The 15 Best Power Metal Singers of All Time
The best power metal singers are an interesting topic because there are a lot of great vocalists to choose from. It could be argued that this is a metal subgenre where singers reign supreme. Almost every single power metal band has a phenomenal singer, although there are some who stand out from the rest of the competition.
Some of the best power metal singers not only have amazing vocal ranges and great vocal melodies but also a lot of achievements. Some of the people featured here are downright legends of the metal genre. Many of them have been singing for decades and their legacies are absolute.
In that regard, this is a list of the best power metal singers, their achievements, their best albums, the best bands they were in, and a lot more.
The Top 15 Power Metal Singers
It’s also worth pointing out, as usual, that this list is merely subjective. There is a very good chance that there are some amazing power metal singers missing on this list and that is perfectly understandable. This list is just meant to be a fun exercise about the best power metal has to offer and why.
If people have more names that should have been on this, feel free to drop a comment and mention them.
Who are the top 15 Best Power Metal singers of all time?
- Russell Allen
- Michael Kiske
- Hansi Kursch
- Kai Hansen
- Andi Deris
- Jorn Lande
- Fabio Lione
- Andre Matos
- Timo Kotipelto
- Matt Barlow
- Roy Khan
- Tarja Turunen
- Ralf Scheepers
- Nils Patrik Johansson
- Tommy Johanson
Russell Allen
Russell Allen is simply one of the best power metal singers, as simple as that. The Californian has a vocal range that allows him to go from a heavy and aggressive style to a melodic and soft one. He is mostly recognized for his work in Symphony X although he has also participated in other projects such as Adrenaline Mob, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, or Allen-Lande.
The beautiful thing about Russell‘s singing is how versatile he can be, which is a major selling point of his. There is also the fact he has managed to sing in many different rock and metal subgenres, proving his quality yet again. He is a one-off when it comes to singers, whether it’s on metal or any other genre.
Michael Kiske
Helloween is one of the most influential bands in power metal and even European heavy metal in general. In that regard, Michael Kiske follows the line of his band and is possibly the most influential and representative singer of power metal. His high-pitched but at the same time melodic voice has marked the subgenre in a unique way. It is for all this that he is one of the best power metal singers.
The interesting thing about Kiske is that he was part of the Helloween lineup that made the two legendary “Keeper of the Seven Keys” albums and then left in the mid-90s. He had a lot of issues with the band and decided to try a solo career as a pop artist. Kiske returned to metal through Tobias Sammet’s Avantasia project and eventually reunited with Helloween.
Hansi Kursch
Even though he looks like Bob, the guy who works at Accounting, Hansi is without a doubt one of the best power metal singers of all time.
His career has focused mostly on Blind Guardian although he has had appearances in many other projects such as Therion, Avantasia, Demons & Wizards, or Van Canto. The German has a powerful and imposing vocal style that has become both iconic and memorable in the metal genre. It is impossible to imagine Blind Guardian without his voice.
Kai Hansen
There is no denying that Kai Hansen is one of the most important and influential people in the history of power metal. Only by the fact that he is the founder of both Helloween and Gamma Ray do we have an idea of the impact he has had on this subgenre. His voice has had an evolution from his beginnings with a stronger and raspier voice to a more melodic one.
The most impressive thing about Kai‘s singing, especially in the 90s when he reached his peak, was that he did while playing guitar. And Kai is an excellent guitarist, which means he has to play complicated stuff. So that means he had to juggle two huge responsibilities while performing. That says a lot about the man and his abilities as a musician.
Also read about: 14 guitarists who impressed everybody
Andi Deris
The singer from Karlsruhe has a voice with a very wide range in his baritone style. Despite having started in the 70s, he gained much notoriety in the 90s when he joined Helloween, where he has remained to this day.
Deris might not be a very traditional power metal because he has a much raspier tone. However, he also has a nice touch for melodies and a lot of charisma in his vocal deliveries. He is a very unique singer and adds something different to Helloween‘s sound.
Jorn Lande
Lande is clearly one of the best power metal singers with his vocals very much in the style of Dio, of which he is a big fan. Unlike many of the other singers on this list, Lande hasn’t focused on just one band. Rather, he has worked on a large number of projects, with Jorn being the solo project of his that he has focused on in recent times.
Related: The 17 Best Canadian Heavy Metal Bands of All Time
Fabio Lione
Focusing purely on his voice, Fabio Lione’s is simply one of the best. The Italian’s operatic style allows him to stand out among the instrumentality of his bands. He is best known for his two decades in Rhapsody of Fire and currently as the singer of Angra, two of the most important power metal bands in recent years.
