| Metalcore | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Metallic hardcore |
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Late 1980s to early 1990s, United States |
| Derivative forms | |
| Subgenres | |
| Fusion genres | |
| Regional scenes | |
| Other topics | |
Metalcore is a broadly defined[1] fusion genre combining elements ofheavy metal andhardcore punk, originating in the 1990sUnited States and becoming popular in the 2000s. Metalcore typically has aggressive verses and melodic choruses, combined with slow, intense passages calledbreakdowns. Other defining traits are low-tuned, percussive guitar riffs,double bass drumming, and highly polished production. Vocalists typically switch between clean vocals (melodic, emotional singing) andharsh vocals (including shouting andscreaming). Lyrics are often personal, introspective and emotive.[9] It is debated whether metalcore is a subgenre of metal and hardcore, or a genre of its own. Manymetalheads do not regard metalcore as a heavy metal subgenre.[9]
In the late 1980s to early 1990s, pioneering bands were founded such asIntegrity,Earth Crisis andConverge, whose hardcore punk-leaning style is sometimes referred to asmetallic hardcore.[10] These bands took influence from a range of styles and genres such as hardcore punk,thrash metal anddeath metal. During the decade, the genre diversified, with Converge,the Dillinger Escape Plan,Botch andCoalesce pioneeringmathcore, whileOvercast,Shadows Fall andDarkest Hour merged the genre withmelodic death metal to createmelodic metalcore.
During the early 2000s, melodic metalcore bands such asKillswitch Engage,All That Remains,Trivium,As I Lay Dying,Atreyu,Bullet for My Valentine andParkway Drive found mainstream popularity. In the subsequent years, the genre saw increased success throughsocial networking onMyspace andinternet memes such ascrabcore. During this time, artists began to draw influence from a wide variety of sources, which led to genre cultivating a plethora of fusion genres includingelectronicore,deathcore,Nintendocore,progressive metalcore andnu metalcore. In the 2010s and through to the 2020s, the genre saw even greater commercial success, with albums byBring Me the Horizon,Architects,Asking Alexandria,the Devil Wears Prada andOf Mice & Men penetrating the top 10 of international albums charts.
Like most genres, [metalcore is] not an easy term to define; even saying “metal meets hardcore” doesn’t really do it. Hardcore and metal’s relationship long predates metalcore; hardcore bands inspired metal bands to invent thrash, and in turn thrash bands inspired punk bands to start crossover thrash, both genres influenced grunge, and the cross-pollination just kept spiraling from there. I don’t know the exact year that “metalcore” entered the vernacular, but some of the earlier bands [...] probably would have just been called “metallic hardcore."
The term "metalcore" is a portmanteau of the words "metal" and "hardcore", and was originallytongue-in-cheek.[12] During the 1980s,Maximumrocknroll had used early variations of the term, referring to Richmond band Black Pyramid as "heavy-metal core" in February 1985;[13] Oxnard bandFalse Confessions as "metal-core" in December 1985;[14] Mesa band Desecration as "death metal core" in May 1986;[15] and Austin band Last Will as "ghoulish metal/core" in December 1986.[16] When the metalcore genre began in the 1990s, it was largely known as "metallic hardcore".[12]
Phillip Trapp ofLoudwire states thatShai Hulud guitaristMatt Fox is widely credited for playing a role in "popularizing" the term. However, in a 2008 interview, Fox claimed the term had already been in use before his band began releasing music. He recalled: "There were bands before Shai Hulud started that my friends and I were referring to as 'metalcore.' Bands like Burn, Deadguy, Earth Crisis, even Integrity. These bands that were heavier than the average hardcore bands. These bands that were more progressive [...] my friends and I would always refer to them as 'metalcore' because it wasn't purely hardcore and it wasn't purely metal [...] so we would joke around and say, 'Hey, it's metalcore. Cool!' But it was definitely a tongue-in-cheek term."[17]Alternatively, Jorge Rosado ofMerauder claimed in 2014 interview that he and his band coined the term.[18]
Luke Morton ofMetal Hammer stated that the word "means different things to different people," highlighting the fact that the tag has been variously applied to stylistically dissimilar bands such asKillswitch Engage,Earth Crisis,Asking Alexandria andParkway Drive.[19]
The word "metalcore" is one of the few subgenres of music that conjures up an incredibly different range of sounds depending on who you ask. For old heads, it brings up a moment in time when the worlds of heavy metal and hardcore punk combined to a new underground genre, a grassroots movement and [an] exciting time for punk. For others, big room metal anthems pitted with poppy choruses are conjured, riffs descended from the Gothenburg school of metal contorted into music with a sense of bounce.
