73-463: Sonic Firestorm is the second studio album by British power metal band DragonForce , released through Noise Records on 11 May 2004. It is the first album to feature bassist Adrian Lambert and drummer Dave Mackintosh . The reissue of this album was released on 22 February 2010, along with a remixed and remastered version of the band's first album, Valley of the Damned . The re-release also came with
146-505: A double bass pedal ; using them to play a constant stream of sixteenth notes (semiquavers) with snare drum accents on the beat, a style not restricted to, but most often associated with, power metal. The style was used by drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg of Helloween , setting a blueprint for many other drummers to follow. Others, such as the drummers of Blind Guardian and Iced Earth , use a more thrash metal style of drumming with rapid bursts of double bass that involve three to six beats with
219-403: A symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contrast with the heaviness and dissonance prevalent in, for example, extreme metal . Power metal bands usually have anthemic songs with fantasy-based subject matter and strong choruses, thus creating a theatrical, dramatic and emotionally "powerful" sound. The term was first used in
292-464: A Howard-inspired gladiator adventurer, whose exploits took place in Central Asia in the first century CE. With the diminution of pulp magazine sales in the late 1940s, the focus of sword and sorcery shifted to small-press books. Arkham House published collections by Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith and Fritz Leiber that included some of their sword and sorcery work. Writer Jack Vance published
365-676: A change of ownership in 1940, Weird Tales ceased to publish sword and sorcery stories. However, the pulp magazine Unknown Worlds continued to publish sword and sorcery fiction by Fritz Leiber and Norvell W. Page . Leiber's stories revolved around a duo of heroes called Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser , and dealt with their adventures in the world of Nehwon ("No-When" backwards). Leiber's stories featured more emphasis on characterisation and humour than previous sword and sorcery fiction, and his characters became popular with Unknown's readers. Page's sword and sorcery tales centred on Prester John ,
438-413: A greater emphasis on guitar leads. USPM is also notable for its widespread (but not universal) use of high-register operatic vocals, a trend which would continue with the rise of European power metal in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This style is not exclusive to North America, as European bands such as Sacred Steel , Majesty , and Australian band Pegazus later adopted a style inspired by USPM bands in
511-648: A harsh, thrash metal style, including Chris Boltendahl of Grave Digger , Kai Hansen of Gamma Ray , Peavy Wagner of Rage , and Wintersun 's Jari Mäenpää . Many power metal vocalists, most notably Hansi Kürsch of Blind Guardian , record multi-layered vocals reminiscent of Queen , creating a choral effect. Themes that frequently feature throughout other metal subgenres, such as religion and politics, are comparatively rare in power metal - albeit not unheard of. Power metal's lyrical themes often focus on fantasy and mythology , camaraderie and hope, personal struggles and emotions, war and death, or combinations of
584-476: A heroic romance written in a mock-archaic style, was an inspiration to later writers of sword and sorcery such as Fritz Leiber. The "Poictesme" novels of James Branch Cabell (such as Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice (1919)) have been cited as a stimulus to early sword and sorcery writing. Cabell's novels depict picaresque exploits in imaginary lands, and were an influence on Leiber and Jack Vance. A. Merritt 's novels The Ship of Ishtar (1924) and Dwellers in
657-411: A high register, and the singer's vocal range is usually wide. The majority of the genre's vocalists sing in the tenor range and are capable of hitting very high notes, for example Timo Kotipelto of Stratovarius , Tony Kakko of Sonata Arctica , Michael Kiske ( Helloween ) and Andre Matos (ex- Angra ). There are many exceptions who sing in either baritone or bass range. Some vocalists sing in
730-685: A largely young readership. The commercial success of the Conan books encouraged other publishers to put out new and reprinted books in the style of Howard's work. From the 1960s until the 1980s, under the guiding force of Carter, a select group of writers formed the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America (SAGA) to promote and enlarge the sword and sorcery genre. From 1973 to 1981, five anthologies featuring short works by SAGA members were published. Edited by Carter, these were collectively known as Flashing Swords! . Because of these and other anthologies, such as
