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Heavy metal genres. A number of heavy metal genres have developed since the emergence of heavy metal (often shortened to metal) during the late 1960s and early 1970s. At times, heavy metal genres may overlap or are difficult to distinguish, but they can be identified by a number of traits.
Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock and acid rock, heavy metal bands developed a thick, monumental sound characterized by distorted guitars, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats and ...
Nov 27, 2023 · Explore over 65 types of metal music, from alternative metal to viking metal, with examples and descriptions. Learn about the history, characteristics, and influences of each subgenre in this comprehensive list.
- Hard Rock
- Traditional Metal
- Punk/Hardcore
- The New Wave of British Heavy Metal
- Speed Metal
- Crossover
- Glam Metal
- Progressive Metal
- Power Metal
- Death Metal
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Overview
The origins of Heavy Metal Music can largely be traced back to the United Kingdom and USA during the late 1960s.The first use of the term Heavy Metal in regards to this context isn’t entirely known, but many credit it to a lyric found in the 1968 Steppenwolf song “Born To Be Wild. Metal can find its roots in numerous Rock sub-genre of the 1960s, including Psych-Rock and Blues Rock. Many consider the 1970 release of Black Sabbaths’ self-titled record a profoundly important recording; however,...
Overview
Not to be considered a subgenre but moreso the foundation for the genre as a whole, traditional metal came to prominence over the duration of the 70s and 80s, peaking in popularity in the later decade. Traditional metal distinguishes itself from hard rock in numerous ways, including the increased virtuosity of the musicians involved and a more intense approach to songcraft. Lyrical themes in Traditional Metal are generally of an escapist nature, borrowing from fantasy, horror, and surrealist...
Related Subgenres: Hard Rock, NWOBHM, Speed Metal, Neoclassical Metal, Power Metal, Thrash Metal
Notable Artists: Judas Priest, Dio, Motörhead, Ozzy Osbourne, Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Savatage, Manowar
Overview
The next significant development in relation to the genre was to follow via the punk movement in the UK.A firm middle finger to the hippie generation of the 1960s, the arrival of The Sex Pistols’ debut LP “Nevermind The Bollocks” in 1977 captivated the minds and imaginations of a generation of disenchanted youth with its anti-authoritarian themes. With the original Punk movement fizzling out almost as soon as it started, the 1980s saw the rise of a more extreme extension of 70s Punk Rock in H...
Related Subgenres: Modern Hardcore, Oi, Post-Punk, Crust Punk, Anarcho Punk, D-Beat, NYHC, Crossover, Metallic Hardcore, Post-Hardcore, New Wave.
Notable Artists: The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Stooges, Sham 69, Black Flag, Discharge, Minor Threat, Chaos U.K, Bad Brains
Overview
Commonly abbreviated to NWOBHM, the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal saw its genesis in Britain during the mid-70s, quickly rising to worldwide acclaim by the early 1980s. This saw the NWOBHM rising to prominence as the original Punk movement was breathing its last breath. Further expanding on the hard rock of the 70s, the NWOBHM played a profound role in influencing future genres such as Thrash Metal, Speed Metal, and Death Metal. The movement was also very important from a cultural perspecti...
Related Subgenre: Speed Metal, Hard Rock, Pub Rock, Thrash Metal, Black Metal, NWOAHM
Notable Artists: Virtue, Tank, Diamond Head, Witchfynde, Iron Maiden, Venom, Raven, Angelwitch, Budgie
Overview
Rising from the NWOBHM Speed Metal can be seen as the gap bridging Traditional Metal and the higher octane Thrash Metalthat would come to prominence in the later 80s. As the name implies, Speed Metal encompasses faster tempos ramping up the intensity from its predecessor styles. From this point on, a common theme amongst emerging subgenres will be an innate desire to push the boundaries to some extent. Whether it be in intensity, virtuosity, technicality, simplicity, or any other means of exp...
Related Subgenre: Thrash Metal, Traditional Metal, Power Metal, Death Metal, Black Metal, Crossover
Notable Artists: Exciter, Flotsam and Jetsam, Anvil, Helloween (Early), Agent Steel, Cacophony, Angel Dust, Helstar, Paradox
Overview
Although there was some cross-influence, Metal, and Punk/Hardcore remained distinct music genres in the early 1980s. Fans of each often held animosity towards the other, displaying disapproval of the opposing genre. The emergence of the Crossover genre finally saw unity between both sides that eliminated much of the conflict that had existed prior. Crossover as a genre term generally refers to Crossover Thrash which was established in the Early 80s by bands such as D.R.I from Texas. However,...
