Written by vezzy on 30.05.2010 at 19:03

Wow, I haven't seen such hate against European power metal before. I'm not a fan of the genre either, but I don't think it's THAT bad... unless it's something like DragonForce or Power Quest.
Some power metal is great, like Rage.

the thread is directed very specifically towards GENERIC euro power metal. the run of hte mill followers, not the leading bands.

a point seemingly lost on a whole host of "fans" who apparently think even mediocrity is great.

Generic + Cheese = Puke, I like dragons, swords, fireballs and fart goblins but honestly it's unbearable to listen to, it's too exaggerated and lacks innovation. If mediocrity had a physical manifestation or if cheese could be expressed through sound waves than it would be through Generic European Power Metal. It might seem to be an over the top senseless bashing by multiple hits with an iron spiked double sledge hammer in the nuts but that's what it is to me.

Written by Mikyz on 02.06.2010 at 10:02

Generic + Cheese = Puke, I like dragons, swords, fireballs and fart goblins but honestly it's unbearable to listen to, it's too exaggerated and lacks innovation. If mediocrity had a physical manifestation or if cheese could be expressed through sound waves than it would be through Generic European Power Metal. It might seem to be an over the top senseless bashing by multiple hits with an iron spiked double sledge hammer in the nuts but that's what it is to me.

you made my day! rofl

yet it is true!
I just think all of that metal sounds the same, and the guitars are lame. Two very good reasons for me to not listen to it! Although it can be fun if your friends are singing along to hammerfall when they're drunk...^^

Written by Mikyz on 02.06.2010 at 10:02

Generic + Cheese = Puke, I like dragons, swords, fireballs and fart goblins but honestly it's unbearable to listen to, it's too exaggerated and lacks innovation. If mediocrity had a physical manifestation or if cheese could be expressed through sound waves than it would be through Generic European Power Metal.

Well said. I wonder why labels still bother to sign ultra-generic manifestations of mediocrity like many PM bands are.

Those bands are probably the main reason why I rarely listen to power now. What happend to bands like Blind Guardian or Grave Digger? I don't know any new power metal bands that aren't terribly generic and the old ones are getting worse with every album.

Written by Scornful Curse on 03.06.2010 at 17:58

Those bands are probably the main reason why I rarely listen to power now. What happend to bands like Blind Guardian or Grave Digger? I don't know any new power metal bands that aren't terribly generic and the old ones are getting worse with every album.

Grave Digger NEVER have played power metal and Blind Guardian turn to power, thay were speed before firts 2 albums abd speed/power after, but turn cheasy power after Nightfall.... damn I hate when people say HM band is power(Grave Digger).. if such bands are power what is hevay Metal band?

Hmm...I totally fail to see why ''generic'' power metal is being singled out for being unoriginal. Id say more than 90% of bands in ALL metal genres are totally unoriginal, and sound very much like other bands of their genre. But, of course if you happen to love that genre, then I guess the unoriginality doesnt stand out, or grate on you as much. The number of truly original bands in ANY genre is minute, compared to the huge number of generic bands that sound very like other bands of their genre. Im staggered that so many people level this accusation purely at the ''generic'' power metal genre, when it is clear to me, that every metal sub-genre has the same ''problem''.

I didn't start the poll, but would have a similar stance in regards to generic Death Metal or Black Metal as well. but the poll was specifically directed at Generic Euro Power Metal...

Written by BitterCOld on 04.06.2010 at 00:00

I didn't start the poll, but would have a similar stance in regards to generic Death Metal or Black Metal as well. but the poll was specifically directed at Generic Euro Power Metal...

Yep, I know that. I was merely commenting on the way some were seeming to act like only euro power metal has a wealth of unoriginal bands. As if other genres are not the same, when they are. For me, I have no problem with unoriginal Euro power metal. Just as I have no problem with unoriginality in general. The main thing for me has always been whether I like the music or not. If a band is original as well as sounding good, then that is just a bonus. But I have no problem with unoriginality in and of itself.

