Looking to expand my power metal horizons. Where to start with Angra and Edguy? Also just any general power metal recommendations would be great. Thanks in advance!

Here is a list of the bands I'm currently into:

Avantasia
Blind Guardian
Dimhav
Grave Digger
Kamelot
Lost Horizon
Nightwish
Persuader
Pyramaze
Rhapsody/Of Fire/etc
Sabaton
Sonata Arctica
Stratovarius
Symphony X
Vision Divine

Listening to Riot - Privilege of Power for the first time; this is some great shit man. Speed and gusto but a lot of attitude and charisma as well. What a great band overall. "Killer" just came on. Very cool, stylish Deep Purple kinda shit. Great.

Wait, you've never heard that one? It's got all the best bits of Thundersteel, but with stronger songwriting and a horn section.

I really think more bands need to make use of horns and saxophones and things like that.

Angra, first two most definitely, that's the really original, unique and special stuff. Then I guess Temple of Shadows, which is a great power metal album but not as special and unique. Same for Rebirth.

Edguy, Vain Glory Opera and Theater of Salvation but I think I am in the minority here, I think most people would prefer Hellfire Club and Mandrake? Or not.

I am assuming Helloween/Gamma Ray, Rage and Running Wild are a given. Those, along with BG, are the essential bands from Germany. I am also guessing you are familiar with Hammerfall (first two if not).

Other bands to check, Brainstorm (Ambiguity, Metus Mortis and Soul Temptation), Scanner (Hypertrace, Terminal Earth and Ball of the Damned. And Mental Reservation), Heavens Gate (Livin' in Hysteria, Planet E), Angel Dust, Crows, Artch, Morgana Lefay, Tad Morose.

Finally, I focused on the european side of things. There are a ton of amazing American bands (Crimson Glory, Savatage, Queensryche, Vicious Rumors, Leatherwolf, Oliver Magnum, Lethal, Sanctuary, Liege Lord, Helstar, +++).

With Edguy, I'd go with the run from Vain Glory Opera to Rocket Ride, inclusive. Best run from that band, for me.

As for other suggestions, well, my first thoughts would be Gamma Ray (from Land of the Free to Majestic especially), Orden Ogan (To The End is their best), HammerFall (mainly the first two) and Powerwolf (they're a lot of fun).

I'll look into all of these thank you both!

Looking for stuff with complicated/unusual proggy song structures akin to Mercyful Fate. That’s really my only qualification.

Looking for stuff with complicated/unusual proggy song structures akin to Mercyful Fate. That’s really my only qualification.

This Fer De Lance full length is really something. Someone said to me "It sounds like so-called viking metal with clean vocals." Interesting stuff!

Looking for heavy metal that’s influenced by extreme metal. I listened to the new Morgul Blade album and I really loved it, and I really like Molten Chains and the later Satan’s Host stuff as well. Anything in this style would be greatly appreciated!

Looking for heavy metal that’s influenced by extreme metal. I listened to the new Morgul Blade album and I really loved it, and I really like Molten Chains and the later Satan’s Host stuff as well. Anything in this style would be greatly appreciated!

What would be the most essential Jørn Lande albums to check out? His Avantasia and Ayreon performances are fucking incredible so I want to check him out, but his discography is vast. I've heard the first Masterplan album and the Dracula - Swing of Death one that he did with Trond Hotter (both killer), what should I check out next?

2) Portuguese epic metal, I think stuff like Manila Road/Cirith Ungol/Adramelch/Dark Quarterer...I remember them being formed back in the '80s, but a search of epic/heavy/power metal bands from Portugal formed before 1990 doesn't appear to come up with anything...Maybe I'm having some fake memories here...

1) death or maybe black/power (or some type of "extreme" or "dark" ) metal band that was really praised here at the time (cca 2010 or so), I know they had one album in the early 2000s that had a cover dominated by the color purple, might have even been their debut, not sure, though...The band's not COB, Kalmah or Norther.

1) death or maybe black/power (or some type of "extreme" or "dark" ) metal band that was really praised here at the time (cca 2010 or so), I know they had one album in the early 2000s that had a cover dominated by the color purple, might have even been their debut, not sure, though...The band's not COB, Kalmah or Norther.

I like Eternal Champion and Rhapsody(when they were Rhapsody). What other bands might I like?

In the style of Eternal Champion:

Solstice (UK)
Atlantean Kodex
Manilla Road
Omen
Brocas Helm
Slough Feg