Venom
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Thrash Metal & Others |
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Metallica
Megadeath
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The story of Metal Music is one of
splintering, diversity and creativity. From the emergence of Heavy Metal in the late 1960s, there has been a massive fragmentation of metal into many subgenres, most distinguishable by image and appearance, theatre, although all supported by subtle and in some cases, and distinct differenes in heavy music style. Below is a snap shot of some of the major subgenres (sometimes labelled 'underground') that did emerge. Collectively all are essential ingredients in modern popular music. |
Anthrax
Slayer
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Thrash Metal
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Thrash metal emerged in the early 1980s. It was influenced by hardcore punk and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal particularly songs in the revved-up style known as 'Speed Metal'. The sound developed by thrash groups was faster and more aggressive than the original metal bands and their glam metal successors. Thrash Metal lyrics often express nihilistic views or deal with social issues using visceral, gory language. Thrash has been described as a form of "urban blight music" and "a palefaced cousin of rap." The big four of Thrash are: Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, and Slayer, while three German bands, Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction, played a central role in bringing the style to Europe. There are many others. Some bands including Slayer have been accused of flirting with and attracting neo- Nazi elements.
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Metallica - Master Of Death
Slayer - Raining Blood
Megadeth - Countdown To Extinction
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Death Metal
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Thrash Metal soon also split into more extreme metal 'genres'. Emerging during the mid-1980s. 'Death Metal' has been prominent among these. Of musicians in this genre Chuck Schuldner has been largely recognised as the father of 'Death Metal', while Slayer's music was considered directly responsible for the rise of this sub-genre, as was the band 'Venom'. The Death Metal movement in the West is perhaps best known for emphasizing such things as blasphemy and diabolism. Musically, it utilizes the speed and aggression of both thrash and hardcore, fused with lyrics preoccupied with 'slasher' movie violence and Satanism. Death metal vocals are typically bleak, involving guttural "death growls", high-pitched screaming, the "death rasp" and other uncommon techniques. Complementing the deep, aggressive vocal style are downtuned, highly distorted guitars and extremely fast percussion, often with rapid double bass drumming and "wall of sound"–style blast beats. In terms of style, Death Metal, like Thrash Metal, generally rejects the theatrics of earlier metal styles, opting instead for an everyday look of ripped jeans and plain leather jacket. Metal bands such as Slayer, Kreator, Celtic Frost, and Venom were important influences in the emergence of this genre. Possessed and Death, along with bands such as Obituary, Carcass, Deicide, Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel are often considered pioneers of the genre. |
Possessed - Death Metal
Slayer - Angel Of Death
Venom - Welcome To Hell
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Slayer
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Venom
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Kreator
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Celtic Frost
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Cannibal Corpse
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Black Metal
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Another sub- genre is Black Metal. This emerged in
Europe in the early and mid-1980s, led by Britian's Venom, Denmark's Mercyful Fate, Switzerland's Hellhammer and Celtic Frost, and Sweden's Bathory. By the late 1980s, Norwegian bands such as Mayhem and Burzum were heading a second wave. Black metal varies considerably in style and production quality, although most bands emphasize shrieked and growled vocals, highly distorted guitars frequently played with rapid tremolo picking, a "dark" atmosphere and intentionally lo-fi production, with ambient noise and background hiss. Satanic themes are common in black metal, though many bands take inspiration from ancient paganism, promoting a return to pre-Christian values. Numerous black metal bands also "experiment with sounds from all possible forms of metal, folk, classical music, electronica and avant-garde." By 1990, Mayhem was regularly wearing corpsepaint; many other black metal acts also adopted the look. Some bands in the Scandinavian black metal scene became associated with much violence in the early 1990s, with Mayhem and Burzum linked to church burnings. Growing commercial hype around death metal soon generated a backlash; beginning in Norway, much of the Scandinavian metal underground shifted to support a black metal scene resistant of being co- opted by the commercial metal industry. According to Gorgoroth vocalist Gaahl, "Black Metal was never meant to reach an audience.... [We] had a common enemy which was ..., Christianity, socialism and everything that democracy stands for." |
Mayhem
Mercyful Fate
Celtic Frost
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Mercyful Fate
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Hellhammer
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Mayhem
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Bathory
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Power Metal