Metalcore fuses elements ofhardcore punk withheavy metal,[1][2][20] as well as incorporating elements ofgroove metal,crossover thrash andmelodic death metal.[1] It is known for its use ofbreakdowns. There is debate as to whether metalcore is a fusion genre, a subgenre, or a genre of its own.[21] According to Lewis Kennedy, although metalcore existed "in some form or another" throughout the 1990s, it was only during the early 2000s that metalcore became codified or distinguished as a genre with specific traits. He links this with the movement known as the "New Wave of American Heavy Metal".[22]
The genre is broadly defined, and throughout its history, various metalcore acts have fused elements of hardcore and metal in different ways. Some earlier metalcore bands, such asBotch andCave In, were stylistically derived from traditional hardcore scenes, performing styles characterized by "relentless tempos and neck vein-popping vocals." Jorge Martins ofUltimate Guitar stated: "Some of those bands fusedSlayer-based assaulting riffs withPantera-leaning plummeting breakdowns and punk's ferocity and ethics, and a whole new beast was formed."[23][24]
Some later acts, such asKillswitch Engage, gravitated towards a more accessible heavy metal sound, while also incorporating elements ofSwedish melodic death metal andBoston hardcore.[24][25][26][27] Many 2000s metalcore bands were heavily influenced bymelodic death metal, and extensively incorporated elements of the style into their music.[28]
The success of [Killswitch Engage] also effected the artistic endeavours of the genre. So instantly recognisable was the Killswitch sound that it was aped unashamedly by many a newcomer, where before it was an underground scene full of innovative and eclectic bands there was now a formula. This in turn led to every chancer with a guitar chucking some beatdowns in between a few In Flames cast-off riffs and barking over the top – save for the inevitable emotive chorus. [...] The punk rock spirit was long gone, even bands such as Trivium, a band who have not a single atom of influence, approach or sound of punk in their make up, were bizarrely linked with the metalcore tag. A name that seemed to have less and less meaning the more the noughties rolled on.
Instrumentally, metalcore generally has percussiveguitar riffs and stop-startrhythm guitar.[29][30] Metalcore is known for its emphasis onbreakdowns, which are slow, intense passages during a song. According to Graham Hartmann ofLoudwire, "when a band changes up the mood with some masterful composition, a breakdown can be brilliant as well as devastating."[31]Drop guitar tunings are often used in metalcore. Most bands use tuning ranging between Drop D and A, although lower tunings, as well as7 and8 string guitars, are not uncommon. Drummers typically employ various techniques common in extreme metal and hardcore, such asdouble-kick drumming. Author James Giordano states that metalcore is usually played at slowertempos than the styles its artists draw influence from, such asthrash metal.[32]
Metalcore vocalists usually mix "clean" vocals—melodic, emotional singing—with "harsh" vocals—including shouting, roaring andscreaming, a harsh vocal technique that became popular in the underground punk and metal scenes of the 1980s.[30] Vocal performances in early metalcore acts were characterized by what has been described as a "raw, scream-meets-shout vocal style."[33] Later metalcore bands often alternate between harsh vocals and clean singing, usually during thebridge orchorus of a song.[30] Joe DiVita ofLoudwire states that many people define modern metalcore by the tradeoff between screaming and clean singing. Although many modern metalcore tracks have choruses that containhooks, some bands still do omit clean vocals entirely. Other bands use clean vocals very sparingly, done for the purpose of "coloring a mood," according to DiVita.[33] Modern metalcore clean vocals have drawn comparisons to the mainstreamemo andpop-punk music of the 2000s, which some have suggested may have deterred some fans of heavier music styles.[34][35]
Unlike traditional heavy metal and extreme metal lyrics (which are often fantastical), metalcore lyrics are often personal,introspective and emotional.[9]
Many of the originators ofhardcore punk took influence from the sound of heavy metal, includingBlack Flag,[36] theBad Brains,[37]Discharge andthe Exploited,[38] Furthermore, during the 1980s many genres originated merging the two styles, includingcrust punk,sludge metal andcrossover thrash.[39] Nonetheless, punk and metal cultures and music remained fairly separate through the 1980s.[40]
Bands in theNew York hardcore scene in particular put a significant emphasis on the influence of metal, building their own take on hardcore, based around groove-driven,palm muted guitar riffs.[41] Early on, this scene saw the development of the hardcorebreakdown, an amalgamation of Bad Brains'reggae and hardcore backgrounds, which encouraged moshing.[42] It was thisNew York-style hardcore that metalcore grew directly out of.[43][44][45]
One of the earliest metalcore scenes was that ofCleveland,Ohio. Fronted byIntegrity andRingworm, the sound of bands in the scene was distinctly darker than what the genre would become.[46] Integrity's debut albumThose Who Fear Tomorrow (1991) merged hardcore with apocalyptic lyrics and metal's guitar solos and chugging riffs to create one of the primeval albums in the genre.[47][48]Revolver magazine writer Elis Enis stated that the album "influenced practically every breakdown that's been recorded since".[49] Whereas, Ringworm's debutThe Promise (1993) made use of a style closer to crossover thrash while also putting a heavy emphasis on breakdowns.[24] The term "holy terror" refers to this specific style of metalcore which Integrity and Ringworm pioneered.[50] The style is typified by soaring guitar leads,[51] gravelly vocals[52] and lyrics discussingwestern esotericism.[53]
