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A number ofheavy metal genres have developed since the emergence ofheavy metal (often shortened tometal) 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 ofinstrumentation,tempo, song structure, vocal style, lyrics, guitar playing style, drumming style, and so on.
Alternative metal is a style ofheavy metal andalternative rock which emerged in the mid-1980s and gained popularity in the early 1990s.[1]
Alternative metal usually combines heavy metal with influences from genres like alternative rock, and in some cases, other genres not normally associated with metal as well. One of the main characteristics of alternative metal and its subgenres are heavily downtuned, mid-paced "chug"-like guitar riffs.[2][3][4] Alternative metal bands are also often characterized by melodic vocals, unconventional sounds within other heavy metal genres, unconventional song structures, and sometimes experimental approaches to heavy music.[5] Many of the early alternative metal bands originated fromLos Angeles.[6] Prominent bands in this genre includeSoundgarden,Alice in Chains,[7]Faith No More,[8]Helmet,[9]Life of Agony,[10]Rollins Band[6] andTool.[6][11] More modern bands includeBreaking Benjamin,[12]Chevelle,[13]Godsmack[14] andSystem of a Down.[15]
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Funk metal is essentially a fusion ofheavy metal andfunk. It started off in the late eighties as a subgenre ofalternative metal and was heavily influenced by bands such asRed Hot Chili Peppers andFishbone. Funk metal bands often use a conventional riffing style influenced by 1980sthrash metal, unlike bands from other alternative metal genres.[16] During the late-'90s, many bands which started out as funk metal branched out into more commercially viable genres, such asalternative rock andnu metal. Notable funk metal bands includeLiving Colour,Infectious Grooves,Mordred,Primus, andRage Against the Machine.[17] The biggest regional scene during funk metal's prime was San Francisco.[18]
Nu metal is a fusion genre that blends alternative metal and groove metal elements with other styles, includinggrunge,industrial,funk andhip hop. The new metal builds on rap metal's rock and rap collaborations, but it highlights some of the more aggressive elements of its musical ancestors. Intense and angry lyrics, off-pitched guitars, and massively amplified beats are typical of new metal songs.[19] The style is mostlysyncopated and based on riffs,[20] and is influenced bygroove metal rhythm.[21] Some nu metal bands useseven-string guitars, which are sometimes down-tuned to increase heaviness, resulting in bass guitarists using five and six-string instruments.[22]Turntables,sequencers andsamplers are sometimes included.[22] Nu metal vocal styles range between melodic singing,rapping,screaming anddeath growling. TheBakersfield-basedKorn became the first band to be labeled as "nu metal".[23]MTV states that Korn "arrived in 1993 into the burgeoning alternative metal scene, which would morph into nü-metal the waycollege rock became alternative rock."[24]Coal Chamber,[25]Linkin Park,[26]Slipknot,[27]Papa Roach,[28]Kittie[29] andDisturbed[30] are prominent bands in this genre.
Rap metal bands institute the vocal and lyrical form ofhip hop. Examples of rap metal includeCrazy Town,Clawfinger,Stuck Mojo,Skindred andRage Against the Machine. Thethrash metal bandAnthrax also helped pioneer the genre. Rap metal is often mislabeled asrapcore (a genre which fuseshardcore punk withhip hop) ornu metal, a genre which has similar elements in the music, rap metal usually does not include turntables or sampling into its sound, although keyboards are often used. Rap metal bands, unlike nu metal bands, are almost always fronted by rappers. Rap metal also lacks the melodic singing and growling commonly associated with nu metal.[citation needed]
Avant-garde metal or avant-metal, also known as experimental metal, is a subgenre of heavy metal music loosely defined by use of experimentation, and characterized by the use of innovative, avant-garde elements, large-scale experimentation, and the use of non-standard and unconventional sounds, instruments, song structures, playing styles, and vocal techniques. It evolved out ofprogressive rock,jazz fusion, andextreme metal, particularlydeath metal. Some local scenes include Los Angeles and theSan Francisco Bay Area in the United States,Oslo in Norway, and Tokyo in Japan. Pioneers of experimental metal includeBoris,Celtic Frost,Earth,Helmet,Maudlin of the Well,Neurosis,Sunn O))), andVoivod.
Black metal is anextreme subgenre of heavy metal. Similarly to avant garde metal bands, black metal singers and groups also feature unconventional song structures and lyrical emphasis on atmosphere.[31] Common traits includefast tempos,shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played withtremolo picking,blast beat drumming,raw recording, and unconventionalsong structures.
During the 1980s, severalthrash metal bands formed a prototype for black metal. This so-called "first wave" included bands such asVenom,Bathory,Mercyful Fate,Hellhammer andCeltic Frost.[32] A "second wave" arose in the early 1990s, spearheaded by Norwegian bands such asMayhem,Burzum,Darkthrone,Immortal, andEmperor. The music of theearly Norwegian black metal scene became a distinct genre.Initially considered a synonym for "Satanic metal", black metal has often been met with hostility from mainstream culture, mainly due to themisanthropic andanti-Christian standpoint of many artists. Moreover, several of the genre's pioneers have been linked withchurch burnings and murder. Some have also been linked toneo-Nazism; however, most black metal fans and most prominent black metal musicians reject Nazi ideology and oppose its influence on the black metal subculture.[33][34][35]
NSBM typically meldsNeo-Nazi beliefs (such asfascism,white supremacy,white separatism,antisemitism,xenophobia, andhomophobia) with hostility to "foreign" religions (Christianity, Judaism,Islam, etc.). Bands often promote ethnic Europeanpaganism,occultism, orSatanism. Hendrik Möbus of Absurd described Nazism as the "most perfect (and only realistic) synthesis of Satanic/Luciferianwill to power, elitistSocial Darwinism, connected to AryanGermanic paganism". Members of the band Der Stürmer (named after theantisemitic newspaper edited by Julius Streicher) subscribe toesoteric Hitlerism, leaning on the works ofSavitri Devi andJulius Evola.
