The Baron's Metal Primer, Part 1

As a final follow-up to last week's discussion of metal (and as requested by several readers), here's a brief primer on some assorted metal forms and some recommendations for those who are interested...

Note: Finding high quality, clean, heavy metal is a lot like finding high quality, clean movies--you just have to look carefully, be disciplined, and do your homework. Most bands have websites (which I've attempted to link to) with lyrics and sound samples (so you don't have to depend on file-sharing to listen to an obscure metal band from Finland...) so the resources are all there.

First, the 'safe' categories--metal genres that are 'LDS Standard' by default, where you can pick just about any album at random without running into anything inappropriate.

Power metal: Almost entirely based in Europe, power metal is characterized by fast, uptempo songs with high 'soprano' level vocals (even from the men...) and fantasy-themed lyrics (swords and sorcery type--at least three power metal bands have done entire albums based on "Lord of the Rings" themes)
My favorites:
Sonata Arctica (Finland)
Labyrinth (Italy)
Edenbridge (Germany)

Others to check out:
Gamma Ray
Edguy
Helloween
Rhapsody
Stratovarius
Lost Horizon

Modern Progressive Rock: A combination of early 70's/80's progressive rock with modern metal guitar and drum stylings. Characterized by long, complicated song structures (10-15 minute songs are common) with many tempo changes and frequent musical 'tangents'. More emphasis on the technical skill of the players (in other words, they show off more...)
Recommendations:
Dream Theater (US, look for 1992's "Images and Words" and 1994's "Awake" in particular)
Fates Warning (US)
Balance of Power (UK)
Magnitude 9 (US)
Gordian Knot (US)
Symphony X (...can't remember)

Gothic Metal: Not to be confused with 'gothic rock' like The Cure, 'gothic metal' has a much slower tempo, with more emphasis on atmosphere and mood than pure aggression. Gothic bands almost always have female vocalists, and usually a male vocalist also, for alternating vocal styles. Vocal melodies are brutally simple with long sustained notes and no fancy voice techniques...

My favorites:
Lacuna Coil (Italy)
Lacuna Coil (Italy)
Lacuna Coil (Italy)
(Lacuna Coil is the band that Evanescence is trying to be...)

Others:
The Gathering (Neth.)
Theatre of Tragedy (Norway, pre-2000...look for 1998's "Aegis")
Within Temptation (Germany)
Tristania (Norway)
Sirenia (Norway)

More later...