The problem with a lot of this music is that people outside of the metal community think that it's negative and trying to portray a bad message because they only inspect it at face value...however, those outside of the metal/punk/goth/industrial community don't even bother or are too stupid or ignorant to just take the time to listen to it all with an open mind...

Progressive metal - Riverside, Vanden Plas, Dream Theater
Suomi/Gothic metal - Charon, Amorphis, Paradise Lost
Folk metal - Ensiferum...

I find alot of folk metal very very uplifting and life-affirming. So much so that I keep a special stash of those cds in my car for whenever I feel like going for a drive just for the hell of it, to listen to good music in the meantime and get the energy levels boosted up again.

Some bands to get ya started...
early Thyrfing (self-titled first album + Valdr Galga + Urkraft), very epic yet breezy and light at the same time, always gets me in a good mood. For some reason I associate their music with spring and summer, basically when the sky and the snow clears up and the sun comes out, get the car going and just drive around listening to this shit with the windows rolled down, nothing can match that uplifting feeling of freedom and refreshment.

Ensiferum as someone already mentioned, though they're more power metal oriented with harsh vocals pretty much, but still give em a try.
The trick is that anything played in major key would give off that life-affirming vibe, it happens in power metal and also many folk metal bands do that as well (incl. Ensiferum). They're looked down upon sometimes by "uber-br00tal folx" for being "too cheerful", but nothing's wrong with that in my book!
Always gets me going when I get outta bed on the wrong foot.

Turisas is another great example. Their Battle Metal is a very easygoing and empowering listen, music-wise AND lyrics-wise, and their Varangian Way is truly magnificent and probably out-epics most epics out there. This latter one is a concept album and would take a bit getting used to, but once all the melodies are in your head it all falls into place and it becomes easy to listen to the whole album from start to finish, as a continuous narrative. Great road trip or driving music btw!

Korpiklaani, whom I can't recommend highly enough. Their latest album Korven Kuningas is imo their best so far, lots of great punchy tunes on it, with a fuller richer production than before.. Give it a spin and you'll find yourself addicted and won't be able to stop, and the cd will be in your player for days. Their previous album Tervaskanto is full of great tunes as well, but the sound is slightly tinier and thinner in comparison, but don't let that deter you. They have great lyrics in their songs too and the booklets include translations and explanations, that's a good reason to buy them honestly rather than download random tracks...

Plenty more where that came from... Heidevolk, Finntroll (esp. Jaktens Tid), Amon fuckin' Amarth! Give Amon Amarth a try if you haven't already, for cryin' out loud, you can win wars and invade all the Czechoslovakias in the world riding on the power of their lyrics alone:D

As an aside, I have noticed recently that listening to Amon Amarth in the car on a long drive has the same effect on me as if I was drinking an energy drink, ie instantly gets me woken up and alert and ready to go. Ever since then I've never needed caffeine.
Good place to start for Amon Amarth: their first album Once Sent from the Golden Hall, also Versus the World, and of course their latest Twilight of the Thundergod, which incidentally some reviewers described to be their most "power metal" release to date. Did they mean to say melodic? I dunno, but it's fuckin' addicting no matter what.

p.s. I see you're located in IL somewhere - ever stopped by Metal Haven in Chicago? They started stocking more folk metal than they did before.
Korpiklaani is btw playing a headlining show in Mokena this May as part of Paganfest 2 tour, highly recommended if you can make it!

Written by worm_is_gloaming on 03.03.2009 at 06:19

As an aside, I have noticed recently that listening to Amon Amarth in the car on a long drive has the same effect on me as if I was drinking an energy drink, ie instantly gets me woken up and alert and ready to go. Ever since then I've never needed caffeine.

I have the same feeling with Death In Fire, and also some songs by Vader (Frozen Paths), Unleashed (Winterland) or Supuration (Vertigo). Just an adrenaline rush, leaving you completely awake and ready.

Anything from Keep Of Kalessin's last two albums is pretty uplifting....well not so much uplifting but more...empowering? I'm sure there's going to be plenty of people who'd argue otherwise.

Agree and of course Keep Of Kalessin has epic element, then thats why they are lean towards more uplifting.