Red and Anarchist black metal, often shortened to the acronymRABM, is black metal in which the artists espouse variousfar-left and environmentalist ideologies such asanarchism,Marxism, andgreen anarchism.[36] It emerged as an amalgamation of black metal with anarchistcrust punk,[37][38] and typically eschews the traditional Satanic andnihilist lyrics of black metal.[37][39] While some artists such as Iskra,Panopticon, Puna Terrori and Skagos overtly endorse political agendas and manifestos, others, such asWolves in the Throne Room and some otherCascadian artists, would not explicitly associate with the red or anarchist label.[37] Other RABM artists include Storm of Sedition,[38] Not A Cost,[38] Black Kronstadt,[38] Crepehanger,[38] Leper,[38] Mutiny,[38] Fauna,[39] and Vidargangr.[40]
Symphonic black metal is a style of black metal that incorporates symphonic and orchestral elements. This may include the usage ofmusic workstation keyboards to conjure up "pseudo-orchestral" landscapes with default presets (e.g. strings, choirs, piano, organs, and pads), or full orchestral arrangements containing woodwind,brass, percussion, keyboards andstrings. Bands likeCarach Angren may feature solo instruments such as violins, in addition to virtual or live orchestral arrangements. Vocals can be "clean" or operatic in style, and song structures are more defined or are inspired by symphonies, albeit not adhering to forms found in Western music (e.g.sonata,rondo, theme and variations) and following a typical riff-based approach. Many of the characteristics of traditional black metal are retained, such as shrieked vocals, fast tempos, high treble gain and tremolo picked electric guitars. But the speed is usually slower, the song structure is clearer, the band uses a lot of keyboards, and even the entire orchestra, just like symphonic metal. Examples of symphonic black metal includeEmperor andDimmu Borgir.
Viking metal is a subgenre ofheavy metal music with origins inblack metal andNordic folk music, characterized by a common lyrical and thematic focus onNorse mythology,Norse paganism, and theViking Age. Its musical style is typically manifested as Nordic folk-influenced black metal. Some common traits include a slow-paced and heavy riffing style, anthemic choruses, use of both clean and harsh vocals, a frequent use offolk instrumentation, and, often, the use of keyboards for atmospheric effect. Viking metal developed in the 1980s through the mid-1990s as a rejection ofSatanism and theoccult, insteadembracing theVikings andpaganism as the leaders of opposition to Christianity. Most Viking metal bands originate from theNordic countries, and nearly all bands claim that their members descend, directly or indirectly, from Vikings.Bathory, from Sweden, is generally credited with pioneering the genre with its albumsBlood Fire Death (1988) andHammerheart(1990).Enslaved,Burzum,Emperor,Storm andFalkenbach helped further develop the genre in the early through mid-1990s. Thedeath metal bandsUnleashed andAmon Amarth, which emerged during the early 1990s, also adopted Viking themes, broadening the genre from its primarily black metal origin. Other key bands in the genre includeDarkwoods My Betrothed,Einherjer,Ensiferum,Moonsorrow,Thyrfing, andWindir.
War metal,[41] also known as war black metal[42] or bestial black metal,[43] is anaggressive,[42]cacophonous[41] and chaotic[41][42]black metal style, described byRock Hard journalist Wolf-Rüdiger Mühlmann as "rabid"[42] and "hammering".[42] Important influences include first wave bandSodom[41][42] and first wave/death metal bandPossessed,[42] as well as oldgrindcore, black, and death metal bands likeRepulsion,[41][42]Autopsy,[42]Sarcófago[41][42][43][44] and the first twoSepultura releases.[42][44] War metal bands includeBlasphemy,[41][42][44]Archgoat,[42]Impiety,[42]In Battle,[45]Zyklon-B.[46]
Blackgaze is a genre fusion of black metal andshoegaze that originated in the early 2000s.[47][48] The genre often incorporates heavier elements common of black metal, including blast beat drumming and high-pitched screamed vocals with melodic elements, and heavily distorted "Wall of Sound" guitar styles typically associated with shoegazing. The French shoegazing bandAlcest is often credited with having influenced and formed the genre, while American bands such asDeafheaven have become synonymous as to defining the genre's characteristics.[49][50]
Post-black metal is a subgenre ofblack metal that emphasizes more experimentation and creative expression than other forms, as well as molding differentmusic genres into black metal. Bands such asDeafheaven,[51]Alcest,[51]Liturgy,Deathspell Omega, andAltar of Plagues[51] are notable bands in this genre.
Christian metal, also known as white metal,[52] is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message using song lyrics as well as the dedication of the band members toChristianity. Christian metal is typically performed by professed Christians, sometimes principally for Christians who listen to heavy metal music, and often produced and distributed through various Christian networks.[53]
Christian metal artists exist in all the subgenres of heavy metal music, and the only common link among most Christian metal artists are the lyrics. The Christian themes are often melded with the subjects of the genre the band is rooted in, regularly providing a Christian take on the subject matter. It has been argued that the marginal yet transnational Christian metalsubculture provides its core members an alternative religious expression and Christian identity, and that the music serves the purpose of offering a positive alternative or counterbalance to 'secular' metal music, which is known for its generally dark and negative message.[53]
Christian metal emerged in the late 1970s as a means ofevangelism to the wider heavy metal music scene and was pioneered by American bandsResurrection Band andPetra and Sweden'sJerusalem. Los Angeles'sStryper achieved wide success in the 1980s. California'sTourniquet and Australia'sMortification led the movement in the 1990s.Rap metal groupP.O.D. and themetalcore groupsUnderoath,Demon Hunter,As I Lay Dying, andNorma Jean (dubbed byRevolver magazine as "The Holy Alliance") brought some mainstream attention to the movement in the first decade of the 21st century, achieving ranks in theBillboard 200.[54][55]Saving Grace is another example of a Christian metalcore band.
