See soorce fer Pouer metal

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'''Pouer metal''' is a kynd o metal muisic that tends tae focus on creatin an "epic" feel in baith muisical an leerical terms. It is quite popular amang metal fans, but ootwi thaim isna weel kent at aw.

== History ==
Tho pouer metal taks a wheen o influence frae mair tradeetional metal soorces ([[Iron Maiden]] in parteecular), it hes evolved ower the twa decades o its exeestence intae a disteenctive genre in its ain richt. It is for ordinar acceptit amang pouer metal fans that the genre's history proper stairts wi the twa [[Helloween]] albums ''Keeper of the Seven Keys'' in pairts I an II in 1987 an 1988. Some threap that [[Manowar]] war the first pouer metal baund, but syne thair muisic is for ordinar mair tradeetional [[heavy metal]] wi epic, fantasy based leerics an syne thay thaimsels dinna cry thaimsels pouer metal, Helloween's claim tae be the first is for ordinar acceptit. Efter the first wave o pouer metal baunds haed ceased tae be excitin an new, [[HammerFall]]'s debut album ''Glory to the Brave'' in 1997 stairtit something o a pouer metal revival that includit sic baunds as [[Rhapsody of Fire]] (tho at that time thay war cried ''Rhapsody'') an [[Edguy]] - tho Edguy haed been aboot syne 1992, it wisna until thair ''Vain Glory Opera'' album o 1998 that thay haed thair brekthrou.

== Muisical Chairacteristics ==
Maist pouer metal baunds hae a seemilar lineup o vocals, guitars (twa, for ordinar), bass, keybuirds an drums - tho obviously this is flexible tae some degree. Maist pouer metal is fast an melodic, tho gallop rhythms an mid tempo sangs arna byordinar for maist baunds.<br />
=== Vocals ===
For ordinar pouer metal singin is hie pitched (ZP Theart o [[DragonForce]] an Tony Kakko o [[Sonata Arctica]] is guid exemplars o the teepical [[tenor]] pouer metal sangster) an is awmaist aye clear (thus defined as ''clean vocals'' as agin the ''harsk vocals'' in [[deid metal]] an [[black metal]]. It isna byordinar tae hae queirs in the owerwirds (as [[Rhapsody of Fire]] aften daes), but it is mair common tae hae muckle, ruisin owerwirds athoot queirs. Gey few pouer metal singers doubles as instrumentalists, but the setup isna unkent.

=== Guitar ===
Pouer metal guitarists for ordinar plays fast streams o notes, but chynges chords comparatively slaw, ance per meisur or slawer. Lead guitar lines is aften gey melodic an technically demaundin, an is aften hairmonised, aither wi keybuirds or a seicont guitar pairt.
Solos is awmaist aye gey fast an demaundin, wi tappin bein common (Herman Li o [[DragonForce]] an Jani Liimatainen o [[Sonata Arctica]] is guid exemplars o pouer metal guitarists in terms o technique).
Pouer metal tends tae uise guitar as a melodic, raither nor a rhythmic instrument.

=== Bass Guitar ===
Maist bass in pouer metal is fast, ruit-note playin, tho some bassists is mair melodic nor that. Gin [[Manowar]] is bein coontit as pouer metal raither nor [[heavy metal]] than thair bassist Joey DeMaio is likely the maist weel kent bassist in the genre.

=== Keybuirds ===
Mony pouer metal baunds haes taen keybuirds intae thair arrangements - the usin o thaim varies frae suttle accentin an ootlinin o chords ([[Kamelot]] uises keybuirds lik that) tae mair orchestral, melodic lines (sic as [[Luca Turilli]] an [[Rhapsody of Fire]]). Some baunds that cry thaimsels ''Symphonic Pouer Metal'' sic as [[Nightwish]] haes been kent tae uise fou orchestras whan recordin mair symphonic elements, tho thay will tend tae replicate thir elements on keybuirds whan playin live.
=== Drums ===
A wheen o pouer metal drummers uises twa [[bass drums]] for mair speed, meanin thay can play a constant stream o saxteenth notes ([[semiquavers]]) wi [[snare drum]] accents on the beats. This style is quite common in pouer metal as in ither [[heavy metal]] genres, tho it isna uised bi aw drummers bi ony means. Blast beat drummin is gey common an aw.

