Heavy metal genres
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 | This article possibly contains original research. (September 2007) |
A number of heavy metal genres have developed since the emergence of heavy metal (often shortened to metal) during the late 1960s and early 1970s. At times heavy metal genres may overlap or are difficult to distinguish, but they can be identified by a number of traits. They may differ in terms of: tempo, song structure, vocal style, lyrics, guitar playing style, drumming style, and so on.
Primary heavy metal subgenres
Black metal
Black metal is a form of extreme metal that became famous for its Viking ideology and association with a cult following in the early 1990s. It is generally distinguished by its fast tempo, high-pitched guitars, frequent use of tremolo picking, frequent blast beat and double bass drumming, and high-pitched "shrieking" vocals. Lyrics typically revolve around the Norse Mythology or celebrate environmental themes of the bands' origins (which is usually Norway). Blizzards, Snow, Forests, and Darkness are examples of this. Black metal band members often wear corpse paint, bullet belts, and Thor's Hammers to identify themselves with the genre.
In the early 1980s, Venom, Mercyful Fate, Bathory, and Celtic Frost are often noted as starting a proto-type for black metal.
Death metal
Death metal is a form of extreme metal that is generally distinguished by its fast tempo, low-tuned guitar, low-pitched death growl vocals, blast beats and erratic tempo and time signature changes.
Death metal is an offshoot of thrash metal and the style was started by the band Death in 1983. Other American bands such as Possessed, Morbid Angel and Cannibal Corpse subsequently adopted the format and developed it into a distinct genre. Since then death metal diversified spawning a rich variety of subgenres.
Doom metal
Doom metal is highly atmospheric and typically features very slow tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "denser" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres. Both the music and the lyrics intend to evoke a sense of despair, dread and impending doom. It is strongly influenced by the early work of Black Sabbath, particularly songs such as "Black Sabbath" and "Into the Void", which are considered embryonic or prototypical doom metal songs. However, the style was defined as a genre in the early-mid 1980s by bands such as Pentagram, Saint Vitus and Candlemass. Doom metal is generally regarded as the basis of the gothic metal, stoner metal and sludge metal genres.
Folk metal
Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in the 1990s in Europe. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with folk music. This includes the widespread use of folk instruments and to a lesser extent traditional singing styles. Examples of the genre include Skyclad, Finntroll and Korpiklaani while the bands Cruachan, Orphaned Land and Subway to Sally are representative of the three subgenres Celtic metal, oriental metal and mittelalter rock respectively.
Glam metal
Glam metal (also called hair metal) was one of the most popular styles of metal during the 1980s. The sound, as the name suggests, lies somewhere between the heavy metal sound of Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, KISS and the glam rock sound of Sweet. The bands were famous for their use of guitar solos, energetic frontmen and drummers that did not only have technical ability, but the ability to put on an entertaining show; as per Tommy Lee. Many of the bands donned make-up to achieve an androgynous look, similar to that of some 1970s glam rock bands. Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister, and W.A.S.P. are examples of glam metal.
Gothic metal
Gothic metal is a genre of heavy metal music. It is characterised as a combination of the dark melancholy of gothic rock with the aggression of heavy metal music. The genre originated during the mid 1990s in Europe as an outgrowth of doom-death, a fusion genre of doom metal and death metal. Examples of gothic metal bands include Paradise Lost, Lacuna Coil and Tristania.
Groove metal
Also known as neo-thrash or post-thrash, groove metal consists of slow or mid-tempo and down tuned thrash riffs, bluesy guitar solos, greatly emphasized drum work and harsh vocals. Examples of groove metal include Pantera, Machine Head and White Zombie.
Industrial metal
Industrial metal fuses elements of heavy metal and industrial music or other electronic genres such as house music by using electronic instruments such as synthesizers and drum machines alongside more purely heavy metal instruments such as electric guitars and bass guitars, and a vocal style combining elements of both genres. Examples of industrial metal include, Ministry, Rammstein and Static-X.
Neo-classical metal
Neo-classical metal is a subgenre that incorporates elements of classical music with the heavy metal sound; including instrument usage, scales (especially harmonic minor), and melodies. Yngwie J. Malmsteen is a known proponent of neo-classical metal, as is Tony MacAlpine.
Post-metal
This heavy metal movement takes influences from post-rock. While it is in many ways similar to post-rock, post-metal tends to include lower-tuned guitars, darker themes and tones, and heavier drums. Post-metal stresses emotion, contrasting the ambiance of post-rock with the weight and bombast of metal. Vocals are deemphasized or non-existent, and lyrics tend to be equally abstract: often thematic or philosophical in nature. It is a largely American phenomenon, but also includes some Japanese bands. Instrumental bands like Cult of Luna, Isis and Pelican write lengthy songs (typically five or six per album) that can range from light and guitar driven to extremely heavy, drum and bass-driven.
Power metal
Power metal is more upbeat than most metal genres, taking heavy influence from heavy metal and speed metal. Power metal often emphasizes clean, melodic, high-pitched vocals, fast pacing that is mostly driven by double bass drumming and melodic lead guitar. The rhythm guitar is defined by straight power chord progressions. Power metal leans toward the positive, happy side of life, seeking to empower the listener and inspire joy and courage. Power metal lyrics usually involve fantasy or science fiction themes. Examples of power metal bands include Helloween, Blind Guardian and HammerFall.
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a fusion between progressive rock and heavy metal. It is one of heavy metal's more complex genres, due to its use of unusual and dynamic time signatures, long compositions, complex compositional structures, and virtuosic instrumental playing, where instrumental solos are detailed and extended. However, the latest age of Progressive Metal has favoured rougher lyrics and lower-pitched riff sequences with high amounts of strumming. Vocals, if present, are melodic and lyrics are often philosophical, spiritual, and/or political. Examples of the genre include Queensrÿche, Dream Theater and Opeth.
