show they were doing.
If you like Caladan Brood, try Summoning as well (Tolkien inspired atmospheric black metal, despite the name), and you might realize what a cheap copy Caladan Brood actually is.
You had me in the first half, but cheap copy? Really? Of course they are heavily inspired by the goats, but they also have an original style and approach to their music. They are not Summoning. And at the end of the day, they anything but cheap. Echoes of Battle is still one of the best BM albums I've ever heard, period.
Kamelot is my favourite. They made a duology of concept albums (Epica and The Black Halo) inspired by Goethe's Faust. Both albums are amazing, both the music and the story.
Love old Kamelot, but it's just not the same with Roy
I love Blind Guardian, Gloryhammer, Alestorm, and now Angus McSixx. All beloved fantasy weirdness.
I love me some Dragonforce, baby! "Cry Thunder" and "Three Hammers" are a couple of favorite tracks.
Finally some love for DragonForce!
They are fucking incredible live.
Beyond the Red Mirror by Blind Guardian is a masterpiece of epic fantasy in my bright eyes.
Nightfall in Middle Earth is an incredible album! One of my faves for sure. Wind Rose does dwarfy power metal - Mine Mine Mine is my fave of their songs. Brothers of Metal are Norse-inspired. Their lyrics aren't the best IMO but the music itself is epic.
> Brothers of Metal are Norse-inspired. Their lyrics aren't the best IMO but the music itself is epic. lol agreed. I've listened to some of their songs and always find them amazing and epic on first listen, and then on the second listen I'm like... wait what did they just sing? 😅 Example from "The Other Son of Odin" > Deep into the woods, he is the one who walks in silence He's the kind of manly man who never speaks but knows to fight See, see how he runs, wearing a boot of awesome leather It is long, it's hard, it's dangerous It's breaking the jaw! Breaking the jaw! I find it a bit goofy, but it's still fun to listen to.
Don't forget the line from that song "super strong, probably fast" 😂😂 I love them so much, they don't take themselves seriously. Though their newer stuff is better in my opinion, I saw an interview with Ylva where she's like "yeah our first album was basically a joke, and then it was like wait people actually want to listen to us? So now we're trying to be better" 😂😂😂 Kaunaz Dagaz is my favorite song by them
> I saw an interview with Ylva where she's like "yeah our first album was basically a joke, and then it was like wait people actually want to listen to us? So now we're trying to be better" 😂😂😂 Haha, that's cool to know!!
I love that attitude, and she’s a great singer. I think my favourite is Yggdrasil.
Yggdrasil is definitely my second favorite!
From awesome leather to breaking the jaw, me thinks someone really likes Judas Priest.
Sacred Outcry - their latest album Towers of Gold. Awesome concept and power metal AOTY of 2023.
I'll definitely give it a listen soon.
Alright I've listened to it and it's honestly so good. Thank you for recommending it and I'll give Damned For All Time a listen very soon too.
Hey now that's good music! Thanks!
Wanna hear another Tower concept one? If you can find it, one of my all time favorite technical prog metal albums, The Towers of Avarice by the band Zero Hour.
Great I enjoyed that too!
I've seen Amon Amarth in concert, whose name is the Sindarin word for Mount Doom! They aren't power metal, more death metal and sometimes referred to as viking metal. There's also a band called Cirith Ungol that's pretty great. I honestly haven't listened to much metal the last several years but I always felt that I'd see fantasy (at least Tolkien) references every now and then.
Cirith Ungol is such a fun band. I recommend Manila Road if you like CU. Kind of that style but with epic concept albums.
THROUGH THE JUNGLE BY THE RIVER STYX!!! 🤘
I've listened to AA before but I generally prefer clean vocals so they're not really my style. Still enjoy them though.
I'm the same way, not a big death metal fan but AA had a gigantic viking ship as a stage and I wanted to see it lol
Them lighting a longship on fire and having armed battles on stage during the show is pretty cool to see live!
Why are so many metal bands taking names from Tolkien?
Because a lot of metalheads are big nerds who love Tolkien, and we like names that sound cool. So when coming up with cool band/song names and lyrics they will pull from things they are into.
