Power Metal Album Covers
WHAT THE HELL IS POWER METAL?
Before I get started in showing some of my favorite power metal album covers, I guess I should probably explain what power metal exactly is to those that haven't a clue. You have genres and you have sub-genres. Power Metal is a sub-genre of Heavy Metal. Coming from a 15 year music industry career, with ten of them being at one of the bigger names of record labels of metal music, Earache Records, I've learned not just about metal in general, but also about the sub-genres that exist within the music genre itself. Every music genre now, has sub-genres, where you can have elements of certain styles while creating a new sub-genre as well.
First off, heavy metal...some of you probably heard of the genre because of Eddie Munson from Stranger Things and now all of a sudden you guys think you like Metallica (they used to be thrash, then commercial heavy metal, and now...I don't even know what to call them anymore. Anyway). Heavy metal is not new. In fact, heavy metal music came out in the 1960's. Some argue who the first heavy metal band was, to me, it was Blue Cheer; I consider their cover song of Eddie Cochran's, "Summertime Blues," recorded in 1967 and released on their 1968 album, "Vincebus Eruptum," to be the first heavy metal band. This is before Black Sabbath, who formed in 1968. Some people say it was The Beatles', "Helter Skelter," song to be the first heavy metal song. I can understand why people say that, however, that song technically came out after Blue Cheer's, "Summertime Blues," so in my opinion Blue Cheer was the first heavy metal band. You're more than welcome to argue about it, but you'll be arguing with yourself.
Heavy metal, when it first started (mainly in the United Kingdom and in the United States), had elements of blues rock, psychedelic rock, and acid rock, bringing distortion and monumental sounds together, that have super long guitar solos with heavier drum, bass beats, and rhythm. The most famous bands of heavy metal from 1968 were Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath. Gaining more notoriety than other bands. The U.K. dominated the U.S. when it came to heavy metal music. This is still largely due to the British Invasion, so naturally, American bands were overshadowed and some of them were forgotten. However, it was the U.S. that made it more...accessible with modified sounds, creating multiple sub-genres. Power metal being one of them, as it was pioneered in the U.S..
Before I go into power metal, below are examples of early heavy metal for you so that you can hear the differences (if you can).
Do you get the idea now of the sound of early heavy metal? Hope so, because we are going to start finally getting into POWER METAL ::que the power metal vocals::
We discussed the elements of early heavy metal, and now we are going to discuss a subgenre of heavy metal; power metal. Power metal combines elements of heavy metal (traditional - like mentioned above), along with traditional elements of speed metal (i.e.: Motorhead) mixed with orchestra/symphonic textures. Power metal is faster paced with upbeat/uplifting sounds. It's a huge contrast compared to heavy metal, where it's heavier and dark, kind of sludgy sounding.
Power metal songs are more...anthem-like songs where the subject matter is mainly about fantasy, with intricate guitar notes...very dramatic and over-the-top, which inspire a lot of power. Hence, power metal. Think Judas Priest, "One Shot At Glory," total power metal in all of its magnificence. Kind of has that galloping sound too (i.e.: Iron Maiden, "Flight of Icarus"). Makes you want to play D&D, wear chain mail, swinging your axe in battle, screeching like a god damn banshee. No? Just me?
Power metal largely became huge during the 1980's in the United States, where it was pioneered and mainly played and practiced in. It eventually gained fame over in Europe where the Europeans added keyboards.
I think the one thing metal fans can collectively agree upon is that power metal was started by Ronnie James Dio and Ritchie Blackmore, with the band Rainbow (may the king rest in peace), in the late 1970's.
So again, power metal; fantasy, upbeat, speed/faster, epic, symphonic, intricate guitar solos, melodic. Album artwork has to match right? You need to have that fantasy imagery. That's number one, usually involving some winged mythical creature, castles, dungeons, fire and flames, swords, sexy curvaceous babes everywhere, some dude, or dudes, in a loin cloth (Manowar), maybe a grim reaper, and some cool ass looking sky. These things make for a typical power metal album cover and I'm all for it, god dammit.
As I did above for examples of early heavy metal, I want to give you folks examples of power metal bands/songs. So, here we go!
Okay...I'm sure by now you hear the difference between early heavy metal and early power metal. Haha, well...hopefully. Otherwise, I don't know what the hell you're hearing.
Power metal album covers are ridiculously awesome. Just like the music, the artwork is an acquired taste. You either completely hate it or you absolutely love it. But you cannot deny, the album artwork, just like the music, has got to be appreciated and respected on so many levels. Which is why I had to do power metal album artwork as my first piece for an article. I love power metal but I also don't like it because it gets to be too much after awhile, but shit, the artwork...I have loved the artwork since childhood because it reminds me of so many things that I loved as a kid; Lord of The Rings, Willow, Conan, Dark Crystal, Deathstalker. Like...c'mon. That shits awesome.
Alright, I'm sure you're getting tired of me blabbering away and want to see some epic fantasy artwork that band's loved so much that they had to be the album cover.
SO LETS GO...
BAND: Fates Warning | ALBUM: Awaken The Guardian | YEAR: 1986 |
LABEL: Metal Blade | ARTIST: Ioannis Vassilopoulos
BAND: Savatage | ALBUM: Hall of The Mountain King | YEAR: 1981 |
LABEL: Atlantic | ARTIST: Gary Smith
LABEL: Carrere Records | ARTIST: Paul R. Gregory
BAND: 3 Inches of Blood | ALBUM: Advance & Vanquish | YEAR: 2004 |
LABEL: Roadrunner | ARTIST: Ed Repka
BAND: Accept | ALBUM: Russian Roulette | YEAR: 1986 |
LABEL: RCA (Europe) & Portrait (U.S.) | ARTIST: Didi Zill Bravo
BAND: Blind Guardian | ALBUM: Tales From The Twilight World | YEAR: 1990 |
LABEL: No Remorse | ARTIST: Andreas Marschall
BAND: New Horizon | ALBUM: Gate of The Gods | YEAR: 2022 |
LABEL: Frontiers Music Srl | ARTIST: Eric Philippe
BAND: Rhapsody | ALBUM: Legendary Tales | YEAR: 1997 |
LABEL: Limb Music | ARTIST: Eric Philippe
BAND: Dio | ALBUM: Dream Evil | YEAR: 1987 |
LABEL: Warner Bros. (U.S.) & Vertigo (everywhere else) | ARTIST: Steve Huston
BAND: Axel Rudi Pell | ALBUM: Oceans of Time | YEAR: 1998 |
LABEL: Steamhammer | ARTIST: Marc Klinnert
WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT TODAY'S ARTICLE?
I could honestly keep going, and maybe I'll continue with power metal album cover art later down the road, but figured I'd give you a good amount for today. And before you go, check out some of the videos & songs from the albums mentioned above shown below!
What are your favorite power metal album covers? Who are your favorite artists of this genre; bands and artists?
GET YOUR BATTLE AXES & DRAGONS READY...
BEFORE YOU GO...
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See Ya!
