US (power) metal

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Everflow
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Message par Everflow »

Ce genre de heavy metal n'avait bizarrement pas encore son sujet ici!

Alors à l'occasion de cet article que je viens de découvrir, c'est désormais chose réparée.
Même si je ne partage pas à 100% ce qui est dit, question de goûts, et que la notion de progressive est un peu exagérée parfois, dans l'ensemble c'est quand même très bien documenté et crédible. Si vous êtes curieux du genre, vous pouvez essayer tous les albums cités ci-dessous.


https://rideintoglory.com/marcos-guide-to-uspm/

What is USPM and what does it sound like?

USPM stands for United States Power Metal – an evolution of traditional metal that took place in the US starting around the early-mid 80’s. Most people are familiar with the European Style of power metal – USPM is nothing like that. To lift from my first primer, USPM has a very distinct sound and grit to it. The very core of USPM is influenced by the early NWOBHM movement. The pioneers of the USPM movement took the NWOBHM and made it into something entirely their own. They sped it up. They made it more energetic. They increased the number of solos. The vocals were intensified. They added POWER.

There were two distinct styles that emerged within USPM – I’ll refer to them as “aggressive” and “progressive”. “Aggressive USPM” is more speed metal oriented in nature, often times flirting with thrash as well. “Progressive USPM” has a focus on melodies and bigger vocals while usually incorporating more complex song structures. These distinctions aren’t hard and fast (many bands blur the line in between), but rather they should serve as general guidelines.

The following releases in my humble opinion serve as fantastic gateways to exploring the genre. They consist of some of the best releases in USPM and act as wonderful representatives of the various sounds found in the genre.

Agressive Starter Kit:

Helstar – Nosferatu
Jag Panzer – Ample Destruction
Liege Lord – Master Control
Manowar: Into Glory Ride
Omen – Battle Cry

Progressive Starter Kit:

Crimson Glory- Crimson Glory
Fates Warning – Awaken the Guardian
Savatage: Sirens
Queensryche: The Warning
Warlord – And the Cannons of Destruction Have Begun…

Genre Essentials (80’s – Early 90’s)

Once you’ve gotten your feet wet and decided that you enjoy this type of music, it’s time to start hitting the essentials! Essential albums here are defined by 3 key attributes: popularity, influence, and quality. The albums listed below meet all of the criteria to varying degrees.

Aggressive Essentials:

Agent Steel: Skeptics Apocalypse, Unstoppable Force
Attacker: Battle at Helm’s Deep, The Second Coming
Griffin: Flight of the Griffin
Helstar: Nosferatu, Burning Star, A Distant Thunder, Remnants of War
Hexx: Under the Spell
Jag Panzer: Ample Destruction, Tyrants EP
Liege Lord: Burn to my Touch, Freedom’s Rise, Master Control
Manowar: Battle Hymns, Into Glory Ride
Metal Church: Metal Church, The Dark, Blessing in Disguise
Omen: Battle Cry, Warning of Danger
Riot: Thundersteel
Sanctuary: Refuge Denied
Savage Grace: Masters of Disguise, After the Fall from Grace
Tyrant: Legions of the Dead, Too Late to Pray
Vicious Rumors: Digital Dictators, Soldiers of the Night

Progressive Essentials:

Chastain: Ruler of the Wasteland, The 7th of Never, Voice of the Cult
Crimson Glory: Crimson Glory, Transcendence
Fates Warning: The Spectre Within, Awaken The Guardian
Fifth Angel: Fifth Angel
Heir Apparent: Graceful Inheritance
Lizzy Borden: Love You to Pieces, Visual Lies
Lords of the Crimson Alliance: Lords of the Crimson Alliance
Savatage: The Dungeons are Calling, Sirens, Hall of the Mountain King
Screamer: Target: Earth
Queensryche: Self titled EP, The Warning
Warlord: Deliver Us EP, And the Cannons of Destruction Have Begun…

Special Mentions:

There were a few bands that released material around this type that are related to USPM but don’t quite fit the moniker. These bands are undoubtedly high quality and at times certainly flirted with the USPM sound (some a lot more than others). Both the quality and influence of this bands cannot be understated and for those reasons I believe they deserve a special mention here.

Brocas Helm: Into Battle, Black Death
Cirith Ungol: King of the Dead, One Foot in Hell
Manilla Road: Crystal Logic, The Deluge, Open the Gates, Mystification
Slough Feg: Traveller, Down Among the Deadmen, Twilight of the Idols, Hardworlder, Atavism, Animal Spirits, Ape Uprising

Modern Champions (Mid 90’s – Current)

By the time the 90s rolled around USPM had already begun to die out. With that said, plenty of bands still carried the torch throughout the 90s and more recent years have seen a revitalization with many new bands playing this type of style. I’ve listed below some of the higher quality releases from the 90s up to the current year. Unlike the previous essentials listed for the 80s, influence and popularity are not considered for the below.