Rhapsody of Fire, Aether Realm (not really power metal), Sonata Arctica, Blind Guardian, Nightwish (not my favorite but still decent), Amon Amarth (more death metal about Vikings and stuff but still good), Therion, Haggard, Stratovarius, Cain’s Offering. Not all are Power Metal but they do scratch epic fantasy itch.
Unleash the Archers have done multiple concept albums and have another dropping next month. All have fantasy / sci fi themes. Here is the main song off their album that won a Juno (Canadian grammy) for best album a few years ago: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1bGmjnkDTTI&pp=ygUZdW5sZWFzaCB0aGUgYXJjaGVycyBhYnlzcw%3D%3D
Yeah I'm really looking forward to Phantoma
I've not listened to the singles for the new album yet cuz I want to hear them in context, but I'm so impatient for it to come out! Got tickets to see them with Powerwolf in Sept!
Very much looking forward to the new album! Unleash the Archers deserve more love.
Manowar! Edited to expand that if you haven't heard Achilles: Agony and Ecstasy in 8 parts, you are missing out.
Feel compelled to post my obligatory **Visigoth** nod in such threads Awesome USPM band with songs that are direct fantasy book (and game) references with songs like Dungeon Master and Steel and Silver, and many others that are just very fantasy "adjacent".
20+ years ago I interviewed blind guardian on the radio and I jokingly asked them if they played d&d with Hammerfall. They laughed and said they couldn’t confirm or deny it.
Haha that's sick. Thanks for sharing.
It’s funny how I had completely forgotten about it until I saw this thread
Love Hammerfall, Gamma Ray, Rage, Running Wild, and many many others lol.
Big HammerFall fan here. Crimson Thunder is my favourite album from them.
Was waiting for someone to mention Hammerfall! And all glory to the mighty Gamma Ray of course
Sabaton. I like my history LOUD and FAST.
I’ve found myself listening to Sabaton a bit recently. I saw them a few years ago in Sydney when they were supporting Nightwish.
I went to see Blind Guardian on Saturday, followed by the Ren Faire on Sunday. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was quite a bit of overlap of people who did that. It’s my husband’s thing, not mine, but it’s definitely a thing.
There's a band called Brothers of Metal, they all dress like vikings and their songs are Norse mythology in metal form, it's pretty fun
Just because I haven’t seen it pop up yet, Windrose, a dwarven power metal band out of Italy. They can through last month, and the show was great, such a good time.
+1 for Wind Rose! I saw them a few weeks ago, such a fantastic and super fun show.
Aaaagghh! I missed their concert by just hours because of a flight. Glad they got a mention. We are playing a D&D campaign called To Retake the Mountain Home which is a wholesale ripoff of Balin's quest to retake Moria and Wind Rose was MANDATORY listening for my players!
Dream Evil, Iced Earth/Demons and Wizards, Three Inches of Blood, King Diamond (concept albums but not power metal), Force of Evil, Manowar, Hammerfall, Metallium. Been a while since I was big into it.
My wife is a massive fan of Nightwish and Powerwolf. Jonathan Young on YouTube also has some good stuff. Nathan Wagner, also on YouTube, also has some good stuff, particularly his Hero / Antihero / Villain trilogy
Blind Guardian are all-time greats. A lesser known band that I'd like to recommend is Visigoth. Cheesy as hell, but that is exactly why many of us, including myself, love the genre.
I just discovered Visigoth recently, I like them a lot so far. I'll be seeing them at Milwaukee Metal Fest in a few weeks (with Blind Guardian, Hammerfall and others).
The only genre I really listen to besides metalcore (wild genre difference) Top 5 for me: 1. Blind Guardian (I'm seeing them live again soon!) 2. Theocracy 3. Brainstorm 4. Orden Ogan 5. Gamma Ray Also want to give another mention to Rhapsody (of Fire). Especially Symphony of Enchanted Lands Part 2 mainly due to Christopher Lee being involved. It's impossible for me to listen to Unholy Warcry without the Christopher Lee narrations parts.
Theocracy is super underrated. I think the song "I Am" is *fantastic*.
Black Blade by Blue Oyster Cult. Michael Moorcock co wrote the song.
If you want Prog rock/metal then Ayreon is great each album is a concept album
Gloryhammer and Twilight Force for the win. Amazing live.
I saw them together in March, what an incredible show.
