I'm actually amazed by some of the poignancy of some of the love ballads. They don't always sound great (to me) right off the bat, but at least the lyrics are pretty nice, sometimes. Not like rap where we are only "bitches" and only good for "doing", then slap her around.
There's some great metal "power ballads" then some crappy ones.
Good ones:
Every Rose Has its Thorn - Poison
Alone Again - Dokken
Don't Close Your Eyes - Kix
Here I Go Again - Whitesnake
Still Loving You - Scorpions
Wasted Time - Skid Row
Warrant - I Saw Red
Metallica - Nothing Else Matters (some might argue the "balladness" of this but Hetfield himself says it is)
Bad ones:
When the Children Cry - White Lion
Is This Love - Whitesnake
Honestly - Stryper (but I love Stryper's heavier stuff-there ballads were WAY too sappy)
I'll Be There For You - Bon Jovi
Guns n Roses - Patience
To Be With You - Mr. Big