In the late 1980s and early to mid-1990s, Christiandeath metal bands also emerged. Incubus (later known asOpprobrium), formed in 1986 in Louisiana, United States by two brothers recently immigrated from Brazil, was Christian and in the late 1980s experimented with a death metal sound.[56][57] TheMelbourne, Australia, groupsMortification andVomitorial Corpulence,Living Sacrifice andCrimson Thorn, from the United States, andSympathy, from Canada, were the main progenitors of the Christian death metal.[57]
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Norway'sExtol, Finland'sImmortal Souls andDeuteronomium, Sweden'sPantokrator, Germany'sSacrificium, Ukraine'sHoly Blood, the United States'Embodyment,Feast Eternal, Possession,Aletheian,Becoming the Archetype, andTortured Conscience, and Brazil'sAntidemon all further developed the genre.[58] In the latter half of the 2000s,Impending Doom (from the United States) andBlood Covenant (from India) joined the forefront of Christian death metal.[59]
Unblack metal, sometimes called Christian black metal, is a genre of music that is stylisticallyblack metal, but whose artists promote Christianity in their lyrics and imagery.[60] Such artists are controversial, mainly because black metal's pioneers, especially those of theSecond Wave, intended to encouragehostility towards Christianity. It is also suggested that Christianity contradicts black metal's dark nature, and theindividualistic andmisanthropic ideals of many bands.[61]
The exact beginning of the Christian black metal movement is disputed. The Australian bandHorde's 1994 albumHellig Usvart brought the concept and the termholy unblack metal (a word play onDarkthrone's slogan "unholy black metal" used on the albumsA Blaze in the Northern Sky andUnder a Funeral Moon) to media attention. The Norwegian bandAntestor formed in 1990 as adeath/doom act and released its demoThe Defeat of Satan in 1991, before they began shifting towards black metal on their 1994 albumMartyrium. Other examples of unblack metal bands includeCrimson Moonlight,Admonish, andFrosthardr.
Crust punk, often simply called crust, is a form of music influenced byanarcho-punk,hardcore punk andextreme metal.[62] The style, which evolved in the mid-1980s in England, often has songs with dark and pessimistic lyrics that linger on political and social ills. The term "crust" was coined byHellbastard on their 1986Ripper Crust demo.[63]
Crust is partly defined by its "bassy" and "dirty" sound. It is often played at a fasttempo with occasional slow sections. Vocals are usually guttural and may be growled or screamed. Crust punk takes cues from theanarcho-punk aspect ofCrass andDischarge,[62] and the extreme metal of bands likeVenom andCeltic Frost.[62][64] Notable crust punk bands includeAmebix,Antisect andDoom.
Crust punk groups, such asAmebix, took some influence fromearly black metal bands likeVenom,Hellhammer, andCeltic Frost.[62] Similarly,Bathory was initially inspired by crust punk, as well as heavy metal.[65] Crust punk was affected by a second wave of black metal in the 1990s, with some bands emphasizing these black metal elements. Iskra are probably the most obvious example ofsecond wave black metal-influenced crust punk;[66] Iskra coined their own phrase "blackened crust" to describe their new style. The Japanese groupGallhammer also fused crust punk with black metal[67] while the English band Fukpig has been said to have elements of crust punk, black metal, and grindcore.[68][69] In addition, Norwegian bandDarkthrone have incorporated crust punk traits in their more recent material. As Daniel Ekeroth wrote in 2008:
In a very ironic paradox, black metal and crust punk have recently started to embrace one another. Members of Darkthrone and Satyricon have lately claimed that they love punk, while among crusties, black metal is the latest fashion. In fact, the latest album by crust punk bandSkitsystem sounds very black metal—while the latest black metal opus by Darkthrone sounds very punk! This would have been unimaginable in the early 90s.
— [70]
Death metal is anextreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Death metal is characterized by a hard and subdued sound. Guitars and bass are often converted to heavy metal variants to tone down multiple tones, creating an unparalleled dark and mindless sound.[71] It typically employs heavily distorted guitars,tremolo picking, deepgrowling vocals,blast beat drumming, minorkeys oratonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes.
Building from the musical structure ofthrash metal andearly black metal, death metal emerged during the mid-1980s.[72] Metal acts such asSlayer,[73][74]Kreator,[75]Celtic Frost,[76] andVenom were very important influences to the crafting of the genre.[72]Possessed[77] andDeath,[78][79][80] along with bands such asObituary,Carcass,Deicide andMorbid Angel are often considered pioneers of the genre.[81] In the late 1980s and early 1990s, death metal gained more media attention as popular genre niche record labels likeCombat,Earache andRoadrunner began to sign death metal bands at a rapid rate.[82] Since then, death metal has diversified, spawning a variety of subgenres.[83]
Blackened death metal is a style that combinesdeath metal andblack metal. Examples of blackened death metal bands areBelphegor,Behemoth,Akercocke,Dissection andSacramentum.
"Death 'n' roll" is a term fordeath metal bands that incorporaterock and roll elements to their overall sound. The term is a blend ofdeath metal and rock'n' roll. The achieved effect is that of death metal's trademark combination ofgrowled vocals and highlydistorteddetuned guitarriffing with elements reminiscent of 1970shard rock andheavy metal.[84][85] Notable examples includeEntombed,Six Feet Under,Gorefest,Helltrain, andDeuteronomium.
Melodic death metal, also referred to as melodeath or MDM, is aheavy metal music style that combines elements from thenew wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) with elements ofdeath metal. The style was developed during the early and mid-1990s, primarily in England and Scandinavia. TheSwedish death metal scene in particular did much to popularize the style, which soon centered in the "Gothenburg metal" scene inGothenburg, Sweden. Some prominent melodic death metal bands includeAmon Amarth,At the Gates,Soilwork,Dark Tranquillity,Arch Enemy,In Flames, andCarcass. Recently, the boundaries of the genre have also become blurred. Melodic death metal is often combined with genres such as avant-garde metal, doomsday metal, flogging metal, or black metal. In the 2000s, the type evolved in many directions.[86]
Technical death metal, often abbreviated to tech death, is characterized by fast, technically complex guitar and drum work, often including sweeping guitar solos. Vocals often adopt the guttural sound of death metal. Some of the first tech death bands includeDeath,Pestilence,Atheist,Nocturnus,Cynic,Origin andCephalic Carnage. The music is often dark in nature.