Written by Scornful Curse on 03.06.2010 at 17:58

I don't know any new power metal bands that aren't terribly generic and the old ones are getting worse with every album.

It summarizes the situation with the genre quite well.

@Angelic Storm: The problem with Powermetal being generic is not exclusively the fact that it's generic but that it's something MEDIOCRE and LAME repeated over and over.
I don't mind if lots of Black Metal or Thrash bands sound kinda like each other because, imo, the music is on a higher level, as for guitar riffs, drumming and vocals. I have no problem with repeating something that is, imo, basically great.
Problem with Powermetal is the genre has become an abyss of mediocrity and boredom since a decade, a pseudo-metal (or false metal) genre trying to get mainstream success and acceptance.
I don't even consider the genre overall as a metal genre anymore but as a crappy kind of rock or pop music.
Also, even if some bands sound like others, I think there's much more originality in Black Metal than in Powermetal because most of the time the music is basically more complex and varied. Most Powermetal is only basic riffs, boring chugga-chug, bass drums alternating right-left-right-left without any pattern while the drummer barely does anything with his hands, and a vocalist who sounds as if he's been castrated (utterly balless).
And Powermetal in general is too slow for my tastes nowadays. Pretty much all the bands are slowing down and I'm basically a fan of speed.
But you're probably right. The issues I have with Powermetal are not only a matter of originality but are due to the fact I hate and despise this kind of music (what it became in the last decade).

I don't care much for power metal in general. My problem with the question is, how do we define whether it is generic or not?

I've listetend to a lot of Rhapsody because my former keyboardist was into that stuff and I always disliked it. Yesterday, I was at a friend's house and listened to one song by Lost Horizon and found it OK. It wasn't any more generic than 99% of the power metal I've heard to my ear, just different. Maybe it was just that particular song and the rest is crap?

I don't remember the name of that song, but I can tell you I found it better than what I've heard from Stratovarius, which apparently are not considered generic here.

Also, I agree with the poster above: there are a lot of generic and uninspired bands in all styles of metal. I wish more bands would stop confining themselves to sub-genres. I think the main reason newer bands struggle so much compared to older bands is because they categorize themselves and stick to formulas.

Written by Lord_Regnier on 04.06.2010 at 14:17

Written by Scornful Curse on 03.06.2010 at 17:58

I don't know any new power metal bands that aren't terribly generic and the old ones are getting worse with every album.

It summarizes the situation with the genre quite well.

@Angelic Storm: The problem with Powermetal being generic is not exclusively the fact that it's generic but that it's something MEDIOCRE and LAME repeated over and over.
I don't mind if lots of Black Metal or Thrash bands sound kinda like each other because, imo, the music is on a higher level, as for guitar riffs, drumming and vocals. I have no problem with repeating something that is, imo, basically great.
Problem with Powermetal is the genre has become an abyss of mediocrity and boredom since a decade, a pseudo-metal (or false metal) genre trying to get mainstream success and acceptance.
I don't even consider the genre overall as a metal genre anymore but as a crappy kind of rock or pop music.
Also, even if some bands sound like others, I think there's much more originality in Black Metal than in Powermetal because most of the time the music is basically more complex and varied. Most Powermetal is only basic riffs, boring chugga-chug, bass drums alternating right-left-right-left without any pattern while the drummer barely does anything with his hands, and a vocalist who sounds as if he's been castrated (utterly balless).
And Powermetal in general is too slow for my tastes nowadays. Pretty much all the bands are slowing down and I'm basically a fan of speed.
But you're probably right. The issues I have with Powermetal are not only a matter of originality but are due to the fact I hate and despise this kind of music (what it became in the last decade).

