Essential Power Metal Albums

The power metal genre as a whole really took off in the late '80s with help from bands such as Helloween and Gamma Ray. The '90s continued this momentum, thanks to Iced Earth, Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, and Dragonforce. Metal fans became infatuated with the speedy solos and soaring vocals, along with lyrics describing mystical creatures, magic, and vast fantasy worlds. Throughout the years, there have been a few key albums that have defined power metal and brought a growing spotlight on the genre.

Essential Power Metal Albums

(Helloween photo courtesy SPV Records)