803-554: A scientific explanation for miraculous events, unlike actual science fiction. The main character in sword and sorcery stories is usually a powerful warrior who fights against supernatural evil. The typical protagonist is a violent, self-respecting and emotional barbarian who values freedom. The main character often has the characteristics of an antihero. Although the main character mostly behaves heroically, he may ally with an enemy or sacrifice an ally in order to survive. A hero's main weapons are cunning and physical strength. Magic, on
SECTION 10
#1732869252407876-493: A strange society were influenced by adventures set in foreign lands by Sir H. Rider Haggard and Edgar Rice Burroughs . Haggard's works, such as King Solomon's Mines (1885) and She: A History of Adventure (1887) included many fantastic elements. Some of Haggard's characters, such as Umslopogaas, an axe-wielding Zulu warrior who encountered supernatural phenomena and loved to fight, bore similarities to sword and sorcery heroes. Haggard also wrote Eric Brighteyes (1891),
949-515: A subgenre that would be called "sword & sorcery". Examples of these films would include The Beastmaster (film) (1982), The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982), two Italian Hercules films starring Lou Ferrigno , Krull (film) (1983), a Conan sequel, Conan the Destroyer (1984) and Red Sonja , which, like the Conan films, also starred Arnold Schwarzenegger . One could potentially include
1022-774: A violent historical novel based on the Icelandic Sagas ; some writers, (such as David Pringle ) have stated that Eric Brighteyes resembles a modern sword and sorcery novel. Sword and sorcery's immediate progenitors are the swashbuckling tales of Alexandre Dumas, père ( The Three Musketeers (1844), etc.), Rafael Sabatini ( Scaramouche (1921), etc.) and their pulp magazine imitators, such as Talbot Mundy , Harold Lamb , and H. Bedford-Jones , who all influenced Howard. Mundy in particular, proved influential: early sword and sorcery writers such as Robert E. Howard, C. L. Moore and Fritz Leiber were admirers of Mundy's fiction. However, these historical "swashbucklers" lack
1095-404: Is conceived to have been long ago, or as it will be in the remote future, or it may be another planet or another dimension. Such a story combines the color and dash of the historical costume romance with the atavistic supernatural thrills of the weird, occult, or ghost story . When well done, it provides the purest fun of fiction of any kind. It is escape fiction wherein one escapes clear out of
1168-431: Is grittier, darker, and more violent, with elements of cosmic, often Lovecraftian creatures that aren't a staple of mainstream fantasy. The main character is often a barbarian with antihero traits. The Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction records a chance example of "sword and sorcery" from 1953, where it appears in a headline of a review of an L. Sprague de Camp novel. American author Fritz Leiber re-coined
1241-420: Is less absolute and the events often take place in a morally gray area. These features are especially emphasized in newer works of the genre. The stories are fast-paced and action-oriented, with lots of violent fight scenes. Sword and sorcery is by nature a light and escapist genre whose main purpose is to entertain the reader. There is usually no deep message or social statements in the works of this genre. It
1314-587: Is often regarded as the first true "sword and sorcery" tale, because it pits a heroic warrior ( Kull of Atlantis ) against supernatural evil, in an imaginary world of the writer's devising. Howard published only three stories featuring Kull in Weird Tales . He revised an unsold Kull story, " By This Axe I Rule! " into " The Phoenix on the Sword ", which introduced a new character, Conan the Barbarian . When "The Phoenix on
1387-421: Is significant in defining power metal just as the fast rapid chord changes often define traditional thrash metal . Power metal often makes use of Major chord progressions as well as circle progressions. Some of the most influential and acclaimed power metal guitarists are Kai Hansen of Gamma Ray , Michael Weikath of Helloween , and Timo Tolkki formerly of Stratovarius. It is a common trait in power metal for
1460-489: Is today associated with fast guitar riffs and drumming, twin melodies, operatic singing. The sound is tempered by characteristics of speed metal , power metal's musical forerunner. Power metal is highly focused on the vocalist, with "clean" vocals being much more prevalent than the growling vocals often associated with extreme metal . Inspired by Ronnie James Dio , Bruce Dickinson , Rob Halford , Geoff Tate , and other heavy metal vocalists, power metal vocals are often in