Related Subgenre: Grindcore, Powerviolence, Metalcore, Nardcore, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Hardcore Punk, Black Metal, Speed Metal
Notable Artists: D.R.I, Cryptic Slaughter, S.O.D, Crumbsuckers, Suicidal Tendencies, Beowülf, Dr.Know, The Accüsed, Carnivore
Overview
While a period in the 1980s saw Metal and Punk/Hardcore finally making amends, the rise of LA Glam Metal represented a new enemy for the discerning Metalhead. Combining the virtuosity and showmanship of Van Halen with the glitter of The New York Dolls, Glam Metal infused these elements with pop-influenced songcraft that hadn’t been apparent in the Metal genre prior (outside of a select few hard rock acts). The result saw this sub-genre of Heavy Metal reach an unprecedented height of mainstrea...
Related Subgenre: Glam Rock, Pop, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Visual Kei
Notable Artists: RATT, W.A.S.P, Mötley Crüe, Warrant, Poison, Shotgun Messiah, Dokken, Bon Jovi, Loudness
Origin – mid 1980s
Overview Finding its roots in the 1980s with pioneers like Watchtower, Fates Warning, and Queensrÿche, progressive metal wouldn’t come into full force until the 1990s. During this period,Progressive Metal was subsequently brought into the collective consciousness of Metal fans internationallyby bands such as Dream Theater and Symphony X. Borrowing from more Traditional Progressive Rock, such as Rush and King Crimson, many Progressive Metal bands would also look towards Jazz Fusion bands, such...
Related Subgenre: Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Jazz-Fusion, Progressive Rock, Math Metal, Neoclassical Metal, Classical , Djent
Notable Artists: Watchtower, Fates Warning, Cynic, Athiest, Dream Theater, Symphony X, Queensrÿche, Animals As Leaders
Overview
Power Metal can trace its roots back to the late 1970s when Ronnie James Dio laid down much of the foundations used to establish the genre later on. The soaring melodies and anthemic choruses of Iron Maiden can also be considered a profound influence on the genre, which has a heavy emphasis on providing an epic and uplifting experience for the listener more than relying on pure aggression. Power Metal vocals tend to be of a clean variety and almost operatic in tone, with the genre placing a h...
Related Subgenre: Symphonic Metal, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Pirate Metal, Folk Metal, Hard Rock, Speed Metal, Neoclassical Metal
Notable Artists: Helloween, Blind Guardian, Alestorm, Dream Evil, Stratovarius, Kamelot, Edguy, Sonata Arctica
Overview
Death Metal is an Extreme Metal subgenre that can trace its roots back to the early 1980s, with proto-death and black metal bands such as Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, and Bathory laying the early foundations for the genre. The first use of the term Death Metal can be found as a track title on Possessed’s seminal 1985 release “Seven Churches”, though It is a much-disputed topic as to whether “Seven Churches” or Death’s debut LP “Scream Bloody Gore” is the first “true” Death Metal” Album. The genre...
Related Subgenre: Thrash Metal, Black-Death, Death-Thrash, Brutal Death Metal, Progressive Death Metal, Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Grindcore, Slam Death Metal, Goregrind, Technical Death Met...
Notable Artists: Morbid Angel, Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, Death, Nocturnus, Cryptopsy, Gorguts, Entombed
Related Subgenre: Ambient Black Metal, Black Doom, Depressive Suicidal Black Metal, Black n’ Roll, Blackened Death Metal, Death Metal, Blackened Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal, Folk Black Metal, Blackg...
Notable Artists: Mayhem, Darkthrone, Immortal, Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Bathory, Dissection, Blasphemy, Von
Learn about the origins and evolution of Heavy Metal, from Hard Rock to Nu-Metal, with examples of influential artists and subgenres. Explore the family tree of Metal and find your gateway into the headbangers journey.
Learn about the origin, development, and diversity of heavy metal, a genre of rock music that is intense, virtuosic, and powerful. Explore the key bands, influences, and controversies of heavy metal and its related styles, such as thrash metal, glam metal, and nu metal.
- Robert Walser
Feb 8, 2019 · Learn about the origins, evolution and diversity of heavy metal music, from traditional to avant-garde, from black to nu-metal. Discover the characteristics, examples and subgenres of this wide umbrella of loud and aggressive genres.
Learn about the history, styles, and artists of heavy metal, the most extreme form of rock & roll. Explore the diverse and influential genres of metal, from pop-metal to black metal, and discover the top albums, songs, and bands on AllMusic.
