Power metal

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Power metal
Stylistic origins	Heavy metal NWOBHM speed metal neoclassical metal
Cultural origins	Europe and United States in the 1980s
Fusion genres
Symphonic power metal
Regional scenes
Europe North America South America East Asia Australia
Other topics
List of power metal bands

Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within 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 anthem-like songs with fantasy-based subject matter and strong choruses, thus creating a theatrical, dramatic and emotionally "powerful" sound.^[1][2]

The term was first used in the mid-1980s^[3] and refers to two different but related styles:

• the first largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal;
• a later, more widespread and popular style based in Europe^[4] with a lighter, more melodic sound and frequent use of keyboards.