1533-461: Is typical for the topics that sword and sorcery deals with to be relatively limited. The genre has sometimes been criticized for excessive violence, misogyny and even fascist attitudes. In his introduction to the reference Literary Swordsmen and Sorcerers by L. Sprague de Camp , Lin Carter notes that the heritage of sword and sorcery is illustrious, and can be traced back to mythology, including
SECTION 20
#17328692524071606-512: The Ballantine Adult Fantasy series, his own fiction, and his criticism, Carter is considered one of the most important popularizers of genre fantasy in general, and S&S in particular. Despite such authors' efforts, some critics use sword and sorcery as a dismissive or pejorative term. During the 1980s, influenced by the success of the 1982 feature film Conan the Barbarian , many fantasy films, some cheaply made, were released in
1679-575: The NWOBHM , emerging in late 1980s, particularly in Germany, with Helloween , Running Wild , Rage , Grave Digger , and Blind Guardian . The second and third Helloween albums; Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I (1987) and Part II (1988) are usually considered the first proper European power metal albums. Alongside the early German bands came Finland's Stratovarius in late 1980s. These bands pioneered
1752-639: The World Fantasy Award -winning Amazons (1979) and Amazons II (1982) anthologies; both drew on real and folkloric female warriors, often from areas outside of Europe. Early sword and sorcery writer Robert E. Howard had espoused feminist views in his personal and professional life. He wrote to his friends and associates defending the achievements and capabilities of women. Strong female characters in Howard's works of fiction include Dark Agnes de Chastillon (first appearing in "Sword Woman", circa 1932–34),
1825-453: The epic doom metal band Cirith Ungol ); or even with thrash metal elements, e.g., Iced Earth . US power metal saw a sharp decline in popularity at the beginning of the 1990s, though the style has rebounded somewhat in the past decade, with bands such as Liege Lord or Heir Apparent reforming for live performances and many, such as Helstar and Omen , still releasing new material. European power metal originated from speed metal and
1898-518: The pulp fantasy magazines, where it emerged from " weird fiction ". The magazine Weird Tales , which published Howard's Conan stories and C. L. Moore 's Jirel of Joiry tales, as well as key influences like H. P. Lovecraft and Smith, was especially important. Lovecraft's fiction (especially his "Dream Cycle" of Dunsany-inspired fantasy stories) was a source of inspiration for the first generation of sword and sorcery writers. The 1929 Weird Tales story " The Shadow Kingdom " by Robert E. Howard
1971-421: The supernatural are also often present. Unlike works of high fantasy , the tales, though dramatic, focus on personal battles rather than world-endangering matters. The genre originated from the early-1930s works of Robert E. Howard . While there is a chance example from 1953, Fritz Leiber re-coined the term "sword and sorcery" in the 6 April 1961 issue of the fantasy fanzine Ancalagon , to describe Howard and
2044-510: The "second wave" of power metal since its spread was in the late 1980s and especially the mid-late 1990s rather than proliferating throughout the 1980s, and the widespread influence and development of the genre that came in its tow while US "first wave" style markedly declined. Sword and sorcery Sword and sorcery ( S&S ), or heroic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures. Elements of romance , magic , and
2117-595: The 1990s. The early releases of progressive metal bands Queensrÿche and Fates Warning , such as The Warning (1984) and The Spectre Within (1985), heavily influenced a number of bands that were to develop a common sound towards the late 1980s. Among the better known representatives of the style, such as Manowar , Vicious Rumors , Virgin Steele , Riot , or Jag Panzer , a small number of bands enriched their sound with progressive and epic elements (the most obvious examples being Crimson Glory , Savatage , Sanctuary and
2190-495: The July 1961 issue of Amra , commenting: I feel more certain than ever that this field should be called the sword-and-sorcery story. This accurately describes the points of culture-level and supernatural element and also immediately distinguishes it from the cloak-and-sword (historical adventure) story—and (quite incidentally) from the cloak-and-dagger (international espionage) story too! The term "heroic fantasy" has been used to avoid
