Power Metal 2000-2009

[Rebel]

Well, since our system of dates divides itself so neatly into decades, and cultural phenomena seems to associate strongly with its decade, every 10 years, a flurry of discussion regarding the best, and worst, of the decade crops up. and the 2000s, for Power Metal, was a very interesting time indeed.

Looking back I feel like, while some of my favorite albums from my favorite bands came out in this time period, there was a certain "Strangeness" to the decade, exemplified by Stratovarius' journey from the Infinite high, through the Intermission to the massive Elements world tour. Sidetracked by the publicity stunt, the self titled debacle, Saana, Frontiers, the death of Stratovarius, and then the sudden "Rebirth" of the band with Polaris, an effort that sounds like a the work of a youthful, energetic band.

So, this is a topic to discuss your top(and bottom)lists of 2010. I am curious, given all the things that happened in the past years, who, do you believe, was the best power metal act, and what was the best power metal album, but please don't hesitate to make a top 5

[mayhem-for-all]

Between years 2000 and 2009 many great bands were born such as Excalion, Kiuas, Olympos Mons (disbanded already), Leverage, Winterborn, Thunderstone, Revolution Renaissance and Status Minor for example.

90% of my favorite music was made in these years and I just like where it is going (I will come back to give a full report later)

[Ragehead91]

Helloween released The Dark Ride and Masterplan released their first 3 Albums.

Also Jon Oliva became active again with releasing 1 Savatage and 4 solo Albums.

Also, after being screwed by his former bandmates, Peavy Wagner from Rage created the most awesome Rage Line-Up ever.

Also Timo Tolkki went batshit insane due to the combination of his Bi-Polar disorder and alcohol.

[ggonza43]

Accoding to what I understand, here is a list of every band I consider to be a great influence to my musical taste, and what happened to them between this 10 years:

First of all, the mighty Stratovarius. By the year 2000 I was just into this awesome band, althoguh I've discovered it near 1997 in the "Visions" era (best tour ever!). Anyway, back to 2000, they released what I still call the best album of all Strato's history: Infinite. It came to me when I was going through a harsh time, and it helped me a lot to overcome my problems. Then it came "Intermission" (remarkable BTW), and then as you've said, the massive Elements Tour. I conosider Elements Pt. 1/2 to be a nice album, but it was the first time I've seen them a lil' "below", if you want to call it, the avarage. Then all the problems came: illnesses, discussions, and the infame self-titled (don't get me wrong, but I simply don't like it). After all this, I was expecting the worst for my favourite band; and then on March of 2008, the biggest slap-on-the-face came. The "break up" took me by a sudden surprise, and I literally cried while reading the statement. Then the rebutals, the rights issues - overall, a complete disaster. It wasn't until August of the same year, when they announced the great Matias as the sucessor of TT; and the came "Polaris", the literal rebirth of Strato. Now you all know what happened, and I still see a great future for the whole band

Secondly, anoter great influence: Dream Theater. I've known since 1997, when "Falling Into Infinity" came out. I considered (and I still do) them to be the best metal band I've ever heard, and the #1 of all. That became even more true when in 1999 they released the awesome masterpiece they called "Scene From A Memory", and then the incredible tour. It was the first time they came to Argentina and the first time I've seen them (still, mind-blowing). After that, to sum up, "Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence" (The Glass Prision for Christ sake!), "Train Of Thought" (darkest album ever made, until the last one came out), "Octavarium", "Systematic Chaos" (that was the first time they became too comercial for me, but still loved it), and now "Black Clouds & Silver Linings"; of course, another couple of concerts here. Nowadays, I still miss the old DT, I miss the oldest era, where the songs were no longer than 10 minutes . But I can't complain, it's the greatest band

And finally, the local band Rata Blanca. Of course, maybe you don't know very much about them. This will help to sumarize the whole history, as I'm tired of writing : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rata_Blanca

Then, some of the bands I've been discovering between this 10 years: Primal Fear, Symphony X, Edguy, Angra, Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Circus Maximus, Manticora, Metallica, Megadeth, Kamelot...I think I'm not missing anyone else I think

Overall, a great decade for me

[Ragehead91]

Also Gus G. gave us Power Metal awesomeness with Dream Evil, Mystic Prophecy and Firewind. The first 2 mentioned still release great stuff even without him. Especially Mystic Prophecy.