Philadelphia'sStarkweather were also an important early metalcore band, with their albumCrossbearer (1992) which merged early metal's grooves and dark atmospheres with elements of hardcore.[54]Rorschach also pioneered a distinctly dissonant andnoise-influence niche into this early metalcore sound, which would go on to definenoisecore andmathcore.[55][56]
In 1993,Earth Crisis released "Firestorm", a song which became one of the most influential in metalcore.[57] The band's militantveganstraight edge ethic and emphasis on chug riffs saw them immediately influence a wave of subsequent bands and gained coverage by major media outlets likeCNN,CBS andMTV.[58] TheEP the song was a part of was also one of the earliest releases byVictory Records who go on to be a defining part of the metalcore scene in the coming years, through releasing many of the style's most successful albums.[59]
Boston,Massachusetts too developedan early metalcore scene, led byOvercast who formed in 1990.[60] Much of this scene were based aroundHydra Head Records, which was founded byAaron Turner after moving to Boston.Converge were one of the earliest and most prominent groups from the city, formed in 1990.[61] Using Rorschach's music as their sonic template,[62] the band's experimental attitude, emotional lyrics and attention to dynamics led to them becoming one of the most influential bands in the genre.[54] Converge, along withMorris Plains, New Jersey'sthe Dillinger Escape Plan andTacoma, Washington'sBotch were three of the founding acts in the style's mathcore subgenre,[63] withKansas City, Missouri'sCoalesce andNew Brunswick, New Jersey'sDeadguy being prominent acts transitioning towards the style.[64] Converge's guitaristKurt Ballou opened the recording studio GodCity Studio in 1998, and would go on to record many of the most influential subsequent hardcore records from the city.[61]
New York City'sMerauder released their debut albumMaster Killer in 1996, merging the sounds of metalcore, earlier New York hardcore and the newly emergedbeatdown hardcore style. Of the album,Revolver writer Elis Enis stated "any self-proclaimed 'metallic hardcore' band of the last 25 years is indebted toMaster Killer's steel-toed stomp."[65] Along withAll Out War, Darkside NYC and Confusion, Merauder were a part of a wave of bands defining a newer, increasingly metallic style of hardcore in New York that had long been one of the epicentres of the genre.[66] Long Island'sVision of Disorder were also a prevalent band in the scene, being one of the first bands to incorporate clean singing into the genre, which would soon become a staple, as well as incorporating elements ofnu metal.[67] In a 2005 article byBillboard magazine, writer Greg Pato stated that "with seemingly every local teen waving the VOD banner circa the mid/late '90s, it seemed as though it was only a matter of time before VOD would become the band to take 'metalcore' to a massive audience".[68]
Bridgeport, Connecticut'sHatebreed released their debut albumSatisfaction is the Death of Desire in 1997. The album helped the band achieve underground success, selling 158,000 copies, according toNielsen SoundScan,[69] and holds the record for Victory Record's best selling debut album.[70] The band's style merged classic hardcore with beatdown and metalcore,[71] while also overtly referencing metal bands likeSlayer. In a 2015Metal Hammer article, writer Stephen Hill stated "The difference between Hatebreed and many of their influences is that where a band likeMadball were happy to co-exist with metal bands without feeling like they were part of the same scene, Hatebreed actively went out of their way to become the hardcore band metal fans listen to."[70] Other influential metalcore bands of the time includeShai Hulud,[72][73][74]Zao[75] andDisembodied.[76]
Orange County, California metalcore bandEighteen Visions contrasted the metalcore scene's usual hyper masculine aesthetic of "army and sports clothes" with "skinny jeans,eyeliner and hairstyles influenced byOrgy andUnbroken".[77] This visual style led to the band being called "fashioncore".[77][78] Jasamine White-Gluz ofExclaim! wrote that Eighteen Visions look "more like a boy band than a popular hardcore group. Critics tag the band for putting fashion at the centre of their music, but it adds a playful and interesting touch to a band that sounds much tougher than it looks."[79] A scene of bands in Orange County includingBleeding Through,Avenged Sevenfold andAtreyu continued this in Eighteen Visions' wake,[80][81][82] and influencedemo andscene fashion in the coming decade.[77]
As the decade drew to a close, a wave of metalcore bands began incorporating elements ofmelodic death metal into their sound. This formed an early version of what would become themelodic metalcore genre, withShadows Fall'sSomber Eyes to the Sky (1997), Undying'sThis Day All Gods Die (1999),Darkest Hour'sThe Prophecy Fulfilled (1999),Unearth'sAbove the Fall of Man (1999),Prayer for Cleansing'sRain in Endless Fall (1999) being some of the style's earliest releases.[83]CMJ writer Anthony Delia also credited Florida'sPoison the Well and their first two releasesThe Opposite of December... A Season of Separation (1999) andTear from the Red (2002) as "design[ing] the template for most of" the melodic metalcore bands to come.[84]Alternative Press Magazine described melodic metalcore as the "breakdown-heavy counterpart" of melodic death metal, referring to the latter genre as the "founding ancestor" of the former.[85]At the Gates' 1995 albumSlaughter of the Soul was influential for many melodic metalcore bands.[86] Malcolm Dome ofRevolver wrote that without the album, modern North American melodic metalcore acts such asAs I Lay Dying andAll That Remains "wouldn't even exist."[87]
