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Compare

Two genres, side by side. The ratings are editorial judgements on a ten-point scale, not measurements. Where they come out level, the difference is in the prose underneath them.

First genre

Pirate metal2006

Second genre

Power metal1984

Head to headPirate metal vs Power metal
Pirate metal: heaviness 6, melody 10, speed 7. Power metal: heaviness 6, melody 10, speed 8.Heaviness6 / 6Melody10 / 10Speed7 / 8
Each corner is a ten-point rating. The further out, the higher.

The difference, by ear

The riffing, the production and the choruses are power metal's. Running Wild were a power metal band who chose a subject and kept it.

Power metal is sung cleanly where pirate metal is part sung, part screamed, at much the same pace, around 150 to 200 bpm. To hear the difference, play Alestorm next to Helloween. They share a root in heavy metal, and power metal came first, by 22 years.

Put together from each genre's vocals, tempo, song length, key acts and place in the tree.

In figures

Heaviness
Pirate metal6
Power metal6
level
Speed
Pirate metal7
Power metal8
+1
Melody
Pirate metal10
Power metal10
level

Pirate metal

2006 · Scotland

Where it sits

Heavy metal › Folk metal › Pirate metal

In short

Power metal with accordion and lyrics about rum. A small genre, entirely shameless and very effective live.

How it sounds

  • Accordion, fiddle and hurdy-gurdy-style keyboards over fast power metal.
  • Choruses written as sea shanties, built for singing in unison.
  • Lyrics exclusively about pirates, rum and naval battles - without exception.

Key acts

  • Alestorm
  • Running Wild
  • Swashbuckle

Start here

The pickAlestorm - Captain Morgan's Revenge. Exactly what the title promises.

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Power metal

1984 · Germany · 2 subgenres

Where it sits

Heavy metal › Power metal

In short

Galloping tempos, choral hooks and lyrics about dragons and battles. Optimistic by definition.

How it sounds

  • Sustained galloping tempos with nearly continuous double kick.
  • Choruses harmonised across many voices, choir style.
  • Keyboards, neoclassical solos and lyrics about battles, dragons and hope.

Key acts

  • Helloween
  • Blind Guardian
  • Gamma Ray
  • DragonForce

Start here

The pickHelloween - Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II. The closing track runs thirteen minutes and deserves them.

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