So your reasoning that generic death and black metal bands are better than generic power metal is that in your opinion death and black metal bands are better? I could make the exact same argument the other way. I would rather listen to generic power metal than generic death or black metal because I hate the point of view carried in almost all death and black metal, and the generic cookie monster vocals are grating and annoying (GOOD growling vocals are a different story, but we are talking about generic bands). Generic black and death metal vocals are as completely unskilled and poorly executed as generic power metal vocals. As bitterCOLD said (and this may be the only time I have agreed with him) generic ANYTHING is bad. End of story.

I'm not saying generic power metal is good, but it isn't any objectively worse than any other generic music. I listen to music as inspiration and motivation. I personally would rather listen to generic power metal than generic death or black metal, but I don't think there is anything wrong with people who prefer the opposite. To quote Nietzsche, "You have your way. I have my way. As for the one way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist."

Written by Angelic Storm on 03.06.2010 at 23:56

Hmm...I totally fail to see why ''generic'' power metal is being singled out for being unoriginal. Id say more than 90% of bands in ALL metal genres are totally unoriginal, and sound very much like other bands of their genre. But, of course if you happen to love that genre, then I guess the unoriginality doesnt stand out, or grate on you as much. The number of truly original bands in ANY genre is minute, compared to the huge number of generic bands that sound very like other bands of their genre. Im staggered that so many people level this accusation purely at the ''generic'' power metal genre, when it is clear to me, that every metal sub-genre has the same ''problem''.

I'd have to agree with you. Power metal has it's faults, but its a much more enjoyable experience for me than extreme death metal or deathcore. If you like metal what's wrong with the occasional Blind Guardian, Edguy, Dream Evil, Masterplan, and company? They're really what metal is stripped of all of the genre subtleties.

I like generic power metal. It all sounds the same, sure, but its a "good" sound. Maybe its just the D&D nerd in me.
Bands like Blind Guardian and Kamelot are among my favorites, and while the generic bands ala Fairyland are not nearly as good, they're still much better, than, say, the thousands of generic metalcore and nu-metal bands out there.
Besides, how can anything written about dragons, dungeons, and goblins be bad enough to hate?

I can listen to cheesy melodic metal with Dragons, knights wizards and elves in it all day. European Melodic Metal is awesome and I think the less popular bands like Dragonland, Galneryus, Celesty, Dreamtale, Fairyland, Keldian, Gwyllion [the list goes on] deserve more credit than they get, and let the spotlight be off all the overrated bands.

I really enjoy listening to some of the leading bands like Children of Bodom, Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius and Dragonforce, but I really think some of the smaller bands should get more recognition, and stop having people hate on them becuae they overdo what the aforementioned bands already do well [simply because they're more popular].

At the end of the day, European Melodic Metal>US Metal, I can't stand Kamelot, Celador, Manowar or any American 'Power metal' band to be honest.

Such a debated topic among fans of Metal. The first issue is 'what genre do YOU put the music you are hearing into'. I have seen bands proclaim themselves as a certain style, yet do not seem to be that style to me at all. I generally do not take 'growl' lyrics as being in the power of symphonic genre.

Power/Symphonic is my favorite type because of the spirit and intelligence put into writing a GOOD song in the genre. I will admit that sometimes when first hearing a new song I can think 'oh no, not this **** again!' but I feel that this feeling can be had by anyone listening to anything for the first time.

My favorite artists are Tobias Sammet and Luca Turilli. An awesome example of my previous statement is Luca using a line from Ovid in his intro song on King of The Nordic Twilight. In it.. the line goes (in Latin) Quantum mortalia pectora tora caecae noctis habent- roughly translated into English as - What darkness shrouds the hearts of men. It got me interested enough so that I read Ovid's Metamorphoses then. Thank you Luca for expanding my knowledge.

^ Hence why Melodic metal in my view is better.

You can actually learn from it. When I heard 'Cassiopeia' from Dragonland's album, Astronomy and found out it was related to the constellation, I was like...wow, not only is this awesome music [and it is seriously, the solo and vocals on that track are incredible] but I'm learning something at thhe same time!