Converge'sJane Doe was released on 4 September 2001 to universal critical and fan acclaim. The album influenced the development of the sound of other U.S. bands likeNorma Jean andMisery Signals as well as international acts likeEden Maine,Johnny Truant andBeecher.[88]Blake Butler ofAllmusic stated that Converge "put the final sealing blow on their status as a legend in the world of metallic hardcore" with the album, calling it "an experience -- an encyclopedic envelopment of so much at once."[89]Terrorizer Magazine named it their 2001 Album of the Year,[90] and it was named the greatest album of the 2000s byNoisecreep,[91]Sputnikmusic[92] andDecibel.[93]
Douglasville, Georgia's Norma Jean andthe Chariot were both influential artists continuing metalcore's earlier sound into the 2000s.[47][94] Norma Jean'sO' God, the Aftermath (2005) wasGrammy award nominated forBest Recording Package[95] and the Chariot'sLong Live (2010) was listed as one ofKerrang!'s "21 best U.S. metalcore albums of all time".[47] In contrast to these bands' dark approach to the genre,Buffalo, New York'sEvery Time I Die incorporatedSouthern rock elements and humor,[54]Kerrang! noted them as "shaped the cutting edge of modern metalcore."[96]
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In 2002, Killswitch Engage'sAlive or Just Breathing reached number 37 on theHeatseekers Albums chart.[97] In 2004, Killswitch Engage'sThe End of Heartache,[98] Shadows Fall'sThe War Within,[99][100] and Atreyu'sThe Curse[101] peaked at numbers 21, 20, and 36 on theBillboard 200, respectively. Also, in 2006, Atreyu's third studio album,A Death-Grip On Yesterday peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200, only to be followed up by 2007'sLead Sails Paper Anchor, which peaked at number 8.[101] Atreyu's 2002 debut albumSuicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses, as of 3 July 2004, has sold 107,000 copies in the United States.[102] Killswitch Engage's 2004 albumThe End of Heartache[103] and 2006 albumAs Daylight Dies[104] were both certified gold by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2007 and 2009, respectively. Killswitch Engage's 2002 albumAlive or Just Breathing, as of 3 July 2004, has sold 114,000 copies in the United States.[102]Unearth began to have success among heavy metal fans in 2004 with the release of their second albumThe Oncoming Storm, which peaked at number 1 on theHeatseekers Albums chart on 17 July 2004.[105] On that same day, the album peaked at number 105 on theBillboard 200. Unearth's 2006 albumIII: In the Eyes of Fire peaked at number 35 on theBillboard 200. The band's 2008 albumThe March peaked at number 45 on theBillboard 200.[106]Oncoming Storm,III: In the Eyes of Fire', andThe March peaked at numbers 6, 2 and 3 on theIndependentnt Albums chart, respectively.[107]
Avenged Sevenfold's first two albumsSounding the Seventh Trumpet (2001) andWaking the Fallen (2003) were also both metalcore albums. On the band's 2005 albumCity of Evil, Avenged Sevenfold moved away from metalcore and changed to a traditional heavy metal sound.[108] On 15 June 2005,Blabbermouth.net reported thatWaking the Fallen has sold 172,253 copies in the United States, according toNielsen SoundScan.[109] On 17 July 2009,Waking the Fallen was certified gold by the RIAA.[110]
Trivium also achieved success among heavy metal fans when their 2005 albumAscendancy peaked at number 151 on theBillboard 200. Their albumsThe Crusade (2006) andShogun (2008) peaked at numbers 25 and 23 on theBillboard 200, respectively.[111] Bleeding Through's 2006 albumThe Truth peaked at number 1 on theIndependent Albums chart on 28 January 2006.[112] On that same day, the album peaked at number 48 on theBillboard 200.[113] Metalcore bandAs I Lay Dying also achieved success among heavy metal fans. The band's 2005 albumShadows Are Security peaked at number 35 on theBillboard 200[114] and sold 263,000 copies, according toNielsen SoundScan.[115] As I Lay Dying's 2007 albumAn Ocean Between Us peaked at number 8 on theBillboard 200 in 2007.[114] As of April 2005, As I Lay Dying's 2003 albumFrail Words Collapse sold 118,000 copies in the United States.[116] All That Remains achieved success with their 2006 albumThe Fall of Ideals, which, as of 1 October 2008, sold 175,000 copies in the United States.[117] All That Remains' 2008 albumOvercome peaked at number 16 on theBillboard 200.[117]Overcome's song "Two Weeks" peaked at number 9 on theMainstream Rock Songs chart on 16 May 2009.[118]Bullet for My Valentine's debut albumThe Poison was released in October 2005 in Europe and was released in February 2006 in the United States. On 26 July 2006, Blabbermouth.net reported thatThe Poison has sold 72,000 copies in the United States.[119] On 27 October 2007, Blabbermouth.net reported thatThe Poison has sold 336,000 copies in the United States.[120] On 3 April 2010,Billboard reported thatThe Poison sold 573,000 copies in the United States.[121]The Poison was certified gold by the RIAA on 30 January 2009.[122] Bullet for My Valentine's second albumScream Aim Fire, released in 2008, peaked at number 4 on theBillboard 200 and sold 360,000 copies in the United States.[121] Bullet for My Valentine's 2010 albumFever peaked at number 3 on theBillboard 200, selling 71,000 copies in the United States during its first week of release.[121]Fever's song "Your Betrayal" peaked at number 25 on theBubbling Under Hot 100 chart.[123]