Bands described as symphonic death metal includeEx Deo,Necronomicon,[87]Septicflesh,[88]Children of Bodom,[89]Epica,[90] andFleshgod Apocalypse.[91]Haggard's 2000 album,Awaking the Centuries, has been described as death metal-styled symphonic metal.[92]
Doom metal is anextreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slowertempos, low-tuned guitars, and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres. Both the music and the lyrics intend to evoke a sense of despair, dread, and impending doom.[93] The genre is strongly influenced by the early work ofBlack Sabbath,[93] who formed a prototype for doom metal with songs such as "Black Sabbath", "Electric Funeral" and "Into the Void". During the first half of the 1980s,[93] a number of bands from England (Pagan Altar,Witchfinder General), the United States (Pentagram,Saint Vitus,Trouble) and Sweden (Candlemass,Count Raven) defined doom metal as a distinct genre.
Death/doom, sometimes written as death-doom or deathdoom, is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It combines the slowtempos and pessimistic or depressive mood of doom metal, with the deepgrowling vocals and double kick drumming ofdeath metal.[94] The genre emerged in the mid-1980s, and gained a certain amount of popularity during the 1990s, but had become less common by the turn of the 21st century.[94] In turn, death/doom gave rise to the closely related genre of funeral doom, as well as to the more melodic and romanticgothic metal. The death/doom genre originated in the mid-1980s when the early progenitors like Dream Death began to mix traditionaldoom metal with the sounds ofthrash and the nascent death metal scene.[95] Early records by such bands asParadise Lost,My Dying Bride andAnathema combined the sounds of mid-1980sCeltic Frost andCandlemass with the use of female vocals,[96] keyboards and, in the case of My Dying Bride, violins.
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Drone metal, also known as drone doom, began as a derivative ofdoom metal and it is largely defined bydrones; notes or chords that aresustained and repeated throughout a piece of music. Typically, the electric guitar is performed with large amounts ofreverb andfeedback,[97] while vocals, if present, are usually growled or screamed. Songs are often very long and lackbeat orrhythm in the traditional sense. Drone doom is generally influenced bydrone music,[97]noise music[97] andminimalist music.[97] The style emerged in the early 1990s and was pioneered byEarth,[98]Boris[97] andSunn O))).[97]
Funeral doom is a style of doom metal that crossesdeath-doom withfuneral dirge music. It is played at a very slow tempo and places an emphasis on evoking a sense of emptiness and despair. Typically, electric guitars are heavily distorted, anddark ambient aspects such as keyboards or synthesizers are often used to create a "dreamlike" atmosphere. Vocals consist of mournful chants or growls and are often in the background. Funeral doom was pioneered byMournful Congregation (Australia),Esoteric (United Kingdom),Evoken (United States),Funeral (Norway),Thergothon (Finland),Skepticism (Finland) andCorrupted (Japan).
Sludge metal began in the early–to–mid–1980s when hardcore punk bands likeBlack Flag andFlipper began slowing their tempos and incorporating elements of doom metal.[99] This style then spread toWashington, where theMelvins would go on to be described by publications such asRevolver as the band that "invented sludge".[100] By the 1990s,Louisiana developed one of the largest and influential sludge metal scenes, with bands likeAcid Bath,Crowbar,Down andEyehategod.[101] Many sludge bands compose slow and heavy songs that contain brief hardcore passages.[102][103] However, some bands emphasize fast tempos throughout their music.[104] The string instruments are heavilydistorted and are often played with large amounts offeedback to produce an abrasive, sludgy sound. Drumming is often performed in typical doom metal fashion, but drummers may employ hardcored-beat or double-kick drumming during faster passages. Vocals are usually shouted or screamed, and lyrics are generally pessimistic in nature. Suffering, drug abuse, politics, and anger towards society are common lyrical themes.[105]
Stoner rock or stoner metal is typically slow-to-mid tempo, low-tuned, and bass-heavy.[106] It combines elements ofpsychedelic rock,blues rock anddoom metal, often with melodic vocals and 'retro' production.[107] The genre emerged during the early 1990s, and was pioneered foremost by the Californian bandsKyuss[108] andSleep.[109] Other prominent stoner metal bands includeAcid King andElectric Wizard.
Extreme metal consists of a number of relatedheavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s, usually characterized by a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound nearly always associated with genres likeblack metal,death metal,doom metal,thrash metal, and sometimesspeed metal.[110] Extreme Metal music is largely characterised by its sonic extremity. This can be seen in the genre’s utilisation of extreme forms of tempo (both slow and fast), unconventional song structures, sound-scapes of amplified distortion and vocal manipulations, and lyrical themes that include death, violence and the occult.[111]
Folk metal is one of the youngest genres of metal. Folk metal may have originated in 1991 with the British band Skyclad featuring their debut album, The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth.[112]
Extreme metal is by definition acounterculture. Though many extreme sub-styles are not very well known to mainstream music fans, extreme metal has influenced an array of musical performers inside and outside of heavy metal.
Examples of extreme metal bands includeMeshuggah,Cradle of Filth,Celtic Frost,Strapping Young Lad,Dissection, and the first two albums ofVenom.
Folk metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditionalfolk music. This includes the widespread use offolk instruments and, to a lesser extent, traditional singing styles (for example, Dutch bandHeidevolk, Danish band Sylvatica and Spanish band Stone of Erech).
The earliest example of folk metal was the English band Golgotha, whose 1984 EPDangerous Games contained a mixture ofnew wave of British heavy metal and folk styles. The genre was not further developed, however, until the emergence of another English band,Skyclad. Their debut albumThe Wayward Sons of Mother Earth was released in 1990. It was not until 1994 and 1995 that other early contributors in the genre began to emerge from different regions of Europe as well as in Israel. Among these early groups, the Irish bandCruachan and the German bandSubway to Sally each spearheaded a different regional variation that over time became known asCeltic metal andmedieval metal respectively. Despite their contributions, folk metal remained little known with few representatives during the 1990s. It was not until the early 2000s when the genre exploded into prominence, particularly in Finland, with the efforts of such groups asFinntroll,Ensiferum,Korpiklaani,Turisas, andMoonsorrow.