Written by Angelic Storm on 03.06.2010 at 23:56

Hmm...I totally fail to see why ''generic'' power metal is being singled out for being unoriginal. Id say more than 90% of bands in ALL metal genres are totally unoriginal, and sound very much like other bands of their genre. But, of course if you happen to love that genre, then I guess the unoriginality doesnt stand out, or grate on you as much. The number of truly original bands in ANY genre is minute, compared to the huge number of generic bands that sound very like other bands of their genre. Im staggered that so many people level this accusation purely at the ''generic'' power metal genre, when it is clear to me, that every metal sub-genre has the same ''problem''.

I think Power Metal is targeted more because of it's mainstream qualities. Whereas for extreme bands, they are less observed to the untrained ear. I agree with you completely though.

Written by Dark Cornatus on 13.11.2010 at 00:22

Written by Angelic Storm on 03.06.2010 at 23:56

Hmm...I totally fail to see why ''generic'' power metal is being singled out for being unoriginal. Id say more than 90% of bands in ALL metal genres are totally unoriginal, and sound very much like other bands of their genre. But, of course if you happen to love that genre, then I guess the unoriginality doesnt stand out, or grate on you as much. The number of truly original bands in ANY genre is minute, compared to the huge number of generic bands that sound very like other bands of their genre. Im staggered that so many people level this accusation purely at the ''generic'' power metal genre, when it is clear to me, that every metal sub-genre has the same ''problem''.

I think Power Metal is targeted more because of it's mainstream qualities. Whereas for extreme bands, they are less observed to the untrained ear. I agree with you completely though.

The only 'mainstream' Power Metal band I can think of are DragonForce. Not even the big overrated bands [Kamelot, Ice Earth, Helloween, Hammerfall etc] are 'mainstream' in that you can talk to a random 'lay' person in the metal scene about them. Someone who knows nothing about Power Metal and listens to a completely different genre that isn't within the 'Metal Spectrum' might know about DragonForce, that's mainstream to me, you all might have a different view :p

Written by Guest on 15.11.2010 at 13:52

Written by Dark Cornatus on 13.11.2010 at 00:22

Written by Angelic Storm on 03.06.2010 at 23:56

Hmm...I totally fail to see why ''generic'' power metal is being singled out for being unoriginal. Id say more than 90% of bands in ALL metal genres are totally unoriginal, and sound very much like other bands of their genre. But, of course if you happen to love that genre, then I guess the unoriginality doesnt stand out, or grate on you as much. The number of truly original bands in ANY genre is minute, compared to the huge number of generic bands that sound very like other bands of their genre. Im staggered that so many people level this accusation purely at the ''generic'' power metal genre, when it is clear to me, that every metal sub-genre has the same ''problem''.

I think Power Metal is targeted more because of it's mainstream qualities. Whereas for extreme bands, they are less observed to the untrained ear. I agree with you completely though.

The only 'mainstream' Power Metal band I can think of are DragonForce. Not even the big overrated bands [Kamelot, Ice Earth, Helloween, Hammerfall etc] are 'mainstream' in that you can talk to a random 'lay' person in the metal scene about them. Someone who knows nothing about Power Metal and listens to a completely different genre that isn't within the 'Metal Spectrum' might know about DragonForce, that's mainstream to me, you all might have a different view :p

No, not mainstream entirely. I meant they show qualities of a mainstream band. For example, with most bands; compare the start of a bands discography to the later part. The music they usually begin playing is quite different and underground to what they release when more known and popular, and have the money to make singles. The bands you mentioned are all good examples too. They all have a much more 'mainstream' sound in their latest albums compared to their earlier work.