[Burning Reflection]

I remember right as I was graduating high school Children of Bodom released Follow the Reaper, Sonata Arctica came out with Silence and Strato had Elements part 1 (all around 2002)...still albums that I love a lot and listen to even to this day! Gotta check out Gus G's stuff, only heard random stuff off of my young guitar dvds and such; if he's Ozzy's new guitarist he must be good!

[Rebel]

Without too much time to organize my thoughts on the matter, I'd say Angra was probably the best band of the last 10 years.

[Ragehead91]

Also Edguy turned from Power Metal awesomeness to...well...you know...

[Stealth]

Olympos Mons (disbanded already)

What?!? I didn't know about this. I'm sad to hear that.

[Intiaani]

Well yeah, Helloween released The Dark Ride, after which they kind of disbanded and went more repetative than ever. I hope one day they'll come back with as fresh album as MotR was from Chameleon and TTotO from MotR, for example.

I think Thunderstone best fits the 2000s as a band that has born, evolved and already lost most of its interest, at least for me. They were found in 2000 and in 2002 came up with about as good a debut record as a power metal band ever can, the awarded selftitled. They went on to release The Burning two years later, already sliding away from the traditional melodic metal, having more anger, balls and better compositions than on the s/t. Tools of Destruction continued this evolution, now having only a few tracks one could call power metal. They reasched their top, at least in my eyes, on their Evolution 4.0, composing a very unique-sounding album spiced up with rusty soundscape, anger, desperation and more like Pantera than Stratovarius style already... Then came the line-up changes. Great Pasi Rantanen was replaced with At Vance's basic Rick Altzi. They also put out their driest puck to date, Dirt Metal. Although it's manly and angry and not by any means power metal, it still isn't a great album in my opinion anymore. Some parts feel very detached and the songwriting really isn't as good as in the previous albums, not to speak of the gems like Great Man Down, Land of Innocence or Until We Touch the Burning Sun...

What's left unsaid are the releases of arguably the best power metal discs of the millenium, Avantasia, The Metal Operas...

[Rebel]

I think Blind Guardian has the best artistic vision these days, but they released 2 albums this decade, just doesn't cut it. had they released '02, '05 and '09 they might have a case, but 4 years is just too far apart to really be a banner of any type of music.

[mayhem-for-all]

I remember right as I was graduating high school Children of Bodom released Follow the Reaper, Sonata Arctica came out with Silence and Strato had Elements part 1 (all around 2002)...still albums that I love a lot and listen to even to this day! Gotta check out Gus G's stuff, only heard random stuff off of my young guitar dvds and such; if he's Ozzy's new guitarist he must be good!

If you want to see him at his best check firewind instrumentals such as Feast of Savages, Fire and the Fury or Northern Sky For example.
I would have mentioned Firewind but it was Founded in 1998 (and yes they did debut 2002 but still)

[ggonza43]

Strato with their ups and downs during this decade and their back-to-the-roots album. Angra with "Rebirth" and "Temple Of Shadows", for me the best Power Metal albums of the decade. Sonata Arctica from "Silence" to "The Days Of Grays", having seen a great evolution of this band.

Of course, the great failure we used to call Edguy

[Ragehead91]

Sonata Arctica from "Silence" to "The Days Of Grays", having seen a great evolution of this band.

No.

[ggonza43]

Sonata Arctica from "Silence" to "The Days Of Grays", having seen a great evolution of this band.

No.

I didn't show up; what I meant to write was that they made a evolution until "The Days Of Grays". If you seek around the forum, you'll find that I consider "The Days Of Grays" the weakest album made by SA

[Stealth]

Also Gus G. gave us Power Metal awesomeness with Dream Evil, Mystic Prophecy and Firewind. The first 2 mentioned still release great stuff even without him. Especially Mystic Prophecy.

No.