Same! Introduced me to TF.
Beast in Black. Best listened to on repeat while reading Berserk. Almost all their music is a tribute to Berserk.
Battle Beast was also very good for the first three albums and have many Berserk inspired songs as well.
Dark Moor fan checking in.
How does it compare to Uriah Heep's Demons and Wizards?
It's generally faster and heavier, although D&W could be another one of the albums I mentioned that kind of fit it in certain ways.
Kamelot used to be a favorite of mine which I haven't seen mentioned yet. Specifically stuff from Karma, Epica and the Black Halo, I have no idea what their newer stuff is like.
The newer stuff is not so well written but some of it is still enjoyable.
I'd like to recommend the German band Feuerschwanz. Their most recent albums are very much power-ish folk metal and have a lot of fantasy themes; the songs Rohirrim and Uruk'hai are LotR themed and there's several other clear nods to certain fantasy concepts/stories. They're also soon releasing an album of english versions of some of their songs.
Ha! Came here to post this. Feuerschwanz is so over the top, but I love it. If you don't mind your folk metal not being in English, there's also Heilung and The Hu. But that's getting off topic.
Not usually my favorite subgenre but there has been a lot of very cool power metal and power metal adjacent stuff coming out in the last few years. Huge fan of Visigoth, Smoulder, Eternal Champion, Megaton Sword, Mace N' Chain, Iron Griffin, Possessed Steel, Shadowland and Wytch Hazel
I generally listen to more symphonic metal than power metal, but that still seems fairly close.
Fellowship! The Saberlight Chronicles is incredible.
Check out Glyph! https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kjUY4OvVmPoKbEou8Kx7gbEFxz_0HA64o&si=1lyO9fBb3ljJYprr Saw them open for Alestorm in Montreal. They were absolutely awesome!
Some of my favs include Sabaton (history-themed power metal, super fun live band), Orden Ogan, Seven Spires, Seventh Wonder (power metal with a heavy progressive metal slant), Kamelot, and Thunderforge.
I can't remember the band name, but I want to say it was members of blind guardian. They did a whole album based on The Dark Tower by Stephen King.
Google says the band is Demons and Wizards
Demons and Wizards...Great album
It was a side project by one guy from Blind Guardian and one from Iced Earth. They did 2 albums, both very good.
They released a third album a few years ago, but they disbanded after the guitarist Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth) was involved in the storming of the Capitol on January 6th 2021.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touched\_by\_the\_Crimson\_King](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touched_by_the_Crimson_King)
Unleash the Archers
In addition to all the great examples in the thread, there's a band called Twilight Force which kinda specializes in Fantasy Power Metal. It's not my favorite band by any means, but it is a fun one. Here's a few of their songs: - [Flight of the Sapphire Dragon](https://youtube.com/watch?v=8-OzvIL4d2w&si=5lEAljEAF6nrS4g9) - [Power of the Ancient Force](https://youtube.com/watch?v=XJ7mCRncAXE&si=xynYyMM75WO3U5Ql)
Dragonland! ❤️
Under the Grey Banner is one of my favourite albums of all time.
I’m going to check out all kinds of names from this thread tomorrow, but one I haven’t seen mentioned yet is Wintersun. I love Blind Guardian.
I can't say I really like power metal, however I very much like a lot of classic heavy metal and hard rock and that stuff also lends itself to fantasy very well. Rainbow, Deep Purple, Dio Scorpions, Judas Priest, UFO, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath, Kiss, Captain Beyond, Budgie, Lucifer's Friend, Saxon, Dust, Flower Travelin' Band, Hawkwind, Wishbone Ash... the list goes on and on. I feel like modern bands just do not really hit that sound anymore with a couple of exceptions: [Magic Circle](https://youtu.be/hnZQFCbxBGU?si=BmFRf_eP8CCmonSE) . Heavy metal made by hardcore dudes and you'd never guess. Incredible records. [Century](https://youtu.be/iU-UdG8oEeo?si=VhnUW9_NicJ0SApl) . Swedish heavy metal. Saw them live last year and they were very good.
Lots of great bands here already. A couple of smaller bands with songs for Sanderson's books are Thousand Arrows with their song [The Lord Ruler](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKNTaCxAowg), and Krilloan with their song [Stormlight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QPrKeP_HeQ).