Why has nobody said finntroll? They always make me so happy, lol.

Anyways, some others for me are Symphony X, Ensiferum, Turisas, Equilibrium, Death (Later material)

If not power... Folk is the option
Korpiklaani, Finntroll, Ensiferum, all of them makes me headbang with a HUGE smile xD

In the other hand, another type of uplifting music... I find it on In Flames' Colony or Disarmonia Mundi's Fragments of D-Generation

I'd say Shining just to piss off Kvarforth! Well, seriousely it gives me a better feeling....
From this week's playlist, i can also name: Symphony X, Dream Theater, Dio, KMFDM, W.A.S.P and Blind Guardian (No Power ).

Blasphemy! Metal isn´t supposed to be uplifting!

(Power is sometimes uplifting... and hard rock... f*ck!)

Written by AiwiAstwihad on 03.09.2009 at 01:16

I'd say Shining just to piss off Kvarforth! Well, seriousely it gives me a better feeling....

For me music like that is also uplifting just like all sorts of doom I fidn uimmensely uplifting.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 03.09.2009 at 18:23

Written by AiwiAstwihad on 03.09.2009 at 01:16

I'd say Shining just to piss off Kvarforth! Well, seriousely it gives me a better feeling....

For me music like that is also uplifting just like all sorts of doom I fidn uimmensely uplifting.

I even dare to say that kind of music has helped me pull through some tough times.

Call me strange, but I find Slayer and Venom uplifting... Kind of like I would love to be swinging a sledge hammer, but a fast walk and heartbeat would just have to do.

Equilibrium is my best example

Glittertend =) ......... very uplifting

Mastodon, all the way.

Some Cathedral stuff is definitely as uplifting and "happy" as power metal. Especially songs like "Midnight Mountain", and "Hopkins: Witchfinder General".

"Ooh yeah....feel the groove!"

Municipal Waste always puts me in a good mood
have a see at one of their shirts,
http://www.rockworldeast.com/store/Municipal_Waste_T-Shirt_Barfing
I think it sums up their subject matter pretty nicely

Written by Moldylocks on 05.03.2013 at 17:46

Municipal Waste always puts me in a good mood
have a see at one of their shirts,
http://www.rockworldeast.com/store/Municipal_Waste_T-Shirt_Barfing
I think it sums up their subject matter pretty nicely

In fact I agree with you ! Municipal Waste is Uplifting ! I love them for that
And I have this same shirt Got it from their show in Montreal
I love this band...

Also I'd say some Pantera is pretty uplifting too... and Punk in general too lol

All D-beat stuff...

Fear Factory - depending on the song/album

Lordi has some great ones like I'm The Best (and if your "life affirming" has to do with giving someone a big middle finger, Sincerely With Love is perfect)
Lord of The Lost - Fists Up In The Air
Samael - On Earth (does it for me)
Avatar - Black Waltz (song)

Does this count as uplifting?



Aside from the other In Flames recommendation, some Gojira, and the guy who recommended some metalcore I don't really any serious recommendations for anything heavier than thrash. I guess I'll recommend Gojira's latest album as well as from Mars to Sirius.

Try Amorphis - Skyforger. A solid album and also an uplifting mood

Ever thought of industrial? KMFDM, Ministry, Rammstein are quite uplifting.

Written by Infernal Eternal on 01.09.2015 at 20:34

Ever thought of industrial? KMFDM, Ministry, Rammstein are quite uplifting.

Well, the other half indusrial is like the angstiest metal around, so be cautious if you are looking for uplifting music there.

Written by Ganondox on 03.09.2015 at 13:56

Written by Infernal Eternal on 01.09.2015 at 20:34

Ever thought of industrial? KMFDM, Ministry, Rammstein are quite uplifting.

Well, the other half indusrial is like the angstiest metal around, so be cautious if you are looking for uplifting music there.

Yes, I know. I'm not really into uplifting music but I think those bands do have some uplifting songs!

"Nine" by Circus Maximus is surely some of the most uplifting metal out there.

The title of this thread makes absolutely no fuckin sense

^Why so?