The music of folk metal is characterized by its diversity, with bands known to perform different styles of both heavy metal music and folk music. A large variety of folk instruments are used in the genre with many bands consequently featuring six or more members in their regular line-ups. A few bands are also known to rely on keyboards to simulate the sound of folk instruments. Lyrics in the genre commonly deal withmythology, history, andnature.
Celtic metal is a subgenre of folk metal that developed in the 1990s in Ireland. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion ofheavy metal music andCeltic music. The early pioneers of the genre were the three Irish bandsCruachan,Primordial andWaylander. The genre has since expanded beyond Irish shores and is known to be performed today by bands from numerous other countries.
Pirate metal is a subgenre of folk metal that blendsheavy metal,thrash metal, and sometimesspeed metal withpirate mythology, and, commonly, elements ofsea shanties. The style was influenced heavily by German heavy metal bandRunning Wild and its third studio album,Under Jolly Roger. Popular Pirate metal bands includeAlestorm andSwashbuckle.
Pagan metal isheavy metal music which fusesextreme metal with "the pre-Christian traditions of a specific culture or region through thematic concept, rustic melodies, unusual instruments or archaic languages",[113][114] usually referring tofolk metal orblack metal. The Norwegian bandIn the Woods... was one of the first bands commonly viewed as pagan metal.[115][116]Metal Hammer author Marc Halupczok wrote thatPrimordial's song "To Enter Pagan" from the band's demo "Dark Romanticism" contributed to defining the genre.[117] Pagan metal bands are often associated withViking metal and folk metal. Bands such asMoonsorrow andKampfar have been identified as fitting within all three of those genres.[118][119]
Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is the visual style of certainheavy metal bands that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los AngelesSunset Strip music scene. It was popular throughout the 1980s and briefly in the early 1990s, combining the flamboyant look ofglam rock and playing a commercial hard rock/heavy metal musical style. The termHair bands was popularized byMTV in the 1990s and derives from the tendency among glam metal acts to style their long hair in ateased-up fashion. Many of the bands donned make-up to achieve anandrogynous look, similar to that of some 1970s glam rock acts.Mötley Crüe,Stryper,Bon Jovi,Poison andRatt are examples of bands who adopted the glam metal look in their stage attire and their music video imagery. Newer bands includeBlack Veil Brides andSteel Panther.
Gothic metal is characterized as a combination of the dark atmospheres ofgothic rock anddark wave with the heaviness ofdoom metal.[120] The genre originated during the mid-1990s in Europe as an outgrowth ofdeath-doom, a fusion genre of doom metal anddeath metal. Pioneers of Gothic metal include Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride and Anathema, all from the North of England. Other pioneers from the first half of the 1990s include Type O Negative from the United States, Tiamat from Sweden and The Gathering from the Netherlands.[121] Examples of gothic metal bands includeParadise Lost,My Dying Bride,Anathema,Tiamat,Type O Negative,Moonspell,Theatre of Tragedy,Lacrimosa andLacuna Coil.
Grindcore is a fusion ofcrust punk,hardcore punk, andthrash metal ordeath metal. It is characterized by growling vocals, blast beats, and incredibly short songs with lyrics that are often focused on gore and violence, though sometimes the lyrics can be political. Grindcore, in contrast to death metal, is often very chaotic, and lacks the standard use of time signatures. The style was pioneered by the British bandNapalm Death in the eighties. Other notable grindcore bands includeBrutal Truth,Agoraphobic Nosebleed, andPig Destroyer.
Deathgrind, sometimes written as death-grind or death/grind, is a musical genre that fusesdeath metal andgrindcore. Deathgrind has been described as "grindcore and brutal death metal colliding head on."[122]Danny Lilker described deathgrind as "combining the technicality of death metal with the intensity of grindcore."[123] Death/grind emphasizes overall musical brutality with a specific focus on fast tempos and retains grindcore's traditional abruptness.[124] Notable bands includeCattle Decapitation andMisery Index.
Goregrind is a subgenre ofgrindcore anddeath metal.[125] Early examples of the genre includeRepulsion'sHorrified,Impetigo'sUltimo Mondo Cannibale,[126] and the first two studio albums ofCarcass, which defined the genre.[127] In itsReek of Putrefaction-era, Carcass usedpitch shifters, medical imagery, and, in a deviation from the frequently political or left-wing lyrics commonly used in thehardcore punk and grindcore scenes, gory, anatomical references in its lyrics.
Pornogrind, also known as porno grind, porno-grind or porn grind, is a musical subgenre ofgrindcore anddeath metal, which lyrically deals with sexual themes. Natalie Purcell's bookDeath Metal Music: The Passion and Politics of a Subculture, suggests that pornogrind is defined solely on the basis of its lyrical content and unique imagery, its focus on pornographic content. Purcell notes that bands likeGut include "simpler, slower, and more rock-like songs". The artwork for pornogrind bands' albums is noted for its extreme and potentially offensive nature, which "would keep them out of most stores".[citation needed] an example of the genre isCock and Ball Torture.
