Power Metal in 2022
I did it again.
*edit* - Thanks for the feature! |
| 1 |  | Riot City
Electric Elite
This album fucks.
Verdict: Must listen |
| 2 |  | Stratovarius
Survive
Survive? More like thrive. One of Stratovarius's greatest albums to date.
Verdict: Must listen |
| 3 |  | Blind Guardian
The God Machine
Blind Guardian never misses.
Verdict: Must listen |
| 4 |  | Doublegeddon
Geddon Dangerous
One dude made this entire album by himself, and it's incredible. Check this shit out yo!
Verdict: Highly recommended |
| 5 |  | Victorius (DE)
Dinosaur Warfare Pt. 2
Probably the most retarded album I've heard in my entire life.
Verdict: Highly recommended |
| 6 |  | Civil War
Invaders
The album Sabaton wished they made in 2022.
Verdict: Highly recommended |
| 7 |  | Jani Liimatainen
My Father's Son
An interesting, surprising and sonically dynamic power metal album in 2022? I must be dreaming.
Verdict: Highly recommended |
| 8 |  | Axel Rudi Pell
Lost XXIII
Verdict: Highly recommended |
| 9 |  | Dynazty
Final Advent
Wtf is this user average? This is great. More bands that sound like Beast In Black are always welcome.
Verdict: Highly recommended |
| 10 |  | Freternia
The Final Stand
High energy power metal with a distinct focus on melody and hooks.
Verdict: Highly recommended |
| 11 |  | Unlucky Morpheus
evolution
WTF is this weeb shit, and why is it so good?
Verdict: Highly recommended |
| 12 |  | Dawn of Destiny
Dawn of Destiny
Verdict: Recommended |
| 13 |  | HammerFall
Hammer of Dawn
Wait, this is actually good? I was convinced these guys were gonna release middling albums for the rest of their career, but this was a very pleasant surprise. No Son of Odin is probably one of the best songs these guys have ever recorded.
Verdict: Recommended |
| 14 |  | Fellowship
The Saberlight Chronicles
Happiest metal album ever. Can't help but smile by how wholesome it is.
Verdict: Recommended |
| 15 |  | Grave Digger
Symbol of Eternity
Verdict: Recommended |
| 16 |  | Stryper
The Final Battle
Verdict: Recommended |
| 17 |  | Alestorm
Seventh Rum of a Seventh Rum
Was gonna give this a 3.5, but then discovered that the deluxe edition contains a version of the album with dark barks in place of the vocals.
Verdict: Recommended |
| 18 |  | Avantasia
A Paranormal Evening With the Moonflower Society
Another solid offering, but I think Tobi is getting a bit too comfortable with his songwriting.
Verdict: Recommended |
| 19 |  | Palantir
Chasing a Dream
I enjoyed this quite a bit. Reminds me of vintage Stratovarius with it's emphasis on melody and instrumentation, but with a refreshing amount of restraint which is hard to come by these days.
Verdict: Recommended |
| 20 |  | Shaman
Rescue
Not too shabby. I dig the AOR influenced moments on here.
Verdict: Recommended |
| 21 |  | Fallen Sanctuary
Terranova
Delightful dose of cheese with a great sense of melody. I swear me and Trey are at odds on everything this year.
Verdict: Recommended |
| 22 |  | Battle Beast
Circus of Doom
Definitely a step in the right direction. God damn that lady has some fucking pipes on her.
Verdict: Recommended |
| 23 |  | Dreamtale
Everlasting Flame
Verdict: Recommended |
| 24 |  | Hexed
Pagans Rising
Not too shabby. Impactful female-fronted power metal that manages to surprisingly heavy.
Verdict: Recommended |
| 25 |  | Michael Romeo
War of the Worlds / Pt. 2
Verdict: Recommended |
| 26 |  | Silent Knight (AUS)
Full Force
Verdict: Recommended |
| 27 |  | Cloven Hoof
Time Assassin
What a fantastic album cover.
Verdict: Recommended |
| 28 |  | Grailknights
Muscle Bound For Glory
Verdict: Recommended |
| 29 |  | Seventh Wonder
The Testament
So much better than their previous album.
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 30 |  | Power Paladin
With the Magic of Windfyre Steel
Generic af, but the good kind of generic.
