Categorized by highly melodic styles, ups and downs, fast tempos and minor, major scale structures Power Metal came to be in Europe in the 1980's. Their guitar riffs include sudden changes in distortion, disonant solos, and hard drumming with a clean high pitched voice. Major artists came from Central Europe. The Major Bands are:

Helloween

Gamma Ray

Hammerfall

Iron Maiden

Judas Priest