Written by Dark Cornatus on 15.11.2010 at 23:57

Written by Guest on 15.11.2010 at 13:52

Written by Dark Cornatus on 13.11.2010 at 00:22

Written by Angelic Storm on 03.06.2010 at 23:56

Hmm...I totally fail to see why ''generic'' power metal is being singled out for being unoriginal. Id say more than 90% of bands in ALL metal genres are totally unoriginal, and sound very much like other bands of their genre. But, of course if you happen to love that genre, then I guess the unoriginality doesnt stand out, or grate on you as much. The number of truly original bands in ANY genre is minute, compared to the huge number of generic bands that sound very like other bands of their genre. Im staggered that so many people level this accusation purely at the ''generic'' power metal genre, when it is clear to me, that every metal sub-genre has the same ''problem''.

I think Power Metal is targeted more because of it's mainstream qualities. Whereas for extreme bands, they are less observed to the untrained ear. I agree with you completely though.

The only 'mainstream' Power Metal band I can think of are DragonForce. Not even the big overrated bands [Kamelot, Ice Earth, Helloween, Hammerfall etc] are 'mainstream' in that you can talk to a random 'lay' person in the metal scene about them. Someone who knows nothing about Power Metal and listens to a completely different genre that isn't within the 'Metal Spectrum' might know about DragonForce, that's mainstream to me, you all might have a different view :p

No, not mainstream entirely. I meant they show qualities of a mainstream band. For example, with most bands; compare the start of a bands discography to the later part. The music they usually begin playing is quite different and underground to what they release when more known and popular, and have the money to make singles. The bands you mentioned are all good examples too. They all have a much more 'mainstream' sound in their latest albums compared to their earlier work.

Ah I see what you mean. Yeah I agree, I often hear of old bands deteriorating in the latter part of their career because of the massive shift in their sound. Helloween must break that tradition xD

Written by Guest on 20.10.2011 at 04:26

Generic European Power Metal Is Ultra Mega Super Glorious

at least it beats the shit out of all that crappy Japanese power metal that is around

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 20.10.2011 at 04:29

Written by Guest on 20.10.2011 at 04:26

Generic European Power Metal Is Ultra Mega Super Glorious

at least it beats the shit out of all that crappy Japanese power metal that is around

didn't know that shit even existed, well, I'll rather remain ignorant...

and I'm generally a big fan of Japanese metal

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 20.10.2011 at 04:29

Written by Guest on 20.10.2011 at 04:26

Generic European Power Metal Is Ultra Mega Super Glorious

at least it beats the shit out of all that crappy Japanese power metal that is around

Japanophiles creep me out.

It sucks balls and it's for wimps. I just can't stand the poppy factor in it.

Written by Guest on 20.10.2011 at 16:17
It sucks balls and it's for wimps.

WIMPS. That's right, you're all pussies for listening to music you enjoy.

Motherfuckers.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 20.10.2011 at 22:47

Written by Guest on 20.10.2011 at 16:17
It sucks balls and it's for wimps.

WIMPS. That's right, you're all pussies for listening to music you enjoy.

Motherfuckers.

IMO.

Written by Guest on 20.10.2011 at 23:00
IMO.

Don't get me wrong, I don't touch power metal with a 10 foot pole willingly...

But claiming people are wimps for listening to their favorite style of music? That's just ignorant.

What are you getting into now, atmospheric black metal right? Well atmospheric black metal is for hipster douchebags who can't handle REAL black metal.

Do you see what I mean now? It's not an opinion. It's the foundation of a flame war.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 20.10.2011 at 23:03

Written by Guest on 20.10.2011 at 23:00
IMO.

Don't get me wrong, I don't touch power metal with a 10 foot pole willingly...

But claiming people are wimps for listening to their favorite style of music? That's just ignorant.

What are you getting into now, atmospheric black metal right? Well atmospheric black metal is for hipster douchebags who can't handle REAL black metal.

Do you see what I mean now? It's not an opinion. It's the foundation of a flame war.

Actually, I didn't coin the term myself. It's an option in the poll so...

Written by Guest on 20.10.2011 at 23:05
Actually, I didn't coin the term myself. It's an option in the poll so...

Judging by how big a fan of power metal the OP is, I'm thinking the option was put there in jest.