As the world becomes an ever darker place, the kind of fantastical, otherworldly escape power metal provides becomes ever more important. And friends, we had high hopes for both power metal and power metal-related activity here at Nine Circles in 2023.

Comrades Voss and Kaplan had hoped to debut a new, power-metal-centric extension of The Nine Circles Audio Thing this year, but life — as it tends to do these days — got in the way. Fortunately, the actual power metal music delivered a shit-ton more than we did. The genre gave us dozens of terrific releases throughout the year, and from all across the globe: the U.S., Italy, Japan, you name it.

Narrowing the list down to just nine entries (because #brand) became quite a challenge, but we think we’ve done so here. By way of an apology for the lack of a podcast you didn’t even know you were missing until literally a paragraph ago, Chris and Dan present to you: Nine Circles ov Power Metal in 2023!

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For me there was one power metal album that ruled over all…and no surprise if you recall the Power Metal column I took over for a while, but there’s no stopping Lovebites. 2023 was a busy year for the band, not only releasing the massive Judgement Day studio full length, but two mammoth live albums as well (the second comes out 12/20). From opener “We Are the Resurrection” to the closing moments of “Soldier Stands Solitary” the band is utterly ruthless in their execution: frenetic riffs that run at freight train speed, and dual solos that hit the heavens. Seriously: watch the video and see how devastating both Midori and Miyako are – their names should be all over guitar polls. Vocally Asami has grown with each album, her melodies getting stronger and living intertwined with the instruments that only spell a stronger future for an already incredible band. (Chris)

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Let’s kick off my portion with Twilight Force, and a significant mea culpa: over the last several months, I spent entirely too much time trying to come to terms with Alessandro Conti’s (sorry… “Allyon’s”) vocals on At the Heart of Wintervale. (To be fair, they are a lot… even if you traffic in power metal as much as we do.) In doing so, I all but missed the album’s bigger picture: that it’s one of the best-put-together metal albums I heard all year. Guitarist Lynd and keyboardist Blackwald put on an absolute masterclass behind the desk, with nimble, colorful arrangements — joint guitar/keyboard solos! choir parts! — that bring the band’s fantastical compositions to life. Even in a genre known for going “over the top”, Wintervale feels like a standout. (Dan)

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We need to stay in Japan just a little bit longer. It took a while for me to come around to the more bombastic elements found within Galneryus, but the slightly more aggressive edge on Between Dread and Valor sealed the deal for me. On tracks like “Run To The Edge” there are small progressive components that – mixed with their particular blend of neoclassical power metal and pop melodies – make for a potent combination of elements. I get the barrier to entry based on the more pop elements, but just as folk elements and specific scales and melodies are touchstones of other regions and genres, so is this for much of Japanese experience (at least in my admittedly limited view): embrace it, and don’t miss out on some truly fun and spectacular music. (Chris)

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When I reviewed Towers of Gold earlier this year, I said it was “some of the absolute best power metal you’ll hear this year” but stopped short of calling it a better album than Sacred Outcry‘s previous effort, Damned for All Time. Friends, a few months later, I’d like to update my stance. Album No. 2 for Apalodimas & Co. has only gotten better since its release, and as good as its predecessor remains, Towers of Gold absolutely runs circles around it. The range of sonic touchpoints from within the genre remains marvelous, and new vocalist Daniel Heiman’s performance remains — surprise! — an absolute tour de force. I’ve even come around a bit on the album’s penultimate track, which still feels a tad clunky, but isn’t anywhere near as off-putting as on earlier listens. In short, this thing’s even more of a damn marvel than it was on release. Put it in your ears, stat. (Dan)

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Finnish power metal unit Silver Bullet had a lot to live up to with album #3. With new vocalist Bruno Proveschi in tow, Shadowfall seeks to carve a niche in the symphonic metal space occupied by their brethren Stratovarius. This is straight up traditional power metal, sprinkled with small touches to bring small touches of the unexpected. Proveschi has a solid voice that carries more than enough octaves to fulfill his duties, and the band utilizes a crystal clear production so you can hear every nuance of every instrument. The orchestral flourishes aren’t overblown; the subtle shadings on a track like “Creatures Of The Night” work really well, as do the accents on a more raging track like “Soul Reaver.” If there’s a classic track to be had, it’s the closer “The Thirteen Nails” which exemplifies some of the best of what Silver Bullet bring to the genre. (Chris)