Armored Saint: Symbol of Salvation
Attacker: Giants of Canaan, Sins of the World
Axehammer: Windrider
Batallion: Runaway
Borrowed Time: Borrowed Time
Catharsis: Pathways to Wholeness
Cauldron Born: Born of the Cauldron, And Rome Shall Fall
Crescent Shield: The Last of My Kind, The Stars of Never Seen
Demon Bitch: Hellfriends, Death is Hanging
Destiny’s End: Breathe Deep the Dark
Eternal Champion: The Armor of Ire
Fireaxe: Lovecraftian Nightmares
Gothic Knights: Kingdom of the Knights
Helstar: Vampiro
Iced Earth: Night of the Stormrider, Burnt Offerings
Ironflame: Lightning Strikes the Crown
Lethal: Programmed
Miles Beyond: Miles Beyond
Onward: Evermoving
Overlorde: Return of the Snow Giant
Phantom: Cyberchrist
Pharaoh: The Longest Night, Bury the Light
Recon: Behind Enemy Lines
Satan’s Hallow: Satan’s Hallow
Skullview: Legends of Valor
Spirit Web: Spirit Web
Steel Angel: Inquiete
Steel Assassin: War of the Eight Saints
Steel Prophet: The Godless Principle
Sumerlands: Sumerlands
Twisted Tower Dire: Curse of the Twisted Tower, Isle of Hydra, Crest of the Martyrs, Netherworlds, Make it Dark
Verscythe: A Time Will Come
Virgin Steele: Invictus, Marriage of Heaven and Hell Part 1,Marriage of Heaven and Hell part 2
Visigoth: The Revenant King
Widow: Carved in Stone
Winter’s Bane: Heart of a Killer

Editor’s Choice – Full Length Albums

In this section I’ll describe the releases I personally feel are the absolutely most distinguished. I’ll break it out by full length and EPs. For this section, I’ll refrain from repeating bands since the list is short and I’ll omit bands from the “special mentions” section above – otherwise I’ll essentially be left with a list full of Manilla Road and Cirith Ungol.

Remember, this is just my personal opinion so feel free to totally disagree!

Full Lengths:

5) Cauldron Born – Born of the Cauldron
A true masterpiece of 90s metal that is equal parts Fates Warning and Helstar. It’s a mix of both the progressive and aggressive elements of USPM brought together in a perfect harmony by Howie Bentley’s twisted mind. Complex riffs, epic song structures, and catchy vocal melodies – it’s all there. The end result is a highly unique and top-notch album that you just have to experience for yourself.

4) Fates Warning – Awaken the Guardian
Fates Warning, the popularizers of progressive/power metal, delivered a ridiculous 1-2 punch in the mid 80s having released Spectre Within in 1985 and then Awaken the Guardian in 1986. Legions of bands have since tried to imitate what they’ve done on those two records to varying degrees of success. Both Spectre and Awaken the Guardian are landmark USPM albums but I believe Awaken personally takes the cake. This album has the same masterful song structures and riffing as Spectre but is overall more accessible. John Arch’s vocals are definitely unique and take some getting used to for folks, but once you get past that the band’s musical prowess really shines through.
Absolutely essential listening.

3) Crimson Glory – Crimson Glory
Classy, powerful, and majestic, Crimson glory’s self titled debut delivers everything I could possibly ask for in a USPM release. The songwriting is simple but the riffs are extremely memorable. The album is carried by Midnight’s transcendent vocals – there are plenty of moments where I just think to myself “How is he even able to fucking do that?”. Overall, the Crimson Glory ST is an astounding album with a remarkable almost intangible quality to it that has me constantly replaying it throughout the years.

2) Jag Panzer – Ample Destruction
Aggressive, ballsy, and uncompromising. If Crimson Glory’s debut is everything I look for in a progressive USPM album, then Jag Panzer is everything I look for in the aggressive variety. This album has always been my go to recommendation for first time listeners to USPM. The aggressive and uncompromising nature of Henry “The Tyrant” Conklin and co. grab you by the throat and never let go. Ample Destruction is the hallmark USPM album and demonstrates the stark contrast found between USPM and their European cousins.

1) Tyrant – Too Late to Pray
Paragon – “a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality”.
This is my personal metal paragon. Not just USPM – this album possesses all the qualities I could possibly ask for in a release. Powerful mid-paced riffing that balances aggression, doom, and epicness topped off with testosterone filled vocals. The production is unique and heavy and when combined with the music creates an atmosphere of Armageddon unlike anything else out there. I’ve spent the last 10 years since I found this album looking for anything remotely similar to no avail. I could spend hours talking about how this album has changed how I view metal and music as a whole, but that wouldn’t do it justice.
Too Late to Pray is a unique album that really just needs to be experienced. If there’s anything you take from my primers, just listen to this album at least once.

