When many people think of metal music, they talk about what many would call "screamo" music. While screamo is popular among some communities, it doesn't define the entire metal genre. Power metal is the metal subgenre I listen to the most, and it often has some symphonic elements associated with an orchestra. The bands listed here are not in any particular order of most to least favorite, but they are groups I listen to the most.
1. Sabaton (My boyfriend's favorite band!)
Sabaton is a Swedish band whose lyrics are mostly about historical wars and heroism. Their name comes from a medieval knight's foot armor. The band has millions of fans not only in Sweden but all over the world, and are known for their appearances at Wacken Open Air, a popular metal festival in Germany. Since its formation in 1999, Sabaton has produced eight critically acclaimed studio albums with Carolus Rex achieving quadruple platinum status. Along with their albums, the band is famous for their festival in their Swedish hometown of Falun, their signature matching camo print pants, and their stage shows, which include a full-sized tank drum riser.
2. DragonForce
DragonForce, originally DragonHeart, is a British power metal band based in London. It formed in 1999 and is famous for long, fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics, and sounds influenced by retro video games. They currently have eight studio albums and two live albums, and they were nominated for a Grammy in 2009. Their best-known song is "Through the Fire and the Flames," which was featured in several video games, most notably Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Guitarist and founding member Herman Li is famous for inviting other members of the metal community onto his Twitch streams, and he is responsible for most of DragonForce's distinctive sound.
3. Alestorm
Alestorm is a multinational store of Scottish origin. They formed in 2004, and most of their music has a distinct pirate theme. They were known as Battleheart until 2007, and they are the origin of the term "pirate metal." They have six studio albums, the most recent of which was released in late May. Alestorm is a mix of several metal subgenres, such as folk metal, power metal, and heavy metal, as well as elements from hard rock and Scottish folk music. They have a heavily instrumental presence in their recordings, utilizing instruments such as fiddles, trumpets, and tin whistles to deliver an authentic sea shanty ambience to their fans.
