Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1 cover

Keeper of the Seven Keys, Pt. 1

Released

You can point the blame at Maiden or Malmsteen or Manowar all you want, but power metal truly started with these pumpkinheads. The doubletime drumming, the neoclassical guitars, the falsetto vocals, the obtuse conceptual storyline — it’s all there. Not much in the way of muscle, but plenty of dexterity as these German gymnasts perform complicated routines through speedy symphonies like “Future World” and “Halloween.” Thankfully, they don’t leave the hooks behind on the launching pad.

Jeff Treppel

Recommended by

Suggestions
Burn My Eyes cover

Burn My Eyes

Machine Head
Whoracle cover

Whoracle

In Flames
Under the Sign of the Black Mark cover

Under the Sign of the Black Mark

Bathory
Ride the Lightning cover

Ride the Lightning

Metallica
Black Metal cover

Black Metal

Venom
Reckoning Night cover

Reckoning Night

Sonata Arctica
The Art of Partying cover

The Art of Partying

Municipal Waste
Horrorscope cover

Horrorscope

Overkill
Coup d’état cover

Coup d’état

Plasmatics
A Blaze in the Northern Sky cover

A Blaze in the Northern Sky

Darkthrone
Images and Words cover

Images and Words

Dream Theater
Killing Technology cover

Killing Technology

Voivod