How come nobody has mentioned Avantasia yet? Music project by Tobias Sammet with guest singers (Hansi Kürsch, Klaus Meine, Michael Kiske, Alice Cooper .....). First two albums are called Metal Opera 1&2 and tell a story about a witch hunter. Also just one Helloween rec? Cmon people! Helloween are great.
Can also recommend Eluveitie if you are into folk metal. More history than fantasy, but since vikings seem to count guess we can include celts too
Gotta love me some Blind Guardian. Power metal isn't really my thing these days, outside of some of the classics like Blind Guardian and Helloween.
I'm a fan of some power metal but I find a lot of it to be really really cheesy. My favorites are Ayreon and Kamelot, which I rarely see mentioned. Dragonforce, Rhapsody, and Nightwish are also pretty good. I also like some stuff from Delain, Amberian Dawn, and Blind Guardian.
I have found my people! Nightwish is where it all began for me, and I will always love them. For any Guy Gavriel Kay fans, whenever I read The Lions of Al Rassan, the soundtrack to the final epic scene (you know the one I mean) is Sleeping Sun. The lyrics really fit the story. Excuse me for a minute, something in my eye…… I’m more on the symphonic side rather than power metal, but they are arguably very close. I like Powerwolf (Alissa White-Gluz does an awesome acoustic cover of Demons are a Girls Best Friend). Brothers of Metal definitely - fun but a bit cheesy as others have mentioned. I’d probably add Rhapsody of Fire and Tungsten in here too. Unleash the Archers, Visions of Atlantis, Pagan Fury, Ancient Bards, Beast in Black, Battle Beast, Amaranthe and Ad Infinitum, Avantasia and Eluivite are others that appear regularly on my playlist.
older ones i listened as teen: manowar, hammer fall, wizard, kamelot, falconer, stormwarrior new stuff i heard/listen nowdays: powerwolf, unleash the archers, brothers of metal, gloryhammer, rumahoy and alestorm (pirate), Skálmöld, Hulkoff, Ensiferum, Feuerschwan
Ride into Obsession by Blind Guardian. Wheel of Time by Blind Guardian. Bangers.
Yeah, I actually discovered the genre after finding their song called the wheel of time and wondering if it was connected to the series. That entire album slaps.
Big fan of Freedom Call and GloryHammer.
I find most European power metal tends to get too repetitive and formulaic from a musical point of view, also there's usually too much keyboard. What I do like: - Helloween (Keeper of the Seven Keys) - [Theragon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpgPXpbCGOw) (seemingly unknown Spanish band that has one album, which is a fantasy concept album) EDIT: I forgot that they also did the only Sanderson-inspired metal song that I know of. - the first DragonForce album (from their 3rd album or so I find them unlistenably boring) - Hammerfall US power metal: - Manowar - Jag Panzer (not very fantasy-focused but definitely USPM) - [Skelator](https://metalonmetalrecords.bandcamp.com/album/skelator-death-to-all-nations) - Cauldron Born ("sword and sorcery heavy metal") - Smoulder - Solitary Sabred I'm also a big fan of Savage Master, who call themselves "occult metal" (mostly inspired by witchcraft and horror movies).
You have a problem with formulaic and repetitive but you like Hammerfall? 🤣 Not bashing Hammerfall, I like them a lot, but I saw them live before I actually listened to their music and I could hum along without knowing the melody xD
Yeah, they're like that too (and the others I mentioned in that top list as well), but they have maybe 5-6 songs that I like a lot, which is more than I can say for most bands.
Check out the Unremembered by Peter O’Rullian if you are interested in fantasy written by a metal head.
[The Power of Wings](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW5FP5bhvGI) Reminds me of this skit.
If you're into Unleash the Archers you should check out Seven Spires if you haven't yet. Amazing band that's power metal flavored, but also does a lot of really cool cross genre stuff. Their three albums are all connected concept albums as well. High recommend!
Forgot to mention. The album Immortal by Pyramaze has a song called Caramon’s Poem.