As the decade progressed, metalcore became increasingly tied to the social mediaMyspace, launched in 2003, and thescene subculture that was prominent on the platform.[124] Marketing through Myspace launched the careers of many of the era's most prominent bands includingBring Me the Horizon,Attack Attack!,Black Veil Brides, Bullet for My Valentine,Job For a Cowboy andSuicide Silence. Despite the stylistic distinctness between many of these groups' sounds they became encompassed by the terms "myspace-core" and "scene-core". Many went on to become fixtures atWarped Tour,[125] andFearless Records'sPunk Goes... cover series.[126]
Deathcore is a fusion of metalcore and death metal.[127][128][129][130] Deathcore is defined bybreakdowns, blast beats and death metalriffs.[131] Bands may also incorporate guitar solos and even riffs that are influenced by metalcore.[127] New York-based death metal groupSuffocation is credited as one of the main influences for the emergence of deathcore. Embodyments album "Embrace The Eternal" is a foundation for the modern Deathcore sound.[132] Some examples of deathcore bands areSuicide Silence,[133]Whitechapel,[133]Knights of the Abyss,[134]Carnifex[133] andChelsea Grin.[135]
In 2006 and 2007, a wave of metalcore bands strongly influenced by death metal dubbed deathcore gained moderate popularity. Notable bands that brought the genre to the fore include Bring Me the Horizon and Suicide Silence. Suicide Silence'sNo Time to Bleed peaked at number 32 on theBillboard 200, number 12 on theRock Albums Chart and number 6 on theHard Rock Albums Chart,[136] while their albumThe Black Crown peaked at number 28 on theBillboard 200, number 7 on the Rock Albums Chart and number 3 on the Hard Rock Albums Chart.[136] After its release,Whitechapel's albumThis Is Exile sold 5,900 in copies, which made it enter theBillboard 200 chart at position 118.[137] Theirself-titled album peaked at number 65 on theCanadian Albums Chart[138] and also at number 47 on theBillboard 200.[139] Their third albumA New Era of Corruption sold about 10,600 copies in theUnited States in its first week of being released and peaked at position number 43 on theBillboard 200 chart.[140] Furthermore, Bring Me the Horizon won the2006 Kerrang! Awards for Best British Newcomer after they released their 2006 debut recordCount Your Blessings.[141] However, Bring Me the Horizon abandoned the deathcore genre after the release of this album.[142] San Diego nativesCarnifex, witnessed success with their first albumDead in My Arms, selling 5,000 copies with little publicity. On top of their non-stop touring and methodical songwriting resulted in Carnifex quickly getting signed to labelVictory Records.[143] Lastly, Australian deathcore bandThy Art Is Murder debuted at number 35 on theARIA Charts with their albumHate (2012)[144] making them the first extreme metal band to ever reach the Top 40 of this chart.[145]
Electronicore's merger of metalcore with variouselectronic music styles emerged in the 2000s. One of the earliest contributors to the sound wasSt Albans bandEnter Shikari.[146] Their debut albumTake to the Skies peaked at number on the Official UK Album Chart selling 28,000 copies in its first week and was certified Gold in the UK after selling over 100,000 copies. It was also the first album to achieve a significant chart success for a new act operating outside the traditional label system.[147] The group received internationalradioairplay and a substantial number of musical awards, fromKerrang!,NME,Rock Sound and theBT Digital Music Awards.[148][149][150] Their second albumCommon Dreads was released in June 2009 and debuted on theUK Albums Chart at 16.[151] Columbus, Ohio's Attack Attack! gained significant notoriety with their Enter Shikari-influenced sound. The band's song for "Stick Stickly", the lead single fromSomeday Came Suddenly (2008) went viral online for its use ofautotune and synths, with the members' squatting "crab walk" stance during the music video giving way to thecrabcorememe.[152]Warren, Michigan bandI See Stars's debut album3-D debuted at number 176 on theBillboard 200, number 5 onTop Heatseekers, and number 22 onTop Independent Albums.[153]The Devil Wears Prada's 2011 albumDead Throne (which sold 32,400 in its first week)[154] reached number 10[155] on theBillboard 200 chart.Asking Alexandria also achieved success, with their 2009 song "Final Episode (Let's Change the Channel)" being certified gold by the RIAA.[156] The band's 2011 albumReckless & Relentless peaked at number 9 on theBillboard 200.[157]
In the late 2000s, a wave of groups began to gain traction cross-pollinating the metalcore style of bands likeShai Hulud andMisery Signals, with the influence of traditional hardcore andmelodic hardcore groups likeKilling the Dream. This wave often made use of serious, solemn lyrics and sometimes clean vocals in addition to the commonplace screams. Music commentators includingStuff You Will Hate,Alternative Press and Bradley Zorgdrager ofExclaim! used the name "serious hardcore" or "srscore" to refer to this style.[158][159] Groups in this wave includedHundredth,the Ghost Inside,Counterparts[159] andStick to Your Guns.[160]
