I've been into power metal for a while, and of all the bands/albums I've loved, I've noticed that there's a special charm in the super cheesy albums released in the late 90s/early 2000s. The more cheese the better. Think Rhapsody, Silent Force, Lost Horizon, Holy Knights etc. After years of searching and enjoying this crap, I'm afraid I've exhausted the supply of such albums and bands. I'm hoping that isn't the case and that my fellow power metal warriors here can help me out. Please drop any bands/albums that fit the criteria. Thanks a lot!

Dark Moor is an absolutely mandatory band:



Some of Domine's stuff is extremely solid, absolutely awash with power metal clichés but they also riff quite hard surprisingly:



Freedom Call is a band I'd assume you'd be familiar with, but you didn't list them so just in case, here is some highly pungent cheese:

I have heard and love Dark Moor, and Freedom Call is good too. I'll check out Domine though, I'm liking what I'm seeing in their artwork and themes.

Stratovarius - Visions is one of the catchiest albums from this era. The songwriting is just top notch. Absolutely no shame in listening to this masterpiece, even if you otherwise find listening to Euro power metal a "guilty" pleasure.

This has long since been a favorite album of mine from this genre. By far Strato's best album for me.

Good, good. I would also add Magic Kingdom from Belgium, solid, virtuosic Europower.

I checked out Magic Kingdom, and it was alright, but that vocalist has absolutely no charm to me. It's sad too because otherwise the imagery and atmosphere of that band is exactly what I was going for.

Forgotten Tales, a Canadian band:

https://youtu.be/8vQDloF-36o

I was just checking out Forgotten Tales as well as Italy's Ancient Bards. Forgotten Tales is a damn good band!

Yeah, they are They're sort of on hold ATM, but you can hear Sonia doing covers of PM classics: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2DJ9Q ... HmuRel57UA

Some of my favourites are Gothic Knights (particularly Kingdom of the Knights), and Metalium's first two albums.

I'll check this out. She has quite a voice for power metal. Have you heard Seven Kingdoms and/or Ancient Bards? They're very similar.

As for the other bands dropped here like Gothic Knights and Metalium, they'll be next on my listening list.

Yup, I agree they're musically quite similar, but Sonia's probably the best singer out of the three but the least known, it seems.

Have you heard Vandroya? They're another power metal group with a super strong vocalist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7s_je9mh-A

Heard some of their older stuff back then; apparently they're still around? That's cool They have more of a proggish take on things, though Not that cheesy at all IMO

I second Metalium's first two albums, especially the second.

Also, Highlord.



There's also Pandaemonium. One look at that album cover and I would assume it's cheesy enough.



Power Quest also should score well on the cheese scale. The singer was also in Artemis, so check them out, too.




Steel Attack might also be a good pick. They are suitably clicche but still awesome.



And I'm going to assume you've already heard Wizard, but if not, you should.

Thanks for all these recommendations, Henry Krinkle. I've been a longtime fan of a few of those, Power Quest most of all. I didn't know their singer had other bands.

Steel Attack is cool too, with their album Predator of the Empire being my favorite. The chorus to "The Darkness" is top notch. Thematically, they're exactly the kind of band I was going for when I made this thread.

I wish I could like Pandaemonium, but that singer is just too much. Wizard is always sick and Highlord is alright too.

In the vein of Wizard and Metalium, Majesty/Metalforce are worth checking out if you haven't. Run of the mill heavy/power metal but time to time it really hits the spot.

When it comes to Euro-power metal of the early 2000s, Timeless Miracle are the absolute apex. The very tippy-top. Nothing else from that era has ever come close.

She should be shot on sight for raping Victim of Fate. This song was, and always shall be Kai's legacy. No one else should touch that song.

Dude, you gotta calm down. You're coming off as cringey now as those anti-Hietala dudes.

I haven't seen White Skull mentioned yet. Their album "Tales From the North" is quite good, although the vocals may be an acquired taste.