48. Stratovarius - "Survive"

There is extraordinarily little power metal on this list. Given that I probably love power metal more than I love death or black, it has been woefully underserved within this countdown. For the uneducated, power metal is the most Marmite of metal’s many many subgenres. Those in the more serious or extreme territories (such as black and death) look down their noses at both its bombastic nature and its cheerful disposition. Those who like their riffs jagged and crunchy, point and snigger at what they see to be its lightweight and cheesy connotations. 

However, there are those who adore its idiosyncratic flourishes and simply live for the choruses that you could land the entire Air Force on. I am one of those and I unashamedly love power metal. I unashamedly love its pomposity. I unashamedly love its grandiose nature and I unashamedly love its fantastical obsessions. Stratovarius are a veritable institution in the power metal world. They have been in existence in some form or another since 1984 and this is album number sixteen. 

It is a glorious celebration of all that is wonderful about power metal. It revels in its own pretension and pageantry. Everything is dialled up to the maximum and there is no subtlety to be found and nor do we want any. This is just beautifully crafted grandiose showboating metal. Catchy choruses, soaring keyboards and enough widdly widdly solos to fill the Albert Hall. They are bringing nothing new to the party here but frankly, they don’t need to as it is simply a sumptuous and indulgent record.