Architects and Bring Me the Horizon spearheaded the British metalcore scene of the late 2000s and early 2010s.[161] Architects had begun as a mathcore band onNightmares (2006) before moving into metalcore by the release ofRuin (2007).[162]Hysteria magazine credited the band's long time vocalist Sam Carter with reviving high pitched screamed vocals in metalcore and "influencing an entire generation of acts such asPolaris,In Hearts Wake,Void of Vision,Invent Animate,Imminence...the list goes on", as well as popularising the "blegh" adlib, which subsequently became commonplace in the genre.[161] Bring Me the Horizon's third albumThere Is a Hell Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven Let's Keep It a Secret. (2010), saw the band incorporate electronica, classical music and pop music into their metalcore style,[163] a trend then continued further onSempiternal (2013), which also embraced elements ofnu metal.[164] The Latter peaked at number 3 on the UK albums chart,[165] and was one of the earliest releases by a UK metalcore band on a major label, throughRCA Records.[166] Following this, many bands in the metalcore scene began to emulate the sound these albums.[164] The band's massive mainstream success led publications such asthe Guardian andthe Independent to accredit them as "the new Metallica",[167][168] andMetal Hammer writer Stephen Hill to callSempiternal "this generation's definitive metal album".[164]
The nu metal elements present onSempiternal, as well as Suicide Silence'sThe Black Crown (2012), led to a wave of bands in the mid-2010s taking influence from nu metal.[169]My Ticket Home'sStrangers Only (2013) was a notable precedent of this wave, seeing a previously established metalcore act merge their style with dark, nu metal influence to help establish the comingnu metalcore sound.[170]Issues' merger of nu metal, metalcore andcontemporary R&B gained them significant commercial success, with a number of publications crediting them as ushering a new wave of nu metal.[171][172] Their debutself-titled album (2014) peaked at number nine on theBillboard 200 chart[173] and their second albumHeadspace (2016) reached number one on theTop Alternative Albums chart.[174]Furthermore, Bring Me the Horizon's fifth albumThat's the Spirit (2015) saw the band fully embrace nu metal,[175] which peaked at number 2 in both the UK and US.[176][177] In the following yearsEmmure,[178][179][180]Of Mice & Men,[181][182][183]Sworn In andDangerKids had all embraced the genre,[169] and by 2016, nu metalcore had solidified itself as a movement.[184]
Architect'sAll Our Gods Have Abandoned Us (2016) was released to critical acclaim, withMetal Hammer writer Stephen Hill called it "as close to a perfect metal record as one can imagine". The following year, they released the single "Doomsday", their first release since the death of the band's founding guitarist Tom Searle. In the years following the single's release, the song's sound became widely imitated within the metalcore scene,[162] particularly the song's introduction guitar riff.[161]
As the decade drew to a close, a new wave of bands in the genre emerged who harkened back to the metallic hardcore sound of bands from the 1990s.Vein.fm,[185]Code Orange,Knocked Loose,Varials,Jesus Piece,Counterparts andKublai Khan were all notable groups who gained significant success within the genre at the time.[citation needed] Code Orange saw critical acclaim and success with theirRoadrunner Records debutForever in 2017. Forever's title track was also nominated Grammy for Best Metal Performance in 2018.[186][187][188][189] It too embraced the influence of nu metal and according toPopMatters writer Ethan Stewart, led to nu metalcore becoming "one of the most prominent flavors of contemporary metal".[184] Knocked Loose gained significant attention after their song "Counting Worms" from their albumLaugh Tracks (2016) became a meme due to its "arf arf" mosh call.[190] The band's 2019 second albumA Different Shade of Blue also received critical and commercial success.[191][192]
Nu metalcore maintained its prominence into the 2020s withTetrarch andTallah gaining notability.[193]Loathe's second albumI Let It In and It Took Everything (2020) saw critical acclaim, and was consistently praised for expanding the scope of metalcore by incorporating elements of nu metal,shoegaze,emo,post-rock,progressive metal andindustrial music.[194][195][196] The band's use of the Fender Bass VI guitar, which tunes to an octave below a standard tuning guitar, became widely sought after following the album's release.[197] Publications creditedSpiritbox similarly withMetal Hammer calling them "post-metalcore" and "genre-fluid".[198] The band's 2020 single "Holy Roller" reached the Top 40 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart,[199] and their debut albumEternal Blue was named the year's best rock or metal album byLoudwire[200] and metalcore album byMetal Hammer.[201]
Around the same time, a number of bands gained prominence in the scene that revived the sound of groups from the mid-to-late-2000s, fronted byStatic Dress,SeeYouSpaceCowboy,If I Die First andCrazyEightyEight. This movement grew out of both the hardcore scene and the mainstream success that theemo rap scene gained the late-2010s.[202]
Formed in 2015,Bad Omens' third albumThe Death of Peace of Mind (2022) was the band's commercial breakthrough after viral success of the album's second single "Just Pretend" on TikTok[203] which then topped theBillboard Mainstream Rock chart.[204] By March 2023, the album had received 20 million streams onSpotify, leading toMetal Hammer calling them "the biggest metalcore band in a generation."[203] Bring Me the Horizon'sPost Human: Survival Horror (2020)[205] and Architects'For Those That Wish to Exist (2021) both also reached number one in the UK album charts.[206]