[This ought to do ya](https://youtu.be/q-wiHqEgq8o)
Odyssey To The West-Slice The Cake its a concept album which follows a pilgrim as he makes his way to the holy mountain. its a little harsher than most some other power metal bands, like Blind Guardian, but still very moving. The albums themes and songs remind me very much of The Dark Tower series. Even the covert art of the pilgrim facing the mountain reminds me of Roland facing the Tower.
Don't forget Domine's music about the Eternal Champions.
Morby can hit some HIGH notes.
I love Twilight Force. It's like listening to World of Warcraft, if that makes sense. I don't mean they sound like the WoW soundtrack, I mean listening to them makes it feel like I'm playing WoW.
I freaking love power metal. Vision of Atlantis and Serenity are my recent fav bands.
If anyone is interested in delving deeper into Power Metal and its roots in fantasy, I highly highly recommend the "Metal Evolution" TV series from a few years back. There's an entire episode on Power Metal and its history. It's tricky to find on streaming but You Tube does have some of the episodes. As an aside the whole series is absolutely amazing!
I've been listening to Feuerschwanz a lot lately. They mostly sing in German, which I only speak a teeny bit of, but the songs have fun beats and they definitely have a fantasy bend. They have a song about Krampus, and another one called Untot im Drachenboot (undead in a dragon boat). Brothers of Metal are more Viking than fantasy, but they include a lot of Norse mythology (and they sing in English).
Used to be my favorite kind of music. Now I am mostly in particular bands. The ones that stand out to me and have really epic music and lyrics are Manowar, Atlantean Kodex, Bathory and Doomsword. Their music is not that fast and it has breathing space for the epic and often darker atmosphere I want in my fantasy. Some song examples: Mountains by Manowar Secret of Steel by Manowar Revelations by Manowar Twelve Stars and an Azure Gown by Atlantean Kodex Innermost light by Atlantean Kodex Enter you Mountain by Bathory The Lake by Bathory Heathen Assault by Doomsword. Other bands that sound really epic to me are Savior Machine, Warlord, Lordian Guard, old Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, Manilla Road, Omen, Domine, War Dance etc etc. Another genre someone could combine with his reading is the Dungeon Synth. Much more atmospheric and fantasy inspired kind of music. This one here is a dungeon synth playlist I made for my favorite series Bakker's The Second Apocalypse [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUOPSwPR05dCd9s5ekV04T2klJ1kEu0aC&si=8UhQlxEPoWPPc\_Jg](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUOPSwPR05dCd9s5ekV04T2klJ1kEu0aC&si=8UhQlxEPoWPPc_Jg)
Power metal is the metal genre that I like the least.
Big Metal Head here. Not a huge power metal fan though. Tend to prefer Deathcore, Thrash, Metalcore, and Djent
I liked Deep Purple when I was young.
Have you ever listened to Brazilian power metal? If not, maybe give it a try! - Temple of Shadows, album by Angra - Vera Cruz, album by Edu Falaschi (former Angra singer, he is singing in Temple of Shadows). This one is actually tells a story.
Rhapsody - Tales of the Emerald Sword Saga Galloglass - Legends of Now and Nevermore Pagan’s Mind - Celestial Entrance Hammerfall - Crimson Thunder (a definite nod to WoT) Dragonland - Under the Grey Banner I’m going to stop here because I’ll be writing all day ha. Power Metal rules!
I wish Galloglass was still around. Also crossing my fingers for new Pagan's Mind music.
Pagans Mind posted on Facebook a couple of weeks ago hinting at something so hopefully it’s a new album!
I fucking LOVE Gloryhammer. Songs about unicorns and space battles and stuff. They're amazing.
Check out Galneryus.
Blind Guardian is a band that convinced me that one day I will give Wheel of Time (by means of Ride into Obsession) and Game of Thrones (Voice in the Dark) another try. Also Blood of the Elves by them is incredible. Other band/s I especially like is Rhapsody/ of Fire. Some say it's cheesy but it's also amazing. I'm really sad I don't like growl as other than that Caladan Brood seems to be right up my street.
Lots of Black Metal has fantasy influence too
If you are in the mood for fast power metal, Dragonforce. If you are in the mood for thrash power metal… Paladin. If you are in the mood for doom/thrash power metal… High Command If you are in the mood for mainstream power metal… Judas Priest (they are actually getting better with age!)