Editor’s Choice – EPs

5) Medieval Steel – Medieval Steel
MEDIEVAL STEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL! IT CUTS YOU LIKE A KNIFE!!
Medieval steel play a slow to mid paced brand of USPM that is focused very heavily on the vocals. The result is a grand, epic sound that is reminiscent of Manowar’s slower, more grandiose moments found on releases like Into Glory Ride. This band’s self titled EP, and song more specifically, have become cult classics for their anthem-worthy pace and choruses. Essential listening if only for the title track.

4) Dark Age – Dark Age
Dark Age’s self titled EP is one of the first releases I discovered and found myself really getting into after scratching the surface USPM. There’s a magical uplifting energy coming from the vocals and riffs that make it very clear this band was having an absolute blast putting together this release. Every song is unique and has its own little character and story around it from the faster paced bangers such as “Metal Axe” and “Warrior” to the slow and epic “Tales of Medusa”. This EP has gained a status of reverence and worship in trad circles for its superior quality. The music here is so good that legendary cult band Tales of Medusa named themselves after one of the songs here – in fact, I’d be willing to say that their sound is extremely influenced by the style and structure of this song in particular.
This little EP has become one of my most listened to USPM releases since discovering the genre. It is really a shame that we didn’t any more material out of this band.

3) Savatage – The Dungeons are Calling
Savatage’s Dungeons are Calling EP came right after the band’s remarkable debut Sirens. Stylistically, it serves as an effective continuation of Sirens but with a slightly more aggressive edge. Every song on this EP is 100% killer and 0% filler. After listening to this album, you too will feel captured by the grace of the witch because I sure as hell am with every listen.

2) Queensryche – Queensryche
Queensryche – the legendary power progressive band – started out far simpler than whatever they became later in their career. Their self titled EP was their first major release and it provides us with a very straight forward 17 minute slab of metal. Queenryche’s relatively simple approach on this EP doesn’t take anything away from the music at all, in fact it does the exact opposite. The 1983 release of this EP set the foundation for what the progressive side of USPM would start to sound like. Queen of the Reich and The Lady Wore Black, both found here on this EP, became some of the most recognizable songs out of the USPM movement. The legendary Queensryche at their best.

1) Warlord – Deliver Us
Warlord’s first major release is incredibly varied and complex from the dark and slower “Black Mass” to the more aggressive and in your face “Child of the Damned”. The vocals, riffing, song structures – everything is tight on this EP. Each song on here is a classic, it’s truly astounding.
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SophiePetoncule
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Message par SophiePetoncule »

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Everflow
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Message par Everflow »

^ Justement ce n'est pas le même type de heavy metal à mon sens. ;) Moins guerrier (pour les groupes hors true metal du moins, ça peut être l'inverse), moins cliché, et plus technique pour le US Metal... moins germanique en somme. :mad:
Même si bien sûr ça peut se recouper pour certains groupes.
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Dark Schneider
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Message par Dark Schneider »

J'adore le Power Metal US, tout en me rendant compte que je ne connais pas tout (va falloir que j'écoute ce Tyrant !). Et je trouve effectivement qu'il se distingue du Power Européen, même si il y a quand même des passerelles, à commencer par Accept notamment (et tous les groupes d'Europe central comme Pokolgèp et d'autres).
Je suis plutôt d'accord avec son approche Agressive/Progressive qui a le mérite de ranger enfin les 1ers Crimson Glory/Fates Warning etc dans la bonne case.

Ce que je ne comprends pas, c'est qu'il fait, à juste titre, le distinguo entre Manilla Road/Cirith Ungol etc avec les autres groupes de USPM 80's, mais il met dans le même sac Eternal Champion, Visigoth, Sumerlands avec le USPM moderne. Et ça je ne suis pas d'accord, il y'a bien sûr beaucoup de points communs, mais clairement l'approche de ces groupes est quand même différentes, et d'ailleurs ne remplis pas la définition du USPM comme il le décrit (pas spécialement plus de solo, pas spécialement plus de puissance, et certainement pas plus de vitesse), pas pour rien qu'on parle d'Epic Metal.
Je n'aurais également jamais mis Into Glory Ride dans le USPM.

Pour le côté "moins guerrier" vis à vis du Power européen, je ne suis pas vraiment d'accord. J'ai même tendance à penser le contraire en fait ! Les thématiques guerrières reviennent très fréquemment dans l'USPM. C'est surtout le son, l'approche mélodique, et l'ambiance qui sont différente.
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Cardinal-Sin
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Message par Cardinal-Sin »

Pour moi le Power US c'est les influences de la NWOBHM avec un côté plus jusqu'au boutiste (plus technique, agressif, épique)...
en tous cas les influences anglosaxonne sont nettement plus présente que la scène power européenne qui a peut-être des influences plus classique ou mélodique.
:metallian: :papy: :metallian: BY STEEL WE RULE - http://www.metalofsteel.ch// :metallian: :papy: :metallian:
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Metal Knight
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Message par Metal Knight »

Je ne partage pas également à 100% mais on s'en rapproche grandement !! Quoiqu'il en soit c'est casi la moitié de mon top 100 !!
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