[Ragehead91]

Also Gus G. gave us Power Metal awesomeness with Dream Evil, Mystic Prophecy and Firewind. The first 2 mentioned still release great stuff even without him. Especially Mystic Prophecy.

No.

Yes. Firewind last album was awesome. "In The Night" from Dream Evil is also great and Mystic Prophecy kicks ass.

[Stealth]

Also Gus G. gave us Power Metal awesomeness with Dream Evil, Mystic Prophecy and Firewind. The first 2 mentioned still release great stuff even without him. Especially Mystic Prophecy.

No.

Yes. Firewind last album was awesome. "In The Night" from Dream Evil is also great and Mystic Prophecy kicks ass.

No.

EDIT: I think your opinion sucks.

[fernandotcl]

The early 2000's were pretty good. Lots of Stratovarius albums (Intermission, Elements). Lots of great stuff by lots of bands. Then from 2004 thtough 2008 things got pretty bad in my opinion. I think many bands lost their focus and distanced themselves from the music that made them popular. As I see it, we lost Edguy and Nightwish. Strato was, well, a mess. Falconer parted ways with their vocalist. Thunderstone became a death metal band. Rhapsody got entangled in legal issues. Angra released a poor album (at least if compared to their other albums) and parted ways with their drummer, then got entangled in more legal issues. Tobias is constantly trying to kill Avantasia. Most great albums in the last 3 or 4 years have been solo albums. in my opinion.

2009-2010 has been the rebirth of power metal so far. Stratovarius is back on track (that alone makes 2009 very special). Angra got back to the road with Confessori playing the drums and now we're close to the release of a new album. Rhapsody is alive again. Falconer reunited with their original vocalist and released two good albums. We have a lot to look forward to again. I want to remember 2009-201? (or beyond) as a second golden age for power metal!

Band of the decade: Mob Rules. Consistency is the key, their albums are consistent and only get better and better as you listen. They don't get much media attention also because they don't get in trouble. They work hard and deserve more recognition.

Album of the decade: Infinite, of course!

Song of the decade: HHAL, maybe?

Musician of the decade: I'm going with Andre Matos. Damn, this guy managed to create 2 kick-ass bands after he left Angra.


2010-2019 will kick ass if:

- PM bands release more often.
- PM bands go back to traditional power metal.


I'm optimistic!

[Ragehead91]

Also Gus G. gave us Power Metal awesomeness with Dream Evil, Mystic Prophecy and Firewind. The first 2 mentioned still release great stuff even without him. Especially Mystic Prophecy.

No.

Yes. Firewind last album was awesome. "In The Night" from Dream Evil is also great and Mystic Prophecy kicks ass.

No.

EDIT: I think your opinion sucks.

Okay. That's nice. So what?

I'd also like to point on Jon Oliva's return as Savatage Singer and his solo project. This guy is a genious.

[icecab21]

are you guys just going to quote each other and say "no"?

[NeonVomit]

are you guys just going to quote each other and say "no"?

No.

[icecab21]

No.

No.

[Babylon]

are you guys just going to quote each other and say "no"?

No.

Hmmm some of my favorite albums of the decade:

Infinite & Polaris
The 3 Kotipelto albums. WFTD is among my favorite albums ever.
All of Helloween's releases
Hammerfall - Crimson Thunder
Dream Evil - Dragonslayer
Elvenking - Wyrd
Halford - Resurrection
Iron Savior - Condition Red
Edguy - Mandrake & Hellfire Club
All Nocturnal Rites album from Afterlife to Grand Illusion
Rage - Carved In Stone
Rhapsody - Dawn Of Victory
Saxon - Killing Ground & The Inner Sanctum

And my favorite new band of this decade: Excalion

[mayhem-for-all]

And my favorite new band of this decade: Excalion

Agree

Waterlines is my favorite album 2000-2009 and High Time is my favorite 2010-2019 so far.

[Carcass]

Halford - Resurrection

This.

[ggonza43]

No.

No.

No.

[Ragehead91]

No.

No.

No.

No.

[ggonza43]

We get the point !

[Ragehead91]

We get the point !

No.