The different genres of metal
 

At the request of the mods, I'm making this thread to get stickied. Seeing as how there are numerous threads asking "What's the difference between genre X and genre Y?", hopefully this will curb some of those. NOTE: This is a very general guideline and not a definitive carved in stone definition. While I may put a band in with one genre, that doesn't mean that they might not fit into more than one sub-genre. I think most people here know my main area of interest is death and black metal so if you disagree with some of my opinions or band lists...fine.

[U]Traditional heavy Metal[/U]
This is kind of a "catch all". There are plenty of sub-genres, but there are lots of bands that don't fit any sub-genre and can't really be called anything except "heavy metal". This can be basically anything from the old school British heavy metal invation to the newer stuff coming out today (not to be confused with nu-metal). This is what most people think of when they hear "Power metal" or such terms. Lots of different styles can be considered traditional heavy metal. Some bands: Iron Maiden, Judas Preist, Iced Earth, Godsmack, Manowar, Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall etc etc etc etc.

[U]Thrash metal[/U]
Thrash really started to come into play in the early 1980's. It was in one way, an answer to the more popular "hair metal" bands of the time. Thrash grew out of older metal such as Black Sabbath combined with chunkier riffs, speed, agrresive vocals, and even some punk. Thrash metal is concentrated more heavily on speed and aggression than it's predacessors. Key bands: Metallica (old stuff), Slayer, Anthrax, Kreator, Sodom, Megadeth, Exodus, Overkill, Nuclear Assault, Sabbat (UK), Darkane etc etc.

[U]Doom Metal[/U]
Where thrash metal concentrates on being fast and aggressive, doom concentrates on being slower, lower and groovier. Many consider Black Sabbath to be the fathers of doom. Typically the music is slow and heavy. Guitars are tuned down and the vocals are usually clean, although growls do slip in on occasion. Also, while death and black metal are generally more aggressive lyrically, doom metal is very meloncholic, depressive and gives an extremly dark vibe. The music can range quite a bit from the extremely slloooooow all clean vocals, to the faster (but still relatively slow) doom/death bands. Check out [url]http://www.doom-metal.com[/url] for some good information and a pretty large list of bands. Key bands: Candlemass, St. Vitus, Unsilence, My Dying Bride, Katatonia, Paradise Lost etc etc.

[U]Death Metal[/U]
Death metal is the opposite end of the spectrum from doom metal. There are a few different schools of death metal. Generally speaking though, the music is fast, aggressive, low. The bass line is usually more pronounced than in other metal sub-genres. The vocal style is trademark to death metal. Usually vocals are growled or grunted. Blast beat drums are very prevalent. The most common misconception is that death metal is all about death and gore and killing and the likes. This is most certainly not the case. While many bands do sing about this type of thing, there are tons of great bands that do not limit themselves to lyrics like that. Lyrics can range to include religion, spirituality, fantasy and beyond. The music can range from the very aggressive and brutal (Aborted, Iniquity, Suffocation) to the more melodic (Ebony Tears, At The Gates) to the very technical (Atheist, Cynic). Key bands: Lykathea Aflame, Mithras, Morbid Angel, Behemoth (older stuff was black metal), Opeth, Immolation, Blood Red Throne, Entombed, Unleashed, Sinners Bleed.

[U]Melodic death metal[/U]
An obvious sub-genre to death metal, it's becoming popular enough that I think it deserves it's own little section. Basically, it incorporates more melody. What it lacks in brutallity, it more than makes up for in melodic grooves. The vocals are typically not as harsh, there may or may not be as many blast beats. Key Bands: At The Gates, In Flames, Ebony Tears, Carcass (Heartwork mainly), Aeternus, Amon Amarth, Kalmah, Norther.

