Band: Gamma Ray

Gamma Ray's contribution to the European metal scene cannot be underestimated. Formed by Hansen after breaking away from Helloween, the band took several years to really develop its style but hit their straps with the excellent Somewhere Out in Space that draws influences from classic 70s acts like Uriah Heep and Rainbow and fuses them with Gamma Ray's contemporary outlook. Powerplant emulated the format and all the albums since then have been consistently excellent.

Gamma Ray's style of fast, melodic, feel good power metal has been copied by countless bands since the mid-90s but none do it better.