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Yet another subgenre is Power Metal. During the late 1980s, the power metal scene came together largely in reaction to the harshness of death and black metal. Though a relatively underground style in North America, it enjoys wide popularity in Europe, Japan, and South America. Power metal focuses on upbeat, epic melodies and themes that "appeal to the listener's sense of valor and loveliness." The prototype for the sound was established in the mid-to-late 1980s by Germany's Helloween, which combined the power riffs, melodic approach, and high-pitched, singing styles of bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden with thrash's speed and energy, a combination now known as power metal. Traditional power metal bands are considered to include Sweden's HammerFall, England's DragonForce, Florida's Iced Earth and Kamelot, among others. Many of these bands including Nightwish, Rhapsody of Fire, and Russia's Catharsis feature a keyboard- based "symphonic" sound, sometimes employing orchestras and opera singers. Progressive Metal Closely related to power metal is progressive metal, which adopts the complex compositional approach of bands like Rush and King Crimson. This style emerged in the United States in the early and mid-1980s. |
Hammerfall
Helloween
Dragon Force
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Helloween
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Nightwish
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Iced Earth
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Catharsis
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Doom, Gothic Metal & Others:
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Doom And of course there have been many others. Doom Metal emerged in the mid- 1980s with such bands as Saint Vitus, The Obsessed, Trouble, and Candlemass, Doom Metal rejected other metal styles' emphasis on speed, slowing its music right down. This music traces its roots to the lyrical themes and musical approach of early Black Sabbath. Doom emphasizes melody, melancholy tempos, and a sepulchral mood relative to other metal varieties of metal. |
The Obsessed
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Sludge, Stoner, & Drone Metal In the late 1980s, Sludge Metal emerged mixing doom and hardcore. Such bands included Eyehategod and Crowbar. Stoner Metal soon also emerged with such bands as Kyuss and Sleep. Drone Metal was introduced by bands such as Earth helped develop the drone metal subgenre. |
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Glam Metal
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And then there was Glam Metal (often cynically referred to as 'Light Metal' or 'Hair Metal)'. By the mid- 1980s, glam metal was dominant on the U.S. charts, music television, and the arena concert circuit. Major bands included Warrant,Poison and Cinderella while Mötley Crüe and Ratt remained very popular. Bridging the stylistic gap between hard rock and glam metal, Bon Jovi became enormously successful as did Europe, and more particularly Guns N' Roses, and Jane's Addiction. And don't forget Twisted Sister. Fashion and personal style was especially important for glam metal bands of the era. Performers typically wore long, dyed, hairspray- teased hair (hence the nickname, "hair metal"); makeup such as lipstick and eyeliner; gaudy clothing, including leopard-skin-printed shirts or vests and tight denim, leather, or spandex pants; and accessories such as headbands and jewelry. |
Bon Jovi - Living On A Prayer
Poison - Every Rose Has Its Thorn
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Guns & Roses - Sweet Child O Mine
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Nu Metal In the mid- and late 1990s came a new wave of U.S. metal groups inspired by the alternative metal bands and their mix of genres.Dubbed "nu metal", these bands included Slipknot, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, Korn and Disturbed. Nu Metal incorporated elements ranging from death metal to hip hop, often including DJs and rap-style vocals. Nu metal gained mainstream success through heavy MTV rotation and Ozzy Osbourne's 1996 introduction of Ozzfest, which led the media to talk of a resurgence of heavy metal. |
Slipknot - Psychosocial
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Alternative Metal Many of the most popular early 1990s groups with roots in heavy metal fall under the umbrella term "alternative metal." Bands at the centre were Soundgarden and Alice in Chains. The label was applied to a wide spectrum of other acts that fused metal with different styles such as: Faith No More, Primus, Tool, Fear Factory, Ministry and Nine Inch Nails. Marilyn Manson also did similar but also employed shock effects of the sort popularized by Alice Cooper. Alternative metal artists, though they did not represent a cohesive scene, were united by their willingness to experiment with the metal genre and their rejection of glam metal aesthetics. 
Marilyn Manson
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Alice In Chains
Marilyn Manson
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Soundgarden
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Nineinchnails
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Alice In Chains
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Fear Factory
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At the time of writing there have been many, many more Heavy Metal bands and the
sub-genres they either invented or participated in, such as Metal Core, Retro-Metal,
and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (with bands such as Iron Maiden, Saxon
and Def Leppard and |Motorhead).
The Wind Up
The era of metal's mainstream dominance in Western Popular Music (in the US) largely
came to an end in the early 1990s with the emergence of Grunge and other genres.
Grunge acts were influenced by the heavy metal sound, but rejected the excesses of the
more popular metal bands, such as their "flashy and virtuosic solos" and "appearance-
driven" MTV orientation. However Metal remains a force in Pop music as does the
band Metallica.
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Twisted Sister
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