The 21st century also saw the development of "electrogrind" (or "cybergrind"),[128][129] practiced byThe Berzerker,Body Hammer,Gigantic Brain andGenghis Tron which borrows fromelectronic music.[130] These groups built on the work of Agoraphobic Nosebleed,Enemy Soil and The Locust, as well as industrial metal.[128] The Berzerker also appropriated the distortedRoland TR-909kick drums ofgabber producers.[131] Many later electrogrind groups were caricatured for their hipster connections.[128]
Industrial metal combines elements ofindustrial music andheavy metal. It is usually centered around repetitive metal guitar riffs,sampling, synthesizer orsequencer lines, and distorted vocals.[132] Prominent industrial metal groups includeRammstein,Ministry,Nine Inch Nails,KMFDM,Fear Factory,Marilyn Manson,Rob Zombie[133] andGodflesh.[134]
Some musicians emerging from thedeath metal scene, such asFear Factory,Nailbomb,Autokrator andMeathook Seed, also began to experiment with industrial. Fear Factory, from Los Angeles,[135] were initially influenced by theEarache roster (namelyGodflesh,Napalm Death andBolt Thrower).[136] The German bandOomph!, after their second albumSperm, started to play industrial metal combined with elements ofdeath metal andgroove metal, until the albumPlastik.Sepultura singerMax Cavalera'sNailbomb, a collaboration with Alex Newport, also practiced a combination of extreme metal and industrial production techniques.[137] A lesser-known example of industrial death metal isMeathook Seed, made up of members of Napalm Death and the Florida death metal groupObituary. An industrial music fan, Obituary guitarist Trevor Peres suggesteddrum machines forThe End Complete,[138] Obituary's most successful album.[139] The other band members' refusal led him to form Meathook Seed.[140]
In the early years of the 21st century, groups from theblack metal scene began to incorporate elements of industrial music.Mysticum, formed in 1991,[141] was the first of these groups.[142] The most famous scene was Samel, who went from pure black metal to a sound that breathed industrial air into their album Passage. Industrial Black Metal combines the original black metal vocals with black metal and industrial percussion elements.[143]DHG (Dødheimsgard),Thorns from Norway, andBlut Aus Nord, N.K.V.D. andBlacklodge from France, have been acclaimed for their incorporation of industrial elements.[144]
At its core,Kawaii metal (also known as idol metal[145] or cute metal[146]) fuses aspects ofheavy metal andJ-pop,[147][148][149] however usually uses elements ofpower metal mixed withindustrial metal keyboards and synthesizers,japanese idol aesthetic and vocals,[150] shredding guitar solos and flashing drums[151] with occasional usage ofmelodic death metal andpost-hardcoreunclean vocals andtraditional Japanese musical instruments.[150] Kawaii metal grew out of thejapanese idol in the late 2000s and early 2010s, being pioneered by bands likeDazzle Vision,Babymetal andLadybaby.[150]
Latin metal is a genre ofmetal music withLatin origins, influences, and instrumentation, such as Spanish vocals,Latin percussion and rhythm such asSalsa rhythm. Prominent bands in this genre includeA.N.I.M.A.L.,Ill Niño,Nonpoint, andSoulfly.
Metalcore combinesheavy metal andhardcore punk. Generally, metalcore guitarists use heavy guitarriffs and solos, drummers frequently use hardcoreblast beats and double bass drums, and vocalists use a vocal style which includesdeath growls andscreaming. As withmelodic metalcore, some later bands originating in the 21st century combine both harsh and clean vocals. A distinguishing characteristic is the "breakdown", whereby the song is slowed to half-time, and the guitarists play open strings to achieve the lowest-pitched sound. Prominent metalcore bands includeHatebreed,Bury Your Dead,Killswitch Engage,Architects,While She Sleeps,Bleeding Through,Integrity,Unearth, andParkway Drive. Original metalcore bands from the 1990s includedEarth Crisis,Hatebreed,Integrity andConverge. More modern bands includeKillswitch Engage,Underoath,All That Remains,Trivium,As I Lay Dying,Bullet for My Valentine,Asking Alexandria,Shadows Fall,Unearth,Atreyu, andBleeding Through.
Melodic metalcore is afusion genre which combines sounds and traits frommelodic death metal withhardcore punk,metalcore and occasionallyemo.[152] Melodic metalcore bands includeTrivium,[153][154]All That Remains,[155]Atreyu,[152][156][157]Bullet for My Valentine,[158]Bury Tomorrow,[159]Darkest Hour,[156]Asking Alexandria,[160]As I Lay Dying,[161][162]August Burns Red[163][164][165] andThe Devil Wears Prada.[166]
Melodic metalcore bands have big influences, guitarriffs, and writing styles from Swedishmelodic death metal bands, such asAt the Gates,Arch Enemy,In Flames andSoilwork.[156][167] They tend to have strong use of instrumentalmelody. Many melodic metalcore vocalists use clean singing techniques, as well asgrowls andscreaming. It also can feature harmonic guitarriffs,tremolo picking,double bass drums andmetalcore-stylizedbreakdowns.[168][169][170] Some bands also may featureguitar solos.[157] A few of these groups, likeShadows Fall, have some appreciation for 1980sglam metal.[171] Melodic metalcore groups have been described as "embrac[ing] '80smetal clichés", such as "inordinate amounts of smoke machines, rippin'solos, [and] three bass drums."[157]
Deathcore combines elements ofdeath metal with elements of metalcore orhardcore punk, or both.[172][173] It is defined by an "excessive" use of death metalriffs,blast beats and use of hardcore punkbreakdowns.[174][175] Some prominent bands includethe Acacia Strain,Carnifex,Despised Icon,Suicide Silence,Rings of Saturn,Thy Art is Murder,Lorna Shore andWhitechapel.
Mathcore is a rhythmically complex and dissonant style of heavy metal and hardcore punk, though many groups draw mainly from metalcore. It has its roots in bands such asConverge,[176]Botch,[177][178] andThe Dillinger Escape Plan.[179] The termmathcore is suggested byanalogy withmath rock. Both math rock and mathcore make use ofunusual time signatures. Prominent mathcore groups have been associated withgrindcore.[180][181][182]
Electronicore (also known as synthcore or trancecore) is fusion genre ofmetalcore with elements of variouselectronic music genres,[183] such astrance,electronica, anddubstep.[184] The term electronicore is aportmanteau ofelectronic andmetalcore. Notable artists of this genre have originated from the United Kingdom (Asking Alexandria),[185] the United States (I See Stars,Sky Eats Airplane),[186][187] Australia, Canada (Abandon All Ships),[188] France,[189] Ukraine (Make Me Famous),[190] Hong Kong (BLAK,Soul Of Ears),[191][192] Japan (Crossfaith),[193] South Korea (In Your Face),[194][195] and Malaysia (Sekumpulan Orang Gila).[196]
Nu metalcore (sometimes referred to as nu metal revival or new nu metal)[197][198] is the fusion genre ofnu metal andmetalcore that began in the 2000s, and gained popularity in the 2010s.[199] Some of the notable groups have also taken influence fromR&B,[199]industrial metal,[197]post-hardcore,[200] anddeathcore.[201]
Progressive metalcore (also called technical metalcore or ambient metalcore) is a fusion ofprogressive metal andmetalcore, characterized by highly technicallead guitar, "atmospheric" elements, and complex instrumentation.