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 31 |  | Merciless Law
Troops of Steel
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 32 |  | White Skull
Metal Never Rusts
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 33 |  | Steelballs
The Neverending Fire
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 34 |  | Sinner
Brotherhood
I don't know why I'm rating this so high. It's one of the most generic things I've heard all year, but it's an enjoyably inviting type of generic. It's like that one story your grandpa told you 100 times but it doesn't bother you because it's a good story.r
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 35 |  | Sabaton
The War To End All Wars
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 36 |  | Nekrogoblikon
The Fundamental Slimes and Humours
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 37 |  | Hammerstar
Hammerstar
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 38 |  | Wind Rose
Warfront
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 39 |  | Trick or Treat
Creepy Symphonies
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 40 |  | Royal Hunt
Dystopia
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 41 |  | Edenbridge
Shangri-La
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 42 |  | Mentalist
Empires Falling
Enjoyably cheesy. It's charming lack of self-conceit really won me over in the end. Just a group of boys making dumb, fun trad/power metal.
Verdict: Mild recommendation |
| 43 |  | Ashes of Ares
Emperors And Fools
Verdict: Toss up |
| 44 |  | Eternal Ascent
Reclamation
Verdict: Toss up |
| 45 |  | Emerald Sun
Kingdom of Gods
Verdict: Toss up |
| 46 |  | Evergrey
A Heartless Portrait (The Orphéan Testament)
This just didn't hit the spot like their previous release did. Still decent, just not amazing.
Verdict: Toss up |
| 47 |  | Serious Black
Vengeance Is Mine
Verdict: Toss up |
| 48 |  | Teramaze
Flight of The Wounded
Verdict: Toss up |
| 49 |  | Imperial Age
New World
Verdict: Toss up |
| 50 |  | Crystal Ball
Crysteria
Verdict: Toss up |
| 51 |  | Hibria
Me7amorphosis
Verdict: Toss up |
| 52 |  | Judicator
The Majesty of Decay
Verdict: Toss up |
| 53 |  | Tungsten (SWE)
Bliss
I'm pretty mixed on this one. While I can appreciate they have a unique sound, I feel like they stylistically leaned a bit to much into modern metal trends.
Verdict: Toss up |
| 54 |  | Arcane Tales
Steel, Fire and Magic
Passable Rhapsody worship.
Verdict: Toss up |
| 55 |  | Veonity
Elements of Power
Verdict: Skip it |
| 56 |  | Dragonhammer
Second Life
Verdict: Skip it |
| 57 |  | Dragonland
The Power of the Nightstar
Verdict: Skip it |
| 58 |  | Terra Atlantica
Beyond the Borders
Serviceable pirate metal with a few highlights, and a few parts that made me cringe.
Verdict: Skip it |
| 59 |  | Star One
Revel in Time
Probably the most okay thing I've heard all year. The Earth is no better or worse because this exists.
Verdict: Skip it |
| 60 |  | Visions Of Atlantis
Pirates
The orchestral arrangements are great, but the songs just aren't memorable in any way shape or form.
Verdict: Skip it |
| 61 |  | Seven Kingdoms
Zenith
Meh incarnate
Verdict: Skip it |
| 62 |  | Glasya
Attarghan
I respect the ambition, but it's severely lacking in memorable moments.
Verdict: Skip it |
| 63 |  | Therion
Leviathan II
Verdict: Skip it |
| 64 |  | Ring Of Fire
Gravity
I feel like there was a considerable amount of time and effort that went into creating this album, it's just a shame that I was kinda bored by it regardless.
Verdict: Skip it |
| 65 |  | Medieval Steel
Gods of Steel
Verdict: Skip it |
| 66 |  | Kaledon
Legend of the Forgotten Reign - Chapter VII: Evil
Verdict: Skip it |
| 67 |  | Tad Morose
March of the Obsequious
Nothing you need to listen to
Verdict: Skip it |
| 68 |  | Silverlane
Inside Internal Infinity
Verdict: Skip it |
| 69 |  | Star Eternal
Atlas
Verdict: Skip it |
| 70 |  | Aquilla
Mankind's Odyssey
Verdict: Skip it |
| 71 |  | Warkings
Morgana
Verdict: Skip it |
| 72 |  | Deep Sun
Dreamland - Behind the Shades
An album so boring you will actually visit the location mentioned in the album title.
Verdict: Skip It |
| 73 |  | Kerion
Cloudriders: Age of Cyborgs
They tried. They failed miserably, but they tried.
Verdict: Skip It |
| 74 |  | Allen/Olzon
Army Of Dreamers
What a boring little album.
Verdict: Skip it |
| 75 |  | Crusade of Bards
Tales of the Seven Seas
Does anyone actually like this style of power metal?
Verdict: Avoid at all costs |
| 76 |  | Keldian
The Bloodwater Rebellion
A power metal band tries making a U2 album. It's just as bad as you think it would be.
Verdict: Avoid at all costs |
| 77 |  | Heaven's Guard
Pathfinder
No.
Verdict: Avoid at all costs |
| 78 |  | KeyDragon
I Dance With Dragons
One of the most uniquely awful albums I've ever heard. Bafflingly horrendous.
Verdict: Avoid at all costs |
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