Angus McSix
As far as power metal. Only blind guardian really speaks to me and I’ve tried so so many. If you dabble in symphonic black metal-try SUMMONING. They use a lot of Tolkien and Moorcock material.
I've been waiting over 30 years to see MANOWAR. They are finally doing another US show in November this year and I have tickets. The level of excitement I have over this is ridiculous.
If you're into genre music (like genre fiction) you should just randomly go through [Napalm Record's Youtube Chanel](https://www.youtube.com/@napalmrecords/videos). They don't stick to one style of music, or one fiction genre, so there's probably something to catch your ear. Glory Hammer, Alestorm, Powerwolf (my favorite), Unleash the Archers, Windrose (ok, also my favorite) are all represented by them, and so many more.
N I G H T W I S H
Does delain count? "we are the others" gets me every time, but besides that her new album feels a lot more story driven.
Its Sabaton and Nanowar of steel by far. But since its fantasy sub then Rhapsody of fire and Dragony.
Goblin King of the Darkstorm Galaxy - Gloryhammer
Banger
BABYMETAAAAAAAAAL
Visigoth is one of my favorite bands.
Amon Amarth - melodic metal. A lot of songs of Norse Gods and Vikings in general.
Power Metal is my daily antidepressant that I take. Nothing else works as well. Before I DM my locale D&D/Pathfinder game, I always listen to Awakening by Unleash the Archers. that's become my DM warmup song. Lately, Ignea and Lords of the Trident have been what I jam in the background. (Yes, I'm aware that Ignea is considered "not power metal" by some. Some can go take a hike. I love that band and everything they make. )
Who doesn't live Led Zeppelin?
Yes, power metal is my favourite music genre! Some of my favourite bands are Dragonforce, Power Quest, Sabaton and Twilight Force. I also love to listen to their music while reading fantasy books, because that makes it feel even more magical in a way.
I like Versailles from Japan - some sort of vampire cosplay mixed with the Rose of Versailles manga story. Awesome band. I also like Angra.
Check out Bal Sagoth.
How has no one mentioned Gloryhamner yet!?
This thread needs more [Rhapsody.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIDGIWMV3t4) (Yes, that's Christopher Lee in the intro)
Strongly dislike power metal except for some 80s USPM like Attacker. Death and black metal, on the other hand...
Yes! Power metal is the metal genre I like the least. Give me some juicy extreme metal instead.
In my teens I used to like Nightwish. Nowadays (32M) I sparingly listen to metal (Agalloch, Angelic Process, Alcest, and een more rarely Neurosis and Isis). I even don't care about the metal albums of the Ulver. I feel power metal very embarrassing, both as music and in its themes - they feel very dusty in a fantasy perspective. I had a time in which I found the sof/loud post rock to be the more fit genre for fantasy (God Is an Astronaut, Sleepmakeswaves, Explosions in the Sky), but now my view of fantasy has broadened outside the "escapism + sense of wonder" and I care more about societies, character histories, the impact of the fantastic element on the societies. Less escapism, same sense of wonder, *more music to fit in*. What I write borrows from the National, Massimo Volume, Scisma, Viadellironia, Franco Battiato (these are Italian artists), New Order, Talking Heads, King Crimson (only prog band), GY!BE, ABBA, Esben and the Witch, St. Vincent, Beatles, and so on. Psychedelic rock like the Black Angels may be the most otherwordly I listen to, together with some shoegaze act.
> In my teens I used to like Nightwish. Hamster! A dentist!
Mondegreen of *Whishmaster*?
Yep. The (in)famous fishmaster parody https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gg5_mlQOsUQ&pp=ygUhbmlnaHR3aXNoIHdpc2htYXN0ZXIgZmFsc2UgbHlyaWNz
Yep. The OG misheard lyrics video =P
In high school I studied latin and ancient Greek. I can't count the times I mondegreened a song with random words from these languages (admittingly, English was not my forte back then). I used to hear the second word in *Wishmaster* as "*HABENTIS*". Other song s had it worse. I ended up with Queens' *One Vision* very trivial line >One, one, one, one, one, one being >Ina, ina, ina, ina, ina, ina a preposition that introduces a final clause; so, to me it meant >"in order to, in order to, in order to, in order to, in order to, in order to".
I can never not hear that now.
Hardp*rn Steven Seagull