Sludge metal
Sludge metal began as a derivative of doom metal, incorporating hardcore punk and elements of southern rock. It combines the slow tempos, heavy rhythms and dark, pessimistic atmosphere of doom metal with the aggression, shouted vocals and fast tempos of hardcore punk. The string instruments are heavily distorted and often use a large amount of audio feedback to produce an abrasive, sludgy sound. Drumming is similar to that in hardcore punk and extreme metal. Lyrics are typically blue-collar in nature; reflecting on society, generally in a cynical or downtrodden manner. Examples of sludge metal include Crowbar, Acid Bath and Eyehategod.
Speed metal
Speed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal that uses traditional heavy metal song structures and riffing but with faster tempos and driving rhythms. It is usually as melodic as traditional heavy metal. Speed metal emerged when traditional heavy metal bands started writing an occasional fast song. It began as an established genre when bands wrote the majority of their songs in this style. Examples of speed metal include Motörhead, Annihilator and Accept.
Stoner metal
Stoner metal is typically slow-to-mid tempo, low-tuned and bass-heavy. The music combines elements of psychedelic blues-rock with doom metal, often drawing influence from artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Blue Cheer, Cream and Black Sabbath (especially due to their song "Sweet Leaf").[citation needed] The terms stoner metal and stoner rock have been used interchangeably but generally stoner metal is used to refer to heavier and slower bands. The genre as it is known today was pioneered by the band Kyuss in the early 1990s. While not all musicians and fans are marijuana users, the tag "stoner" has stuck.
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is often regarded as the first form of extreme metal. It is generally characterised by its high tempos, complexity and aggression. Thrash metal guitar playing is most notable for the "chugging" sound it creates through low-pitched palm muted riffs, and high-pitched shred guitar solos. Drummers often use double-bass drums and hardcore punk-influenced d-beats. Vocals are most often shouted or sung in an aggressive manner.
Thrash metal evolved from speed metal and NWOBHM at the beginning of the 1980s, although Black Sabbath's 1975 song "Symptom of the Universe" is often regarded as the earliest example of a thrash metal riff. Bands such as Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth spearheaded thrash metal and are referred to as the genre's "big four".
Cross-genre terms within heavy metal
This section concerns terms that are generally used to:
- group heavy metal genres that share similar traits and origins (for example the umbrella term extreme metal)
- refer to a style, rather than a strictly-defined genre, that can exist within many heavy metal genres (for example avant-garde black metal, symphonic black metal, or christian doom metal)
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a cross-genre term used to describe heavy metal bands with a pronounced experimental edge. Bands often use typical heavy metal instruments, but include unconventional lyrics, odd time signatures and unusual technique. In many instances it is described as a fusion of metal and alternative rock, and distinguished from nu metal by its lack of hip-hop influence. Examples include Deftones, System of a Down and Tool.
Avant-garde metal
Avant-garde metal (sometimes called experimental metal) is a cross-genre term used to describe metal bands that exhibit experimentation through non-standard sounds, instruments, and song structures akin to the genre of metal they are rooted in. Examples include Fantômas, Arcturus and Maudlin of the Well.
Christian metal
Christian metal is a cross-genre term used to describe metal bands that introduce Christian themes into their lyrics. This sub-genre has a long tradition within metal, starting with "white metal" bands springing up alongside the NWOBHM phenomenon to the Christian metalcore bands today. Often the Christian themes are melded with the subjects of the genre the band is rooted in, often providing a Christian take on the subject matter. Examples include Stryper, Tourniquet
Extreme metal
Extreme metal is a cross-genre term used to describe heavy metal that is considerably heavier, faster, more aggressive and more abrasive. For example; vocalists may often use death growls or high-pitched shrieks and more obscene lyrics, drummers may often use blast beats, and the band's appearance may be intended to shock. Bands of this grouping are typically of the black metal, death metal, doom metal or thrash metal genres.
NWOBHM
The 'New Wave of British Heavy Metal' (often abbreviated as NWOBHM) is a term used to describe British heavy metal artists that emerged in the late 1970s/early 1980s in the wake of the 'original wave' of British heavy metal artists, and as a reaction against pop and punk. NWOBHM was hugely popular and has been influential to many metal genres since. Examples of this movement include Iron Maiden, Saxon and Motörhead.
Rap metal
Rap rock (sometimes called rap metal or rapcore) is a cross-genre term used to describe bands that institute the vocal and lyrical form of rap. It is normally used in association with the term 'alternative metal' to differentiate between nu metal bands that contain hip-hop influence, and those that do not. It is also used occasionally to refer to bands that have worked alongside hip-hop artists on tracks before. Examples of rap rock include Body Count and Rage Against the Machine.
Symphonic metal
Symphonic metal varies in form. It most commonly refers to heavy metal bands that use orchestral elements in their music. These elements include full orchestras, opera themes, vocals or keyboarding akin to that of opera or symphony music, and a softer and more upbeat nature than other metal genres. Examples include Therion, Emperor and Nightwish.
Viking metal
Viking metal is a subgenre of various metal genres. Mainly though, it crosses folk with either black metal, power metal,[citation needed] and in some cases death metal. Having songs with lyrics about vikings or the various histories and legends of the Nordic countries has nothing to do with classifying a band as Viking metal.[citation needed] It is a complex subgenre with subtle cross-over elements, such as native folk music styles or melodic death metal. Examples of Viking metal include Bathory, Enslaved and Amon Amarth.