Metalcore is not universally accepted inheavy metal andhardcore circles,[207] and there has been debate and disagreement over whether metalcore is an authentic subgenre of heavy metal.[208][209][210] Traditionalmetalheads tend to view metalcore as an inauthentic imitation of "real" metal, and "a diluted misinterpretation of metal's stylistic codes" by outsiders.[207] Eli Enis ofStereogum referred to post-2010 metalcore bands who developed a sleeker and poppier style, saying "because of the way those bands dressed ... and the distinct lack of conventional metal elements in their sound (no guitar solos, mindlessly simplistic riffs, plasticky production that eschewed metal's raw power) many metalheads viewed that cadre of metalcore as an abomination that was barely deserving of its 'metal' membership".[211]Extreme metal and metalcore bands often play at the same festivals, but they use conflicting tropes in their lyrics and imagery and attract different types of fans. Metalheads, for example, have expressed frustration with what they call a more overt, macho'bro' posturing in metalcore scenes.[212] Additionally, metalcore/deathcore is sometimes mistaken fordeath metal by some unfamiliar listeners, which "borders onsacrilege for the most discerning metalheads".[213]
In the early 2000s, metalcore bands drew criticism for "their increasingly considered images, polished production, and what was seen as appeal to progressively more mainstream audiences".[2] Despite several metalcore bands achieving critical acclaim and cult status, several journalists have noted that the metalcore tag earned a "bad rep" after several bands in the genre found commercial success, or released albums with highly polished production. Andrew Sacher ofBrooklyn Vegan stated his belief that "the mainstream boom tarnished the word 'metalcore' for a while."[214] Stephen Hill ofMetal Hammer suggested that later metalcore bands such asAttila andBlessthefall "[have] more in common withairbrushed, cynically-mindedboy bands than the melding of twocounter-cultures."[215] Several bands and musicians labelled as metalcore have rejected the term entirely,[216][217][218] and even some who accept the term nonetheless insist that the style has become "bastardized" by the influence ofcommercialism and trends.[219]
Critics and journalists have observed the increased presence of ballads on modern metalcore albums, claiming that the "punk rock spirit [is] long gone" from the genre. Stephen Hill ofMetal Hammer assessed, "Killswitch Engage became something akin to theMetallica of metalcore, enjoying continued success whilst others dwindled but, withHoward Jones taking the mic fromJess Leach, becoming morehard rock andballad-heavy with each new album." Journalists have also observed many later metalcore bands omitting direct hardcore punk influence entirely. Hill also said: "So instantly recognisable was the Killswitch sound that it was aped unashamedly by many a newcomer, where before it was an underground scene full of innovative and eclectic bands, there was now a formula."[215]
Furthermore, many of the genre's more commercially successful acts, such asAll That Remains,Asking Alexandria,Of Mice & Men andBring Me the Horizon, eventually abandoned their metalcore roots entirely, opting for what has been described as a "more radio-friendlyrock- andpop-inclined" approach.[220][221] Stephen Hill ofMetal Hammer said: "To onlookers from the outside, metalcore was dead, a one dimensional flash in the pan to go alongsideglam andnu-metal in the ‘what were we thinking?’ Fads of alternative culture."[222]
Ultimate Guitar staff writer Jorge Martins contested the notion of metalcore's commercial decline, opining:
"Metalcore became, through its almost three decades of existence, arguably the most popular subgenre of heavy music, finding its way across all styles of metal and influencing an endless number of artists and landmark releases. One of the secrets for its seemingly never-ending vitality is how well it gels with other styles in order to never grow stale and keep its relevance when some of their contemporaries pushed their boundaries as far as they would go and ended up spitting out formulaic albums and falling into oblivion as Metalcore thrived then and now."[223]
The consciously hybrid nature of metalcore resulted initially in a somewhat amorphous version of the genre. Commentary on metalcore of the 1990s tends to construct the genre as stylistically indistinct, referring to a general mixing of metal and hardcore that variously incorporates elements of hardcore, crossover, thrash metal, groove metal, and death metal. Berelian's wideranging conception of metalcore includes artists as dissimilar as Sick of It All, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Mastodon (2005, p. 223), grouped as such primarily (it would seem) as a result of each artist mixing elements drawn from various metal/hardcore genres. A more stable interpretation of metalcore emerged during the New Wave of American Heavy Metal period that codified metalcore into a recognisable form (the subject of chapter six) with identifiable style characteristics. A product of metal/hardcore symbiosis, metalcore's overt hybridity is also conspicuous in the related genres of mathcore and deathcore, both of which amalgamate aspects of diverse metal/hardcore genres.