2263-669: The Middle Eastern tales of the Arabian Nights , whose stories of magical monsters and evil sorcerers were an influence on the genre-to-be. Sword and sorcery's frequent depictions of smoky taverns and fetid back alleys draw upon the picaresque genre; for example, Rachel Bingham notes that Fritz Leiber 's city of Lankhmar bears considerable similarity to 16th century Seville as depicted in Miguel de Cervantes ' tale " Rinconete y Cortadillo ". Sword and sorcery proper only truly began in
Sonic Firestorm - Misplaced Pages Continue
2336-452: The Mirage (1932) have also been cited as influences on sword and sorcery, as they feature men from the then-contemporary world being drawn into dangerous adventures involving swordplay and magic. All these authors influenced sword and sorcery for the plots, characters, and landscapes used. Also, many early sword and sorcery writers, such as Howard and Clark Ashton Smith , were influenced by
2409-487: The Sword" was published in 1932, it proved popular with the Weird Tales readers, and Howard wrote more tales of Conan, of which 17 were published in the magazine. The success of Howard's work encouraged other Weird Tales writers to create similar tales of adventure in imagined lands. Clark Ashton Smith wrote his tales of the Hyperborean cycle and Zothique for Weird Tales in the 1930s. These stories revolved around
2482-455: The United States, drawing influence primarily from traditional metal and the NWOBHM . Though very close to its roots, US power metal (often abbreviated USPM) is often faster and more energetic than traditional heavy metal, with a more riff-driven approach and a relative lack of keyboard usage compared to its later European counterpart. However, it is often more melodic than thrash metal , with
2555-781: The aforementioned. For example, Finnish band Sonata Arctica have been known for focusing their lyrics of their songs on fantasy but also have many songs based on reality, love and relationships. Many power metal bands based their concept albums on fantasy books and national epics ; Blind Guardian based Nightfall in Middle-Earth on Tolkien's The Silmarillion , while Kamelot based Epica and The Black Halo on Goethe's Faust . Some bands have even written their own imaginary stories, like Rhapsody of Fire 's Emerald Sword Saga and The Dark Secret Saga , Iced Earth 's Something Wicked Saga , or Avantasia by Edguy 's Tobias Sammet . Historical themes have also seen usage in
2628-473: The band are characterized by the treatment of Christianity and ancient Romanian legends. Powerwolf, however, do not consider themselves a religious band, but rather call themselves spiritual. Power metal guitarists and bassists generally play rapid streams of notes, but change chords comparatively slowly, with a harmonic tempo of once per measure or slower. Fast and technically demanding guitar solos, however, are almost guaranteed. The slow changing of chords
2701-422: The bass guitar to take a back seat, so to speak; often simply providing the chord root notes and being drowned out by the more prevalent rhythm guitars. However, some power metal bands incorporate bass that is more audible with colorful patterns distinct from the rhythm guitars, such as Helloween, Hibria , and Symphony X . Many power metal drummers play double bass patterns with either two bass drums , or utilize
2774-563: The bonus track "Cry of the Brave", which was a Japanese bonus track on the original release. The recording and mixing for the band's second album took place at Surrey's Thin Ice Studios, from 6 October to 10 December 2003. All the guitars were recorded at Herman Li's LamerLuser Studios in London. Along with the bonus track "Cry of the Brave", which was initially only included as a Japanese bonus track on
2847-425: The book The Dying Earth in 1950. The Dying Earth described the adventures of rogues and wizards on a decadent far-future Earth, where magic had replaced science. In the 1960s, American paperback publisher Lancer Books began to reissue Robert E. Howard's Conan stories in paperback, with cover illustrations by artist Frank Frazetta . These editions became surprise bestsellers, selling millions of copies to
2920-517: The comic book series Conan the Barbarian written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Barry Windsor-Smith . Red Sonja got her own comic book title and eventually a series of novels by David C. Smith and Richard L. Tierney , as well as Richard Fleischer 's film adaptation in 1985. The genre has been defined by Robert E. Howard's work, especially his tales of Conan the Barbarian and Kull of Atlantis , mostly in Weird Tales from 1932 and 1929 respectively. Other books and series that define
2993-409: The double kick. Power metal bands often incorporate keyboards into their musical arrangements, something popularized by Jens Johansson of Stratovarius (though their prominence varies). Some power metal bands also record with symphonic elements, and as such, they utilize a full orchestra to fill the role usually played by the keyboardist. The American branch of power metal emerged in early 1980s in