Fabio is one of those singers who could have thrived in any genre. There is an argument to be made that he could have been an opera singer. That goes to show how talented he is and how much he has achieved. When you can fill in the shoes of Andre Matos and Edu Falaschi in Angra, you know you’re good. And speaking of Matos…
Andre Matos
The only singer who does not come from Europe or the United States on the list of best power metal singers. This is not by mistake as Matos was a great vocal talent. He dedicated the last part of his career to his solo project. However, he was an important player in several notorious bands such as Angra, Viper, and Shaman. Matos died in 2019 due to a heart attack.
He may have passed away but his amazing albums and vocal performances live on. Gone way too soon but he has never been forgotten.
Timo Kotipelto
The Finnish is well known for being the singer of one of the most important power metal bands in the last couple of decades, Stratovarius. Kotipelto can be considered a typical power metal singer although with striking vocal ability. Some compare Kotipelto to Michael Kiske.
He has also been a very consistent vocal presence for Stratovarius, which is something the band has needed. Kotipelto is a very reliable singer and a very charismatic one at that.
Also read about: The Top 12 Best Heavy Metal Keyboardists of All Time
Matt Barlow
Barlow could easily be a thrash or death metal singer due to the great power of his voice. However, he also has a very large range that allows him to reach impressive highs. His main band has been Iced Earth although he has been in Ashes of Ares for a decade.
As surprising as it may sound, Barlow is the only one on the list of best power metal singers who works as a police officer. This was a direct result of the 9/11 tragedy, where he changed his perspective on life and decided to contribute in another way to society.
Roy Khan
Khan has been a fundamental singer in the growth of power metal during the 90s and 2000s. This was mostly due to his fruitful time with Kamelot. His usual melodic and even almost romantic style hides a voice that can have quite low registers as well as powerful highs. For personal reasons, he stepped away from music for a few years but has since returned and is working with the band Conception.
There is no denying that Khan has a very unique voice and approach to power metal. While he can definitely sing more traditional stuff, he does go into that route. He is a lot more soulful with his singing, which fit with Kamelot‘s music quite well.
Tarja Turunen
She is the only woman on the list of best power metal singers and really, she couldn’t be missing. Her beginnings in classical music are notorious and, along with her natural talent, she has produced some of the best vocal performances in the genre.
Tarja‘s career in power metal was mostly with Nightwish, greatly marking the band’s style. It is enough to see the live version of “Phantom of the Opera” at the “End of an Era” concert to understand the vocal capacity of the Finnish singer.
Also read about: the 22 best female metal singers
Ralf Scheepers
The Primal Fear singer has a wonderful voice that has a strength that impacts the listener from the beginning. At the same time, his vocal range is quite wide and was even considered to replace Rob Halford in Judas Priest. In addition to Primal Fear, Scheepers was also part of Gamma Ray in the late 80s and early 90s.
Another element that needs to be taken into account regarding Scheepers is how consistent he has been. Most of the Primal Fear catalog is very solid and consistent, mostly thanks to him. His singing has aged gracefully and suggests a great degree of discipline. That only adds to his legacy as one of the best power metal singers of all time.
Nils Patrik Johansson
He is possibly one of the least-known singers on this list. However, he has the right to be considered one of the best power metal singers. It’s actually a shame that more people are not aware of Johansson‘s work over the years. He is often compared to the legend, Ronnie James Dio, although is also fair to say that Nils has developed his own style.
Johansson has an aggressive voice with a very particular and characteristic tone. It’s easy to identify when Nils is the one singing a song. Some of his most prominent works include Astral Doors, Civil War, Lion’s Share, and Wuthering Heights. He is the kind of singer who can elevate a project and some of the albums he has done are quite underrated.
This is probably the most underrated singer on this list. But he has a lot of qualities and deserves a lot more recognition.
Tommy Johansson
It’s fair to say Tommy is the youngest on the list of best power metal singers and his case is quite interesting. Despite being a tenor and having a voice for power metal, as he has demonstrated on many occasions with his band, Majestica (formerly known as ReinXeed), his career took a major turn.
With Sabaton he is a guitarist although he sometimes supports the singing department for Joakim. The combination of his melodic vocals with Joakim’s harsher tone is something that is quite appealing.
It’s true that Tommy perhaps doesn’t compare to the other best power metal singers on this list. However, when it comes to vocal range and simple melodies, he is up there with the best.