[U]Black Metal[/U]
My own personaly favorite and particular area of expertise. Black metal and death metal are quite closely related. While death is focused on the shear brutallity, black metal is focused more on creating atmosphere. The music is typically higher pitched with less of a bass line. Some bands incorporate the use of keyboards or synthesizers. The production is quite often pretty bad giving it a raw or "trOO necro" quality. Tremelo picking abounds, blast beats are not as prevalent as in death metal but are still there quite often. The vocals are generally high pitched shreiked or screamed. The music can range from the "trOO necro" bands (Darkthrone) to the more melodic (Naglfar) to the very sophisticated orchestral atmospheric (Arcturus). A common misconception about black metal is that all the bands are Satanist and sing about Satan. While many bands are Satanic or anti-christian (note the distinct difference), that is not the case with all black metal bands. Lyrics can range from Satanic to fantasy to witchcraft to just about anything. Many black metal bands are very paganistic in ideology and see the christian church as an intruder in their native lands, leading to the very deep seeded hatred for christianity. Unfortunately, black metal also has a sub-genre known as NSBM. National Socialist Black Metal. While I do listen to quite a few of those bands because I like the music, lyrically many black metal bands are very racist against not only Blacks or Jews, but anyone of non-aryan decent. Key bands: Burzum, Mayhem, Darkthrone, Nargaroth, Emperor, Bathory, Immortal, Beherit, Graveland, Gorgoroth, Moonblood, Samael.

[U]Progressive metal[/U]
A newer genre (relatively speaking), prog metal incorporates the general aggression of heavy metal with the progressive rock sound of the late 70's. Generally speaking, the music has lots of different aspects including key and time changes, unique riffing and such. The level of musicianship is typically extremly high. Dream Theater is by far the most popular band in this genre. The music is generally quite technical. Key Bands: Dream Theater, Queensryche, Spiral Architect, Spastic Ink, Aghora, Gordian Knot, Racer X.

[U]Nu-metal[/U]
Nu-metal is the newest craze to hit mainstream rock radio. Without trying to bash it too much, generally speaking the music structure is very simplistic. Lyrics cover subjects that are close to todays teens (depression, abuse, drugs etc). There are very few guitar solos and the one's that are there are typically very simple and short. Vocals can range from the more metal influenced to a fusion of metal and rap. Guitars are often downtuned or drop tuned. This genre is generally not very popular among listeners of other metal music, but it is the newest craze and therefore very promoted and heavily played on the radio. Bands: Slipknot, Mudvayne, System Of A Down, Papa Roach, P.O.D., Linkin Park, Disturbed.


Again...this is NOT a definitive list. It not by any stretch of the imagination complete. I'm sure if we really wanted to we could come up with a good 20 or so more sub-genres. It is meant as a [i]general[/i] guideline for the noob who's just getting into metal that otherwise would have posted a "What's the difference" thread. Feel free to agree or disagree. With any genre, there are bands that cross over and blur the lines. Your best bet if you're new to any genre of metal is to go out find a list of bands in the genre you're interested in. Download a couple songs from a bunch of different bands and then make your own distinctions.

excellent

That's really very good. Cant believe someone finally took the time to do it, there have been a lot of posts regarding this in the past week or so.

This definately needs to be stickied.

I like it, but I feel some key artists are missing. All in all awesome list :thumb:

bravo :thumb:

Kick.Mallcore.OFF.THAT.LIST!!!

The definition of prog is twofold.One is the one you´ve already posted,while the other would simply be "metal that is progressive considering it´s release".Basically,all "genre-coiners" as well as bands such as Anacrusis and Therion can be considered prog.I would also list Judas Priest as a large influence on thrash,even more so than Sabbath,especially later on.

What about hardcore? Or is that considered closer to punk? I only ask because I haven't heard alot of it, and what I have heard hasn't impressed me that much. It feels like death metal-esque vocals pasted over punk guitar, which to me, is the worst of two genres. I'm probably wrong, so if someone could post a good definition of it, that'd be great.

hardcore is punk attitude with fast,simple guitars.

FASTER guitars.

^You just described punk.

Great List, But:

I think there should be definitions for the "cores". Hardcore, Metalcore etc.

I think, and many people will agree with me, that Nu-Metal should be called something else. I like Crossover. And System of a Down shouldn't be on that list. Not by a long shot. People only call them Nu-Metal because they came out the same time as all those other bands. Except for the down-tuned guitars they don't fit into that group.

Great Job, Legions. :thumb:

Yes they do.

EDIT: to the guy talking about System of a Down.

Yeah System of a Down is nu metal no matter how hard you try to say otherwise.

Very good list man...verrry good list.

awesome list...that should help out alot of newer members here

good list

very well done! great job

Very good list. It explained the difference between between black and death metal, now i get it. I think ya could've trashed nu metal a little bit more.

What about Power Metal?

lets bump this thread everyonce in awhile untill nacho or kabz stickies it so it doesnt fall back through the pages

Thats a great list.....we also need Power Metal and Hair Metal. There are prolly others, but thats what I can think of now.

