Many discussions on 'the best power metal band' often involve a few artists who haven't recorded more than an album or two. Some of these artists, I find, are not particularly interesting, although there are a few gems here and there. An example would be Conception, who are regarded as a forerunner of European power metal and progressive metal, but have recorded just four albums- their singer recorded seven with Kamelot. Likewise Crimson Glory, a highly influential band, who have recorded just four albums. There seems more variety and depth in a band that's recorded a lot, although the scope for some filler also exists each time. A whole lot of European power metal bands, founded in the 1990s, don't have too many recordings.

Which much-recorded bands do you recommend of each (USPM/EUPM) style? I've got a strong preference for those bands which don't have high-pitched vocals (Iced Earth, Falconer, Sabaton, Tarot, Iron Savior), as also bands that enjoy stuffing in long songs in albums (Manilla Road, Rhapsody, Stratovarius, Angra, the original Fates Warning to name a few), bands with the classic rock/80s pop influence (Tarot) and sometimes show progressive tendencies (Helstar, the original Fates Warning). Throw in the option of a Geoff Tate clone and it gets interesting. One of my favourite metal albums of any style is The Spectre Within by the original Fates Warning. One artist I know little to nothing about is Riot from the US, who have recorded for over 30 years.

Try out Grave Digger and Running Wild, you will dig both I think because they tick a lot of the elements you listed in your post.

Riot are amazing, and one of my all time favorites. I recommend them strongly.

I also recommend Metal Church and Vicious Rumors.

From the European bands, i would recomend Running Wild, Grave Digger, Rage and especially Pretty Maids(although i don't know if you guys consider those bands "power metal").

Iron Savior, Primal Fear.........Sinner at times.

Wargod

17 studio albums. German, but not your generic European power metal.

I'd say Black in Mind is my favourite album, but they are incredibly consistent. Perfect Man, Trapped!, XIII, Soundchaser and Strings to a Web are all fantastic, too. I don't even have all their CDs, but I like all of the 11 I do own.

I don't know about that, most power metal bands have a wealth of material. In fact I think that's part of the reason power metal was placed on the heavy metal shitlist - hundreds of bands putting out an album every year or 2, all of them somewhat derivative of the one before it.

The titans of power metal have a wealth of material. Stratovarius, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Edguy, Running Wild, Grave Digger, Manowar, Iced Earth, Kamelot all have 8+ studio albums.

Your thoughts on Paragon? Speed metal, thrash metal or a German band playing American power metal? Manowar influences are clear, as also German seniors of the speed metal scene. The vocals are the most interesting aspect of the band. They started off as a noisy, forceful thrashy band, but from Dark Legacy, their music got some serious hooks that last long. Nine albums so far.

I'm not sure they would fit under the power metal umbrella, but U.D.O. has recorded a ton of material over the years.

Gotta love Alex and his mini essay replies

I'm familiar with Metal Church. I don't like the Wayne-era albums much, as they're too much like death metal, with that vocal style, songwriting and lyrics. The Mike Howe albums (maybe not so much Human Factor) I like a lot- it's a pity Mike Howe hasn't recorded much, as I prefer this Heretic to the one they called Reverend. Two long songs an album, more melody without losing intensity, and it's good together. The Ronny Munroe albums are not so popular, but I like them too, especially Weight Of The World. I'd love a band that kept recording albums like Weight Of The World and Blessing In Disguise.

Likewise Savatage. I can't get used to the first two albums, often cited as the first death metal albums ever, but from Power Of The Night, it's more fun. They were one of the first bands to use orchestral backing in their music, before the outlandish European bands of later decades. Then the voice- the second voice, that is. Zak Stevens sounds more like a typical grunge vocalist than a heavy metal screecher, but that's what I like about it.

I haven't heard much of Vicious Rumors, and while I've heard some Riot songs, they have a really long catalog that will take a long time to sample. I've tried Helstar earlier, and though I found them too extreme (largely due to Rivera's screeching), I liked A Distant Thunder a lot. Iced Earth is another band that has lasted a long time, and I like both the Barlow and Owens run in the band- not so much Greely and Gene Adam.

Manowar is easy to get into, but gets annoying after a while. Sometimes, within the same album.

An ideal USPM band, for me, would have a decently long album, at least three really long songs (over seven minutes), progressive rock influences, a classic metal sound (not the edgy, creepy one of today with odd guitar tuning and excessive distortion) and singers who sing, not screech. Keyboards (used to make good music, not a creepy symphonic atmosphere) as also a second vocalist are a bonus. Ideal albums are Blessing In Disguise (Metal Church), Burnt Offerings (Iced Earth), Edge Of Thorns (Savatage), Gates Of Fire (Manilla Road- that's a little too extreme, but had to name one- actually any Manilla Road album since their reunion) and Into Glory Ride (Manowar).

Me too.

I think I remember a concert review where Trans-Siberian Orchestra was called death metal.

Maybe try Virgin Steele.Esp from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell till now