Neoclassical metal, also known as shred metal, is a subgenre that is heavily influenced byclassical music in its style of composition. It uses a very technical style of guitar soloing calledshred guitar, in which guitarists usecrosspicking,sweep picking, andeconomy picking to play rapid scales andarpeggios. As well, it uses elements borrowed from classical music; including instruments, scales and melodies.Yngwie J. Malmsteen,Tony MacAlpine, andVinnie Moore are prominent performers in this genre.
Neue Deutsche Härte ("New German Hardness") describes acrossover style that is influenced byNew German Wave,alternative metal, andgroove metal, combining it with elements fromindustrial,electronica, andtechno.[202] The lyrics are generally in German, anddance metal is the term most commonly used to describeNeue Deutsche Härte songs sung in other languages. NDH uses the basic setup of instruments for metal: electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, and vocals, along with keyboard, synthesizers,samples, and occasionally, additional percussion. Emphasis is on a demonstration of predominance, by over-pronouncing certainsyllables and letters (such as theuvular oralveolar trill). The vocals are thus dominantly presented in deep, male, and clean voice.[202] Some bands use screaming anddeath growls, which is also common, being heard in certain songs byOomph!,Rammstein,Stahlhammer,Samsas Traum andMegaherz. NDH imagery is often strongly masculine, and at times militaristic, depending on the group and the song. Guitars are tuned low, usually to drop D or C, and are generally heavily distorted.
This heavy metal movement takes influences frompost-rock. While it is, in many aspects, similar to post-rock, post-metal tends to include lower-tuned guitars, distorted guitar(s), heavy atmospherics, gradual evolution of song structure, and a minimal emphasis on vocals. 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. Bands likeNeurosis,Isis,Cult of Luna andPelican write lengthy songs (typically five or six per album), that can range from light and guitar-driven to heavy anddrum and bass-driven.
Power metal takes influence from heavy metal and speed metal, and often emphasizes clean, melodic, high-pitched vocals, and fast pacing that is mostly driven by double bass drumming and melodic lead guitar. Therhythm guitar is defined by straightpower chord progressions. Occasionally, harsh vocals are used, but usually only as backing vocals. Power metal lyrics usually involve fantasy themes. The songs often have a theatrical, epic, and emotionally "powerful" sound.[203] Power metal is generally more upbeat than other metal genres, seeking to empower the listener and inspire joy and courage.
The term was first used in the middle of the 1980s,[204] and refers to two different but related styles: the first, pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a later, more widespread and popular style based in Europe (especially Germany, Finland, Italy and Scandinavia), Latin America (Argentina, Brazil) and Japan, with a lighter, more melodic sound and frequent use of keyboards. Examples of power metal bands includeDragonForce,Blind Guardian,Helloween,Sonata Arctica,Angra,Sabaton,Stratovarius,Kamelot,Rhapsody of Fire,Powerwolf andHammerFall.
Progressive metal is a fusion betweenprogressive rock and heavy metal. It is one of heavy metal's more complex genres, due to its use of unusual and dynamictime signatures, long compositions, complex compositional structures, and skilled instrumental playing, where instrumental solos are detailed and extended. However, the latest age of progressive metal has favored rougher lyrics and lower-pitched riff sequences with high amounts of strumming. Vocals, if present, are melodic (though there are a few that use unclean vocals), and lyrics are often philosophical,spiritual, or political. Many bands of the genre were influenced by the progressive rock bandsRush andKing Crimson, who would often incorporate elements of heavy metal into their music. Examples of the genre includeQueensrÿche,Savatage,Dream Theater,Opeth,Tool,Fates Warning,Mastodon,Gojira andPain of Salvation.
Djent, also known as djent metal,[205] is a musical subgenre that emerged as a spin-off fromprogressive metal.[206][207] The word "djent" is anonomatopoeia for a heavilypalm-muted, distorted guitar chord. Typically, the word is used to refer to music that makes use of this sound, to the sound itself, or to the scene that revolves around it.[208] Djent as a style has been described as featuring heavily palm-muted, distorted guitar chords alongsidevirtuoso soloing,[206] and is characterized by rhythmic complexity and palm-mutedriffing.[209] Pioneering bands in the style areBorn of Osiris,Meshuggah,Periphery,Animals As Leaders,Tesseract, andTextures.
Progressive metalcore (also called technical metalcore or ambient metalcore) is a fusion ofprogressive metal andmetalcore characterized by highly technical lead guitar, "atmospheric" elements, and complex instrumentation.[210][211][37][201] Some notable practitioners take influence fromdjent.[212][213][214] Examples of progressive metalcore bands includeAfter the Burial,Erra,Northlane,Invent Animate, andVolumes.
Speed metal originated in the late 1970s and early 1980s out of thenew wave of British heavy metal, and was the direct musical progenitor ofthrash metal.[215] When speed metal first emerged as a genre, it increased the tempos that had been used by early heavy metal bands, while retaining their melodic approaches. Influenced byhardcore punk, speed metal is very fast, abrasive, and technically demanding.[38] Examples of speed metal includeDorsal Atlantica,Venom,Motörhead andAnvil.
Symphonic metal is a cross-generic style designation for the symphonic subsets of heavy metal music subgenres. It is used to denote any metal band that makes use of symphonic or orchestral elements. Symphonic metal bands can feature classically trained vocalists, in which case they can be attributed nicknames such as opera metal or operatic metal. Examples of symphonic metal includeBeliever,Therion,Nightwish,Rhapsody of Fire,Epica,Within Temptation, andThe Gathering.
Thrash metal is often regarded as the first form ofextreme metal. It is generally characterized by its fast tempos, complexity and aggression. Thrash metal guitar playing is most notable for the "chugging" sound it creates through low-pitchedpalm muted riffs, and high-pitchedshred guitar solos. Drummers often use double-kick and double-bass drumming. Vocals are most often shouted or sung in an aggressive manner.