=== Leerical Themes ===
Mony teepical metal themes sic as anti-[[Christianity]] an [[poleetical]] issues isna common in pouer metal, but thay arna unkent (eg. [[Stratovarius]] aften scrieve anent a warld view based on [[Marxism]]). The stereotype o pouer metal leerics is that thay are aw anent [[fantasy]] an [[meethology]], an tho that is a raither braid generalisation, it is true tae some extent. Mony baunds sic as [[Rhapsody of Fire]] sings exclusively anent fantasy relatit topics, while some sic as [[Manowar]] daes sae as weel as singin anent metal cultur. Raither mair rare is baunds sic as [[Sonata Arctica]] that aften sings anent mair general topics sic as luve. Some baunds taks a focus o a parteecular kynd o history, aften in concept albums - e.g. [[Iced Earth]]'s ''The Glorious Burden'' is anent [[America]]n history.

== Variations ==
=== American/Classic Pouer Metal ===
American pour metal emerged in the 1980s as an affshuit o [[heavy metal]] an [[speed metal]]. For ordinar it is fast, strauchtforrit an somewhit heavy an aggressive, but wi a distinct epic "fecthin" feel. Keybuirds dinna tak a lead role in this kynd o metal at aw, wi the focus bein mainly on vocals an riffs. The muisic is gey seemilar tae its influences, but cleckit the term ''pouer metal'' an wis important in inspirin the later melodic pouer metal muivement. Europe haes its ain baunds plyin a gey seemilar style sic as [[Grave Digger]]. The maist weel kent baund o this genre is wioot a dout [[Manowar]].

=== European/Melodic Pouer Metal ===
This style emergit in the 1980s wi [[Germany]]'s [[Helloween]] an [[Finland]]'s [[Stratovarius]] wi a strang focus on melody an positive, upliftin themes. This kynd o pouer metal haes mair in the wey o [[keybuirds]] an neo-classical guitar solos. The leerics o this brainch o pouer metal is for ordinar anent hie [[fantasy]]. [[HammerFall]] an [[Blind Guardian]] is amang the leadin baunds in this genre.

=== Extreme Pouer Metal ===
This is a mixtur-maxter o the (for orndinar hie pitched) harsk vocals (or mixed clean an harsk vocals)) an aggressive feel o melodic [[deid metal]] wi the melodies an keybuirds o pouer metal. This genre is heivily based in [[Finland]]. It is distinct frae melodic deid metal bi its heivy uiss o keybuirds an neo-clessical influenced guitar. [[Children of Bodom]]'s earlier wark coud be cried ''Extreme Pouer Metal'', as coud the wark o [[Norther]] an [[DragonForce]].

=== Fowk Pouer Metal ===
As the name suggeests, this is a mixtur-maxter o [[fowk music]] an pouer metal, owerlappin wi the braider [[fowk metal]] genre. The fowk elements is teepically uised for tae mak a [[Medieval]] feel, as in fowk metal. [[Falconer]] an [[Elvenking]] is aften pitten intae this genre.

=== Prog Pouer Metal ===
Pouer metal that's influenced bi clessic progressive rock an metal baunds sic as [[Rush]] an [[Dream Theater]]. It featurs a mair complex an varied approach tae sang-writin nor tradeetional pouer metal.

=== Seemphonic Pouer Metal ===
This refers tae pouer metal baunds that maks uiss o intruments for ordinar foond in [[clessical muisic]] or that imiates thir instuments wi [[synthesisers]]. Thir elements is mair aften uised as key pairts o the muisic nor is common in ither kynds o pouer metal. [[Nightwish]] an [[Rhapsody of Fire]] is guid exemplars o that genre.

=== Thrash Pouer Metal ===
This is clearly pouer metal wi influence frae [[thrash metal]]. The hie, clean vocals an melodies o pouer metal tends tae be retained, but aften wi the aggressive riffs, some shootit vocals an leerical themes taen frae thrash metal. [[Iced Earth]] is aiblins the best exemplar o ''Thrash Pouer Metal''.

{{Hivymetal}}

[[Category:Pouer metal]]
[[Category:Hivy metal subgenres]]