Listening Notes: This is Power Metal Vol. 2

The second volume of power metal this time is filled with albums that I would consider quite excellent in my personal history. However, does that feeling still hold up across these six releases? Let’s find out.

Damnation Angels - Bringer of Light (2012)

90%

One of the surprises of this album is Pellek, whom I first knew through his YouTube channel. I clearly prefer the music accompanying him here—true power metal—over the style he usually uses for his anisong covers, which don't feel like metal at all.

This might just be a debut, but Damnation Angels really cooked their materials perfectly. The symphonies accompanying the album’s concept are so vivid and emotional, especially on "The Longest Day of My Life" and the four-part title track. Although I can't pinpoint the specific song, I also feel a Nightwish influence in "I Hope."

To this day, I don't regret adding this entire album to my playlist. It is truly the peak of their career, even if they are still overshadowed by the fame of other British bands like DragonForce.

Highlights: Mostly all tracks

Lord Symphony - Bharatayudha pt 1 (2010)

100%

Power metal in Indonesia is a rarity. The local market tends to prefer extreme, spontaneous styles that are "moshingable," and then there’s the massive shadow cast by the band Power Metal. However, Lord Symphony’s first recording is on par with Damnation Angels above. They may not be as "great" as the death metal bands over there, but the energy generated is extraordinary.

With a Javanese wayang theme focusing on the Mahabharata saga—specifically the Bharatayudha war—Lord Symphony masterfully blends gamelan music with the might of epic power metal. They prove that power metal doesn't always have to be "soft." The merciless drumming perfectly depicts the fierce character stereotypical of metal. Fortunately, a local recording from the 2010s could execute every component so well that it doesn't feel raw or "small" like what I heard in Twilight Force's Heroes of Mighty Magic, despite that being handled by Nuclear Blast.

It’s still hard to imagine, and there’s a distinct sense of pride in remembering that this land of death metal possesses a superior power metal album that I will always show off with confidence.

Highlights: All tracks

Orden Ogan - Ravenhead (2015)

85%

A German power metal band that is a "must-try," I think.

Their songs were anthemic and felt great when I first tried them a few years ago, but as time goes by, that feeling is fading. My fondness for power metal seems to be disappearing because of the repetitive nature of the structures and instrumentation, and the positive energy is becoming less relevant to me now.

Overall, Orden Ogan emphasizes anthemic choruses for epic sing-alongs with a modern power metal structure in every track. "A Reason to Give" and "Too Soon" serve as the mandatory ballads every power metal band must include. The standout track? "Deaf Among the Blind" rather than "F.E.V.E.R."

Highlights: Mostly all tracks

Orden Ogan - Gunmen (2017)

85%

The second album from Orden Ogan that I tried.

The result? The same! Anthemic and epic with a Wild West vibe—for instance, the organ flair on "Gunman" and the galloping rhythm in "Vampire in Ghost Town." I only just realized that Liv Kristine is featured in "Come with Me to the Other Side." However, as of today, as I mentioned above, the repetition of patterns and lyrics echoed throughout the 10 tracks makes it boring by the time I reach the middle of the album. It’s becoming wearisome, even though most of my post-rock playlists follow a crescendo pattern too.

Highlights: Mostly all tracks

Pythia - Beneath the Veiled Embrace (2009)

75%

Another British band, delivering a genre similar to Damnation Angels, featuring a female vocalist throughout their career. I first tried Pythia through the song "Hold of Winter," which left me stunned—realizing that underrated power metal bands like this still exist.

Although they seem to fall behind Delain and Within Temptation—not to mention Nightwish and Epica—Pythia is still better than Moonlight Haze. Imagine playing this debut album just once and it immediately entering your playlist without a second thought. Perhaps it’s the symphonic elements that at least provide a different atmosphere from standard power metal.

But again, it turns out the feeling is fading. Maybe it's because so many tracks lean too heavily into symphonic metal. Lol. Will it stay on the list? Who knows; I'm already tired of going back and forth to Spotify to manage my power metal playlists.

Highlights: Sweet Cantation, Sarah (Bury Her), Eternal Darkness, Army of the Damned

Triple Kill - Age of Rebellion (2018)

95%

Triple Kill heats up the session's close with a touch of melodic death/thrash metal delivered with heavy, crushing energy. Well, they’re like Orden Ogan but hitting your head much harder. It’s exactly what I want: clean vocals amidst relentless music.

While they might not be on the radar of every "metalhead," Triple Kill succeeded in creating a high-caliber debut album, much like Damnation Angels and Lord Symphony here. I hope they stay consistent with this formula.

Highlights: All tracks