Sonic Firestorm - Misplaced Pages Continue
3066-678: The earlier releases of Hawk the Slayer (1980) and Clash of the Titans (1981) which whetted the public's appetites for such films and the live action adaptation of the Conan-inspired toy range (and subsequent cartoon series) Masters of the Universe , which essentially ended the subgenre's 80s run. After the cinema and literary boom of the early-to-mid 1980s, sword and sorcery once again dropped out of favor, with epic fantasy largely taking its place in
3139-414: The earliest who combined elements of power metal and an early form of melodic death metal . European-style power metal became widespread in comparison with US style as of the mid 1990s, with numerous North American bands such as Theocracy , Borealis , Forgotten Tales , Avian , Pharaoh , Circle II Circle , and Kamelot demonstrating the style. This European style of power metal is sometimes considered
3212-616: The early modern pirate Helen Tavrel ("The Isle of Pirates' Doom", 1928), as well as two pirates and Conan the Barbarian supporting characters, Bêlit (" Queen of the Black Coast ", 1934), and Valeria of the Red Brotherhood (" Red Nails ", 1936). Introduced as the co-star in a non-fantasy historical story by Howard entitled " The Shadow of the Vulture ", Red Sonya of Rogatino later inspired a fantasy heroine named Red Sonja , who first appeared in
3285-480: The exploits of warriors and sorcerers in lands of the remote past or remote future, and often had downbeat endings. C. L. Moore , inspired by Howard, Smith and H. P. Lovecraft, created the Jirel of Joiry stories for Weird Tales , which brought in the first sword and sorcery heroine. Moore's future husband Henry Kuttner created Elak of Atlantis , a Howard-inspired warrior hero, for Weird Tales in 1938. Following
3358-432: The fantasy genre. There was, though, another resurgence in sword and sorcery at the end of the 20th century. Sometimes called the "new" or "literary" sword and sorcery, this development places emphasis on literary technique, and draws from epic fantasy and other genres to broaden the genre's typical scope. Stories may feature the wide-ranging struggles of national or world-spanning concerns common to high fantasy, but told from
3431-535: The garish overtones of "sword and sorcery". This name was coined by L. Sprague de Camp . However, it has also been used to describe a broader range of fantasy, including High fantasy . Sword and sorcery stories take place in a fictional world where magic exists. The setting can be an Earth in the mythical past or distant future, an imaginary other world or an alien planet. Sometimes sword and sorcery stories are influenced by horror , dark fantasy or science fiction . Sword and sorcery, however, does not seek to give
3504-461: The genre of sword-and-sorcery include: Other pulp fantasy fiction, such as Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series and Leigh Brackett 's Sea Kings of Mars , have a similar feel to sword and sorcery. But, because alien science replaces the supernatural, these books are usually described as planetary romance or sword and planet . They fall more in the area of science fiction. Despite this, planetary romance closely aligns with sword and sorcery, and
3577-427: The genre's precise stylistic origins are often contested, acts such as Cirith Ungol , Jag Panzer , Manilla Road , Omen , Riot , Savatage , and Warlord are generally believed to have influenced the earliest development of the style. More concretely, in 1987 German band Helloween released their second album, Keeper of the Seven Keys: Part I , cited by AllMusic as "a landmark recording that remains arguably
3650-409: The genre, but took it in somewhat different directions. Helloween, followed by early Gamma Ray , mixed fast palm muted speed metal riffs with high-pitched clean vocals, and with a strong focus on melody and uplifting, positive themes. Stratovarius further developed this melodic direction by making heavy use of keyboards , with lyrics dealing with emotions and personal issues. Blind Guardian utilized
3723-465: The keyboard sound of Deep Purple 's Jon Lord , which was further incorporated into the genre. Manowar 's mythological sword and sorcery lyrics influenced a number of power metal bands. Throughout the early 1980s (especially during 1982 and 1983), the US power metal style first emerged from traditional heavy metal, the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM), and thrash / speed metal backgrounds. Although
SECTION 50
#17328692524073796-461: The labors of Hercules , as well as to classical epics such as Homer 's Odyssey , the Norse sagas , and Arthurian legend . It also has been influenced by historical fiction . For instance, the work of Sir Walter Scott was influenced by Scottish folklore and ballads. But few of Scott's stories contain fantastic elements; in most, the appearance of such is explained away. Its themes of adventure in