Thrash metal evolved fromspeed metal,NWOBHM and earlyhardcore punk at the beginning of the 1980s. Bands such asMetallica,Slayer,Megadeth andAnthrax spearheaded thrash metal, and are referred to as the genre's "Big Four", while on the European side,Sodom,Kreator,Destruction, andTankard form the so-called "Big Teutonic Four".
Crossover thrash, often abbreviated to "crossover,"[216] and sometimes called also "punk metal," is a form ofthrash metal that contains morehardcore punk elements than standard thrash. The genre lies on a continuum betweenheavy metal andpunk rock. The genre is often confused withthrashcore, which is essentially a faster hardcore punk rather than a more punk-oriented form of metal.[217][218]Corrosion of Conformity,Dirty Rotten Imbeciles,Stormtroopers of Death andSuicidal Tendencies are major bands in the genre.
Groove metal, also known as neo-thrash, post-thrash, or power groove, consists of slow or mid-tempo and down tuned thrash riffs,bluesy guitar solos, greatly emphasized drum work, and harsh vocals that generally consist of screaming, shouting, and raspy singing. Examples of groove metal includePantera,Exhorder,Lamb of God,Machine Head,DevilDriver,Jinjer,Sepultura andA.N.I.M.A.L.
Traditional heavy metal, also known as classic metal[219] or often simply heavy metal, is the group of bands and artists who play a metal music style similar to the style heard before the genre evolved and splintered into many different styles and subgenres.[220] It is characterized by mid-to-fast-temporiffs, by thumping basslines, crunchy riffs, extended lead guitar solos, and clean, often high-pitched vocals and anthemic choruses. It is not generally categorized as a subgenre of metal, but the main genre of it. Examples includeBlack Sabbath,Deep Purple,Led Zeppelin,Judas Priest,Iron Maiden,Van Halen[221][222] andDio.
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More recently in the 2010s, the term "new wave of traditional heavy metal" (often abbreviated as NWOTHM) has been used to describe a new wave of bands with a newly found interest in the style, particularly the late 70s and early 80snew wave of British heavy metal variant that has influencedspeed metal andpower metal; some of these bands are indeed a mixture of these genres while combining more elements of the classical sound, or mimic the style at the time that would soon evolve into them.
Examples of NWOTHM bands include: Helvetets Port, Portrait,Enforcer,Cauldron,White Wizzard,Fury UK,Striker (Ca),Battle Beast, and more recentlySeax, Visigoth, Blackslash (De), and Angel Sword.
The cover of the latest Revolver Magazine features members of As I Lay Dying,Norma Jean, Underoath and Demon Hunter. The photo goes along with an extensive write-up on Christian Metal, which they've dubbed "phenomenon of the year."
And where secular Black Metal thrived, so did its Christian counterpart, Unblack Metal, with names likeSatanicide, Neversatan, and Satan's Doom.
"Death 'n' roll" arose with Entombed's 1993 album Wolverine Blues ... Wolverine Blues was like '70s hard rock tuned down and run through massive distortion and death growls.
Erase, was released in 1994 and found the band moving subtly toward more traditional forms of metal, partly through its sure sense of groove. That approach crystallized on 1996's Soul Survivor, which combined death metal with the elegant power and accessibility of '70s British metal.
Predating both Black Flag and the Melvins in reversing punk's tendency towards escape velocity tempos, Flipper would extend their set into sludgy jams (venues would often have to pull the plug), distorted, beer-soaked trance-inducing mantras that led to their infamous 'Grateful Dead of punk' tag. Best known in the underground consciousness for their vital influence on Nirvana (Kurt Cobain was often photographed in a Flipper shirt while Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic briefly joined a reformed Flipper in the late noughties) they were formed by Vietnam vet Ted Falconi, with bassist Will Shatter, singer Ricky Williams and drummer DePace in 1979. Debut LP Album Generic Flipper (1982) primal. The genesis of sludge metal is writ large on the doom- laden eight-minute trudge of '(I Saw You) Shine', which pivots on a slow-creeping bassline over which Ted Falconi's guitar atonally drones while Ricky Williams wails about 'lights going out' and 'flesh stripping from bones'. An atmosphere of mental disarray prevails. 'Way of the World' riffs on eternal doom while 'Life is Cheap' brings a mournful atmosphere, almost gothic in portentous dread, as Williams offers a dirge-like mantra on the futility of existence. Shards of angular noise, off-beat, jazz-inflected rhythms and angst-ridden screams - taken at volume it becomes a power dirge that threatens to overwhelm.
[Kyuss] almost single handed invented the phrase 'Stoner Rock'. They achieved this by tuning way down and summoning up a subterranean, organic sound...
Stoner metal could be campy and self-aware, messily evocative, or unabashedly retro.
...they are widely acknowledged as pioneers of the booming stoner rock scene of the 1990s...
Eine der ersten Gruppen, die übereinstimmend als Pagan Metal-Band bezeichnet wurde, waren bekanntlich In The Woods...
1992 gegründet, wurden In The Woods... als eine der ersten Bands überhaupt als reine Pagan-Band bezeichnet oder dem Black Metal zugerechnet.
Mit 'To Enter Pagan' vom Demo DARK ROMANTICISM definierten sie ein ganzes Genre mit.
{{cite book}}:|work= ignored (help){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Overcome offers very dependable melodic metalcore in the spirit of All That Remains' albums past, without succumbing to outright stagnation.
Atreyu's debut album, Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses, is an invigorating foray into melodic metalcore in the vein of Darkest Hour, Poison the Well, and Eighteen Visions.
If you're wondering whether they bring anything unique or unexpected to the table, the answer is no. Is Portraits a pleasurable enough melodic metalcore album while it's playing? Absolutely.
most electronicore is essentially metalcore with some synths tacked on for good measure
... the djent-influenced progressive metalcore band Northlane ...
... a riveting adventure in groovy, progressive metalcore which is equal parts spacey and brutal and is dynamic enough to immerse the listener in galactic calm whilst drowning them slowly in crushing heaviness. Instrumentally, Solace function as a well-oiled machine crafting an almost-djent influenced melodic and fluid sound.