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Up to this point, it’s been relatively easy to predict what you’re gonna get from Milan’s Frozen Crown. Throw on any of their previous three albums, and you’d hear 45-50 minutes of speedy, Scandinavian-styled power metal with occasional flourishes of melodeath — all of it, it should be noted, pretty good! But this year’s Call of the North ups the ante considerably, with a tremendous, spotlight performance from vocalist Giada Etro and more adventurous and dynamic song structures throughout. “Fire in the Sky” and the title track introduce striking mid-song feel changes during their choruses, and the rhythmic risks the band takes on “In a Moment” feel almost prog, which is pretty unheard of for the six-piece. But don’t worry, there’s still plenty here to scratch the “classic Frozen Crown” itch as well. All told, Call of the North is a freaking terrific record, and with any luck, an exciting indicator of what’s to come from the band. (Dan)

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After his incredible Legend of Valley Doom trilogy, I was ready for whatever Marius Danielsen wanted to do next. War of the World is a slightly stripped down version in terms of guests, but musically it still has the muscle and scope of Danielsen’s previous works. The lead work from Jimmy Hedlund is super solid, and while Danielsen himself doesn’t have the strongest voice, he comes off well on his lead tracks. Luckily there are still a few guests making appearances on War of the World, with Tim “Ripper” Owens coming back for the menacing “A Saint Or A Sinner” and Atli Guðlaugsson from Power Paladin on “Servant Of The Secret Fire” showing how it’s done in fine fashion. Overall War of the World feels like a warm pair of socks, something you put on to feel good and comfortable in. I’ll take it while Danielsen works on whatever the next big thing is. (Chris)

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There have been better power metal albums in 2023, but few were as thoroughly committed to the bit as Marco Garau’s Magic Opera was on Battle of Ice. On it, the Milan-based sextet serves up more than an hour of exquisitely orchestrated, neoclassical power metal. These songs twist, turn and take you deep into a fantasy world, where Garau trades virtuoso licks with lead guitarist Luca Sellitto and vocalist Anton Darusso does a somehow-even-higher-pitched impression of Russell Allen. (I’ll be honest: not totally nuts about the latter!) But, the music. It sounds like fully-orchestrated soundtrack outtakes from ’90s fantasy RPGs. It sounds like the cover looks, which is to say: it sounds absolutely bonkers and wonderful. There is a story here — something about a wizard named Sir Dorhan? — but let’s be honest: the reason the album’s here on this list is the music. It’s pretty wild. (Dan)

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Italy isn’t really an outlier when it comes to power metal: just look at at every single incarnation of Rhapsody (of Fire) and Frozen Crown which is already on this list. But it still feels rare, so even thought Elvenking has been around for over 20 years it’s still a pleasant surprise to find Reader Of The Runes – Rapture, the sequel to 2019’s Reader of the Runes – Divination on the list this year. Things start off nice and heavy with the 1-2 punch of “Rapture” and “The Hanging Tree” and the first thing you’ll notice (besides the heavy attack of the guitars) are the hooks. They are large and primed for maximum penetration. Percussion is also a big highlight – the drumming from Symohn is nicely up front in the mix, making everything bigger by focusing on the rhythmic aspects of the songs. I love the intro to “The Cursed Cavalier” and the more I’m exposed to the vocals chops of Damnagoras the more I think I need to dig deeper into the catalog of this band. Plus that artwork…amirite? (Chris)

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That’ll do it for us, and for power metal in 2023! Thanks for reading, and make sure to sound off in the comments if you didn’t see your favorite power metal album here. (Or don’t that’s fine, too.) Either way, enjoy the rest of 2023 and keep hold of the flame in 2024 and beyond.