Metalcore and post-hardcore draw on multiple traditions of metal, as well as hardcore punk ... Bands under the metalcore banner drew criticism for their increasingly considered images, polished production, and what was seen as appeal to progressively more mainstream audiences.
BLACK PYRAMID is a heavy-metal core outfit debuting recently, plus a sorta thrash group called DAMAGE REPORT. TOOLINC FOR ANUS also did a first show, but unfortunately I missed it.
FALSE CONFESSIONS kicked out Ishinael and now Scott (ex-bassist) is singing, and the band is looking for a bassist. They have a much talked about new direction, leaning into the BAUHAUS/SPECIMEN style of punk (or so I've heard). While I applaud their decision to change, I wonder if they'll alienate some of their audience who were used to their old metal-core style, or is it true at all?
DESECRATION - "Damaged by Decibels" cassette A 4-song "death metal core band" that zips along at a frantic pace, isn't as metal as it is thrash, ana avoids lame lyrics and sticks to political/social subjects. A pretty hot debut
LAST WILL has a ghoulish metal/core cassette out.
NWOAHM marks an identifiable period during which 'metalcore' became widely understood to refer to a particular genre with a relatively specific set of stylistic traits. NWOAHM codification demarcated metalcore as a genre unto itself, distinguishing it from closely related subgenres like metallic hardcore. ... after the NWOAHM period ended, metalcore still commonly refers to elements of style introduced during this codification, notably the combination of clean and distorted vocals, high-fidelity, polished production, and a clear influence from melodic death metal. ... Despite metalcore existing in some form or another for around a decade prior to NWOAHM, it was only during the first few years of the twenty-first century that the genre became codified.
This idea obviously spread outwards, and although their first real release ("Those Who Fear Tomorrow") wasn't until 1991, Integrity was formed in 1989. Most songwriting by metalcore bands at this time was similar to New York hardcore bands, but differed in their harder sound thanks to use of double bass drums, harder distortion and louder, more gruff vocal shouts.
As its very own sub-style of the broader tent genre, NYHC has an instantly recognizable sound and style with its own localized lineage, but it's also transcended its own area code and influenced many of the biggest hardcore bands of the last 30 years — from Hatebreed and No Warning to Power Trip and Turnstile. From the enduring works of metallic hardcore pioneers to the timeless exuberance of straight-edge provocateurs...
Shai Hulud, a name that is synonymous (in heavy music circles at least) with intelligent, provocative and most importantly unique metallic hardcore. The band's earliest release is widely credited with influencing an entire generation of musicians.
Hearts Once Nourished with Hope and Compassion is pretty much the prime in early melodic metalcore. So many bands in both the modern metalcore and hardcore scene have drawn vast influence from them, because of how perfect they blend hardcore and metal.
Regardless of whether or not you liked Shai Hulud, it is undeniable thatHearts Once Nourished with Hope and Compassion was an oft-imitated and highly influential release in the mid-to-late nineties.
Zao is one of the best examples of early metalcore, and their influence on the genre is undeniable. The guitar work, the high throaty style of the vocals, and the band aesthetics are all pieces that would have great influence on bands down the road..
While death metal and hardcore had always intermingled to an extent, the first clearly identifiable instances of melodic Swedish metal being combined with hardcore seem to have sprung almost simultaneously, with Undying's This Day All Gods Die, Darkest Hour's The Prophecy Fulfilled, Prayer for Cleansing's The Rain in Endless Fall, Shadows Fall's With Somber Eyes to the Sky, and Unearth's Above the Fall of Man all being released within a year of each other (1998-99). It is unclear who first got the idea to combine the two styles. Darkest Hour had released an EP called The Misanthrope in 1996 which arguably contained elements of their later sound but was for the most part aggro-hardcore in the vein of Damnation a.d. On the other hand, Day of Suffering's 1997 album The Eternal Jihad is cited as an influence for many of the North Carolina bands that followed, such as Undying and Overcast is seen as having started the genre in Massachusetts.
Poison The Well designed the template for most of today's melodic metalcore acts, spawning countless copycats in the process. The band's last two efforts, 1999's The Opposite Of December...A Season Of Separation and 2002's Tear From The Red, are genre essentials, but no one is going to argue that those albums were constructed of memorable parts, rather than complete, efficiently executed songs; you knew when to rock out and when to sing along.
This is deathcore. This is what happens when death metal and hardcore, along with healthy doses of other heavy music styles, are so smoothly blended...
...All Shall Perish... Alienacja (Poland), Despised Icon (Montreal) and Whitechapel (Knoxville, TN)... They're all textbook 'deathcore', fusing death metal and hardcore punk.
Munich, Germany's Heaven Shall Burn specialize in highly controversial and politicized death metal fused with hardcore; a hybrid style often referred to as death-core.
One of Suffocation's trademarks, breakdowns, has spawned an entire metal subgenre: deathcore.
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