Anyone else noticing the recent influx of "new" power metal bands coming out lately? Not stuff like Korn and such, but Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet for My Valentine, etc? Is the old metal style coming back? Just a fad?

What do you think?

The only music form that I think has really died in the last few years is Ska.

I don't think old metal is really coming back (I miss the really big hair, but not the spandex), but some of the new stuff is awesome. I know the 'underground' scene was alive and well a few years ago. I haven't followed any of it recently, but at the time I was glad there were some people that could still make me smile when they played the guitar.

I think metal is going to stay around for a long, long time.

Not really power metal though. Avenged Sevenfold sound more like the 'old' heavy metal genre, the one that started it all, basically. Power metal is still a subgenre that feels european to me so it kind of feels weird to compare those american bands to it.

Give MasterPlan a listen. Fantastic stuff, kind of speed metal, but with great lyrical and vocal quality as opposed to the older style screaming. In fact they remind me of some of the older hair bands.

I think metal's pretty much here to stay. But there are so my sub genres of it out there, it makes my head spin! XD A lot of metal bands are starting to sound the same though, it makes me sad. Becoming the Archetype is a really awesome metal band with some interesting guitar work.

Bullet for my Valentine and AX7 aren't really power metal :P

But I think it's got more to do with a lot of the original metalcore bands growing into a more metal style. Take Atreyu's latest album, it may suck but it seems to be a lot more metal then metalcore.

And Avenged Sevenfold have turned into some kind of Motely Crue/Guns 'n' Roses lovechild, which I wish they wouldn't be because Waking the Fallen was incredible and City of Evil just kinda sucks.

I don't think it's so much a revival but more of a popularity thing, loads of these bands that are coming into the public eye now have been around since the 90's, it's probably due to the "emo" punk thing that's been happening lately, wussy bands with a crappy screamer, maybe people like this and are starting to find better stuff, which I guess would be metalcore or hardcore, and from there they get into actual metal.

But that's just a theory.

syzygy

Anyone else noticing the recent influx of "new" power metal bands coming out lately? Not stuff like Korn and such, but Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet for My Valentine, etc? Is the old metal style coming back? Just a fad?

What do you think?

I think its just a fad. metal these days sounds all the same wich is a real shame.

Bullet for my Valentine and Avenged Sevenfold should be "POWER METAL"?? Bands like Hammerfall and Blind Guardian are Power Metal, but those two Bands are only Metal.

I like both of them and I hate Power Metal, so i think its an insult for those two Bands!

Yeah, I don't think I'd call A7X or Bullet powermetal. I don't what I would call them, but powermetal certainly is not the genre.

I agree that A7X sounded better while they were still metalcore as opposed to how City of Evil is, but I don't think I'd go as far as to say City of Evil 'sucks'. More just different I think. Too many people grew attached to metalcore Avenged, and when they changed to reach a wider audience, most people just weren't ready for the shift. I think it is just a phase though, and have hopes that Shadows will use a deeper voice next time around. If just for the fact that his voice during the 'Walk' cover released recently is infinitely better than City of Evil.

I do hope that the guitar work keeps improving. City of Evil's guitar solo's helped the CD a ton in my book anyway.

StreetSoldier

Take Atreyu's latest album, it may suck but it seems to be a lot more metal then metalcore.

I kinda liked it haha.

BFMV and A7x aren't power metal. At all. Neoclassical hard rock with metal leanings maybe, but definitely not power metal. As to whether power metal is being revived, I think it's the fact that a few bands have gotten major recognition, and now everyone's trying to jump on the bandwagon, so to speak. I'm not bashing them at all, because it does take talent to play at that speed, but it does get repetitive after awhile.

You guys should check out Aghora. Odd time signatures and hard and mellow moments. Quite nice to listen to. Or if you like speed try Necrophagist. I like them. Just about everyone else sounds the exact same though which is sad because it is a good genre of music and use to thrive on originality.