Great job Legions :thumb:

wow...I honestly didn't expect this to go over as well. I wasn't trying to hit every single sub-genre. I was just going for the one's that are asked about frequently here.

nice list. Never knew what the difference between Black and Death Metal was. Thanks for clearing that up

Can we get definitions for Alternative Metal, Grindcore and Avant-Garde Metal??

:thumb: on the list :smoke:

i think if anyone would like to make descriptions of other sub-generas, they should post em, and then you, legions, or a mod could add them to the first post, thus making it better and better :)

Grind is all about speed, agression, complex or unusual song structures. In general, the riffs are short but of advanced technicality, the songs are very dynamic (changing pace about every 20 seconds), the drumming is very fast, and the screaming is just normal "scream your lungs off" stuff.

A "true" grind song probably doesn't go over three minutes. The shortest grind song I've heard was 5 seconds long, and there are many in the range of 30, 20, or 10 seconds. Typically, however, a grind song is about a minute and a half long.

There is probably no such thing as a "melodic grind" song, since grind emphasizes brutality, speed, and chaos.

Key groups: early Carcass, Pig Destroyer, Repulsion, early Death, Napalm Death, Burnt By The Sun (very nice live, I had the honor of witnessing), etc.

A more potent subsidary to Grind is Noise. Noise groups typically use drum machines at extreme speeds, they don't sing but rather bark or gurgle, they tend to utilize a lot of samples in their songs (wether it be an integral part or an intro/outro), and in general play as loud and fast as they can.

Groups include: The Berzerker, Fu[color=white]c[/color]k... I'm Dead, Lucifer D. Larynx and the Satanic Grind Dogs of Death, Mortician, Abandoned Grave, Ab-Norm, etc.

I honestly believe that you slammed nu-metal a bit too much, although you did manage to sum up most of the misconceptions about the genre from main-line metalheads. :)

You mentioned System of a Down and Mudvayne as nu-metal, under the description "generally speaking the music structure is very simplistic. Lyrics cover subjects that are close to todays teens (depression, abuse, drugs etc)." "Vocals can range from the more metal influenced to a fusion of metal and rap."

This is simply not the case. You also put Godsmack under "traditional heavy metal," despite the fact that they're just as heavily imbedded in the nu-metal crowd, and I would in fact consider them one of the quinticential nu-metal bands. Note: I'm not trying to argue that SOAD and Mudvayne are not nu-metal.

SOAD's lyrics touch on a number of political and philosophical issues, and are actually quite deep...once you actually understand them. Alot of the true meaning behind the lyrics is at times superbly concealed, allowing for critics to easily pass it off as childish, stupid, and pointless. Alot of the lyrics are also rather vague and open to interpretation, with a good deal of Avant Guarde influences.

For example...from the song, "Know":
"I will never feed off the evergreen luster of your heart
all because we all live in the valley of the walls
when we speak we can peak from the windows of their mouths
to see the land the women chant as they fly up to the sun.

"Books all say different things while people flap their yellow wings
trying to soar by being a wholre of life and almost everything the
sheep that ran off from the herd may be dead but now's a bird able
to fly able to die able to **** your mother's earth"

Mudvayne is another terrific example of a band that is definetly classified as nu-metal yet meets very few of your criterion. Simple song structures and music? Not quite. Ryan Martini isn't exactly a bare-bones bass player, nor Matt Donahue an average drummer; and, as an example, 17/8 isn't exactly "common time." Sure, they don't take it to the level of Spastic Ink or Spiral Architect, but their music IS a good deal more complex than many other genres of metal.

I'm not going to sit here and defend every band classified as "nu-metal" that I happen to enjoy...that would take forever. Why? Because there is an immeasurable amount of information that can be mounted in defense of these artists, and I don't have that much time. Suffice it to say, while a good number of nu-metal artists aren't even worth bothering a listen, there are also plenty of bands that are doing some very interesting things with their instruments today, musicians who don't deserve to be passed off as they typically are by many metalheads.

You got a good list here Legions but i still think sub-genres suck.
If you like it, listen to it, if you dont leave it alone. Thats my philosophy.

and Again good job.

Very nice work Legions. :thumb:

I would include Power Metal and maybe Industrial Metal as separate genres, but that's just me.

I'd call Opeth prog more than death, but aside from that :thumb: