ROCKDETECTOR: A TO Z OF POWER METAL - Softcover

Garry Sharpe-Young

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1901447138 ISBN 13: 9781901447132

Publisher: CHERRY RED BOOKS, 2003

Synopsis

Power Metal is Heavy Metal taken to the absolute limit. Following in the wake of Thrash Metal, Power Metal boasted the same aggression and volume of its forefathers, but was much more complex and sophisticated. The door was opened by British bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest - and in came a flood of American bands, including Attacker, Savatage and Queensryche, and European bands, including Helloween, Gamma Ray and Grave Digger. This book documents the full scope of the world-wide Power Metal phenomenon, with exhaustive histories and discographies. Includes a free CD.

About this title

Synopsis:

Power Metal is Heavy Metal taken to the absolute, surgically precise, limit. When the major Metal institutions staked their claim they engendered a whole legion of followers in their wake. These up and coming acts were not simply content to match the volume levels of their forefathers though. Riffs evolved into complex, labyrinthine proportions, vocals scorched higher altitudes and, yes, they even managed to crank out some more volume as part of the formula. Power Metal had been borne. The acceleration of aggression afforded by the Thrash Metal movement helped boost the rise of Power Metal. As the first wave of Thrash waned a ready audience of Metal fans lay waiting for something just as heavy but with sophistication. The British guard such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest had opened the door, now a whole flood of American Metal flooded through - Attacker, Jag Panzer, Iced Earth, Savatage and Queensryche. In Europe bands rooted in Thrash matured at an alarming rate with Helloween, Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, Running Wild and Grave Digger establishing lengthy careers.

In latter years Power Metal itself has branched off on its own evolutionary trail spawning Symphonic Metal and Progressive Metal. A recent upsurge in the fortunes of bands such as Sonata Artica from Finland, Angra from Brazil and Rhapsody from Italy and illustrated just how global the reach of Power Metal has become. Cult acts from the 80s have been reforming at an alarming rate in order to cope with demand. This book documents the full scope of the world-wide Power Metal phenomenon, tracing the lineage of the bands that paved the way, the first 80s wave of bands, the stoic survivors and the new breed and the myriad of spider web like side projects. All with exhaustive, unique histories and detailed discographies.

About the Author:

Garry Sharpe-Young is an author, artist, and heavy metal journalist. The founder of Rockdetector, his titles include A to Z of 80s Rock, A to Z of Black Metal, A to Z of Thrash Metal, Black Sabbath: Never Say Die!, Metal: The Definitive Guide, and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

About this edition

• Publisher: CHERRY RED BOOKS
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 1901447138
• ISBN 13: 9781901447132
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 400