3869-407: The last decades of the 20th century. In his introduction to the 1967 Ace edition of Conan The Barbarian , L. Sprague de Camp described the typical sword and sorcery story as: [A] story of action and adventure laid in a more or less imaginary world, where magic works and where modern science and technology have not yet been discovered. The setting may (as in the Conan stories) be this Earth as it
3942-509: The late 90s and early 00s, power metal spread over Europe especially as well as the rest of the world, often incorporating new influences. Italy's Elvenking , Sweden's Falconer , Spain's Mägo de Oz , and Denmark's Wuthering Heights integrated elements of folk music with power metal. Angra , Kamelot , and especially Symphony X are known for combining progressive and power metal. Some bands are known for combining power metal with more aggressive musical forms; Children of Bodom were one of
4015-574: The literary critic Higashi Masao regarding Japanese works Guin Saga and Sorcerous Stabber Orphen , they were initially planned by their authors as novels that could be classified as belonging to the European sword and sorcery subgenre but had various major elements that distanced themselves from the typical novels in the genre. In the 1990s, sword and sorcery boomed in popularity in Britain and other parts of
4088-426: The main characteristics of power metal. The twin-guitar sound promoted by Judas Priest's duo of K. K. Downing and Glenn Tipton also highly influenced this subgenre. Another British band, Iron Maiden , brought epic and melodic sensibility to metal, creating anthemic, singalong music, an approach widely embraced by modern power metal musicians. Referred to as the "main prototype" of the power metal genre, Iron Maiden
4161-430: The mid-1980s and refers to two different but related styles: Anthropologist Sam Dunn traced the origins of power metal back to the late 1970s, when the groundwork for power metal lyrical style was laid down by Ronnie James Dio . The fantasy-oriented lyrics he wrote for Rainbow , concentrated around medieval, renaissance, folk, and science fiction themes, directly influenced modern power metal bands. According to Dunn,
4234-485: The nature of the heroes; most sword and sorcery protagonists, travellers by nature, find peace after adventure deathly dull. Sword and sorcery resembles high fantasy, but is darker and more jagged, at times overlapping with dark fantasy . The scale of the struggles depicted is smaller, and the main character usually pursues personal gain, such as wealth or love. The opposition between good and evil characteristic of fantasy also exists in sword and sorcery literature, but it
4307-438: The next short story a new threat arises, against which the hero has to fight once again. The world has a wide variety of exciting and exotic locations designed to act as a stage for the main character's exploits. Many sword and sorcery tales have turned into lengthy series of adventures. Their lower stakes and less-than world-threatening dangers make this more plausible than a repetition of the perils of high fantasy . So too does
4380-499: The original release, the 2010 re-release includes a bonus DVD with an interview from Dave Mackintosh and a commentary from Herman Li and Sam Totman , as well as live "Fury of the Storm" and "Fields of Despair" performances in Japan from 2005. Power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal , often within
4453-450: The other hand, is usually only used by the villains of the story, who are usually wizards , witches , or supernatural monsters . Most sword and sorcery heroes are masculine male characters, while female characters are usually underdeveloped. A recurring theme in the genre is a damsel in distress . However, some sword and sorcery stories have a female protagonist, and the genre's traditional emphasis on male protagonists has declined since
SECTION 60
#17328692524074526-459: The point of view of characters more common to S&S, and with the sense of adventure common to the latter. Writers associated with this include Steven Erikson , Joe Abercrombie , and Scott Lynch , magazines such as Black Gate and the ezines Flashing Swords (not to be confused with the Lin Carter anthologies), and Beneath Ceaseless Skies publish short fiction in the style. According to
4599-406: The real world into one where all men are strong, all women beautiful, all life adventurous, and all problems simple, and nobody even mentions the income tax or the dropout problem or socialized medicine. The circular structure is common in sword and sorcery series: the hero stays forever young and every day is like the first for him. The main character's victory over his enemies is not final, but in
4672-406: The single most influential power metal album to date. Its volatile combination of power and melody would inspire an entire generation of metal bands". This release influenced a European power metal style to evolve, which proliferated throughout the globe and since the start of the 1990s is still the most commonly heard style of power metal. Power metal "bears all the hallmarks of traditional metal"
4745-593: The songs "Stargazer" and "A Light in the Black" from the 1976 album Rising , as well as "Kill the King" and "Lady of the Lake" from the 1978 album Long Live Rock 'n' Roll , might be among the earliest examples of power metal. In his 2011 documentary series Metal Evolution , Dunn further explained how Rob Halford of Judas Priest created a blueprint for power metal vocal delivery. His almost constant high-pitched singing became one of
4818-457: The stories that were influenced by his works. In parallel with "sword and sorcery", the term "heroic fantasy" is used, although it is a more loosely defined genre. Sword and sorcery tales eschew overarching themes of "good vs evil" in favor of situational conflicts that often pit morally gray characters against one another to enrich themselves, or to defy tyranny . Sword and sorcery is grounded in real-world social and societal hierarchies, and
4891-568: The supernatural element (even though Dumas' fiction contained many fantasy tropes ) which defines the genre. Another influence was early fantasy fiction. This type of fiction includes the short stories of Lord Dunsany 's such as " The Fortress Unvanquishable, Save for Sacnoth " (1910) and "The Distressing Tale of Thangobrind the Jeweller" (1911). These works of Dunsany's feature warriors who clash with monsters and wizards in realms of Dunsany's creation. The Worm Ouroboros (1922) by E. R. Eddison ,
4964-454: The technique of vocal and guitar overdubbing to create an epic atmosphere, with lyrical content strongly based on fantasy novels, myths and legends. The symphonic and neo-classical elements also found their way through power metal with bands like Rhapsody of Fire (Italy), Serenity (Austria) and Nightwish (Finland). At the same time, bands such as HammerFall simplified their power metal to bring it closer to traditional heavy metal. Over
5037-405: The term in 1961 in response to a letter from British author Michael Moorcock in the fanzine Amra , demanding a name for the sort of fantasy-adventure story written by Robert E. Howard . Moorcock had initially proposed the term "epic fantasy". Leiber replied in the journal Ancalagon (6 April 1961), suggesting "sword-and-sorcery as a good popular catchphrase for the field". He expanded on this in
5110-463: The threat of rape or to gain revenge for same. Marion Zimmer Bradley 's Sword and Sorceress anthology series (1984 onwards) tried the reverse, encouraging female writers and protagonists. The stories feature skillful swordswomen and powerful sorceresses working from a variety of motives. Jessica Amanda Salmonson similarly sought to broaden the range of roles for female characters in sword and sorcery through her own stories and through editing
5183-741: The works of bands, most famously Sabaton , whose lyrics extensively focus on historical wars, battles, and individuals that received notable recognition for their wartime accomplishments. Examples include World War I , World War II , Vikings , Samurai , and much more from around the world including the American , Swedish and German militaries . Serenity , an Austrian (symphonic) power metal band, focuses mainly on historical figures and events, including Sir Francis Drake , Marco Polo , Galileo , Beethoven , and Napoleon . Contrary to traditional power metal music, Powerwolf focuses on Transylvanian werewolf and vampire legends and dark myths . The lyrics of
5256-419: The world. Despite the importance of C. L. Moore, Leigh Brackett, Andre Norton , and other female authors, as well as Moore's early heroine, sword and sorcery has been characterized as having a masculine bias. Female characters were generally distressed damsels to be rescued or protected, or otherwise served as a reward for a male hero's adventures. Women who had adventures of their own often did so to counter
5329-483: Was heavily influenced by Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules (the first two albums of Black Sabbath 's Dio-era ), which would also go on to influence modern power metal. The emergence of the early German power metal scene in particular was made possible by Scorpions and Accept . Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen made a significant impact on many future power metal guitarists, with his accurate and fast neo-classical style. His bandmate Jens Johansson modernized
#406593