Thread: Dimmu Borgir
View Single Post
Old 02-19-2004, 06:15 PM   #3
WeatheredWoman
WeatheredWoman's Avatar
USER INFO »
Status: Shackled Hero
Posts: 2,722
Joined: Nov 2003
Currently: Offline
I've always had a hard time just pointing out what is Speed-metal, trash-metal, nu-metal, power-metal, death-metal, black-metal, hardcore etc.

I found this on a Dutch Metal-board... ok it's a long read I admitt. I found it interesting:

Classic Heavy Metal - Classic heavy metal is the most difficult genre to define, primarily because there are 2 different definitons. The first definition is a not a reference to a particular sound; rather it is a tribute to the founding fathers of heavy metal. This is a confusing use of the term, because the founding fathers did not play the same styles of metal. (ie: Black Sabbath was a doom metal band, Judas Priest was riding the NWOBHM). The more modern and commonly used definition of classic heavy metal is a reference to the sound created by metal bands when metal was at its peak of commercial success in the early to mid 80's. Typically, this sound was fronted by high mid-range to super high vocals. The choruses were memorable and often anthemic. The guitars were center stage, full of hooks and wheedling all over the place, and sounding a notch heavier than 70's hard rock. Drums and bass were also slowly speeding up. Though fairly tame by today's metal standards, this was the hardest stuff at the time, and the inspiration for many of today's bands. This genre of metal produced the highest number of bands, so that it's sound is now so generic to sometimes be simply labeled "Heavy Metal" (no prefix), and considered the main branch of music from which most other genres split. This genre is also experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Lyrical content was often about guitars, heavy metal, violence, or Satan (though most were fairly clean).

Classic Heavy Metal Bands: Manowar, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, King Diamond

Doom Metal - Slow, low and heavy music that occasionally speeds up and takes higher tones. The guitar tends to plod between monster riffs. Keyboards are often used to creepy effect, and a flute is thrown in now and again. The vocals range from very low to medium-high vocals. Lyrical content often focuses on "spiritual" things.

Doom Metal Bands: Black Sabbath, Candlemass, Type O Negative

New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) - Much of this genre bleeds over into classic heavy metal. This style is so named because of the hordes of British metal acts appearing in the late 70's and early 80's. They shared a sound and country of origin, so voila!...NWOBHM. The sound is often described as a mixture of the old metal of the early 70's and the burgeoning punk sound of the late 70's. Most of the these bands died off just as quickly as they had appeared, but not before leaving a lasting impression on future metal superstars (most notably Metallica). The few bands of this genre that survived went on to hone their sound into Classic Heavy Metal. (see above)

NWOBHM bands: Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Diamondhead

Progressive Metal - A lot of groups that defy description are lumped into this category. Most sound nothing like each other, but share a penchant for writing challenging music (i.e.: music without catchy choruses). The music is highly technical with a lot of strange timing and expirimental sounds. It also tends to be epic in nature (many changes throughout the song, leaving the listener wondering if it's the same song).I guess you could call it the thinking man's metal, because it takes a good amount of cerebral activity to decipher all the unexpected turns and time changes. The sound can be very mellow or very harsh, but the "jazz of heavy metal" is always unique.

Progressive Metal Bands: Voivod, Rush, Dream Theater, Saviour Machine

Thrash Metal - Heavy Metal tends to get progressively harder and outdo the advances of the previous genre. Thrash added distortion to the guitar, sped things up and took a less structured approach to songwriting. Drumming sped up and vocals tend to be mid-range and slightly gravelly. Lyrical content was very often about the political woes of the world. Thrash guitar has had an incredible impact on the world of music, and has influenced everything from crappy alternative music to most modern heavy metal bands. In fact, it may just be the most influential sound that metal has produced to date.

Thrash Metal Bands: Metallica, Testament, Xentrix, Exodus

Speed Metal - As the name denotes, Speed Metal is incredibly fast, both with guitars, drumming, and bass. The vocals are usually on the high side, and the guitar is usually just a sped up and not too thrashy Classic Metal guitar. Song writing is very technical and structured, but unlike Progressive Metal, it has choruses and catchy hooks. Because of the skill level required to produce this style of metal, some of metal's best musicians have emerged from Speed Metal bands (i.e.: Marty Friedman, Jason Becker, Jeff Waters, Tim Calvert, Gary Lenaire) Lyrical content varies and doesn't appear to be genre typical. This genre emerged at the tail end of the eighties, and quickly went away in the early nineties. Though short lived, this genre produced some of my favorite songs and groups, and continues to appear in diluted form in many bands.

Speed Metal Bands: Annihilator, Tourniquet, Cacophony, Forbidden

Glam Metal (Butt Rock) - I had a serious struggle deciding whether or not to even list this genre, as its "metalness" is very much in question. The debate rises from many rock bands being misnamed as "metal" from the time they began. There was an image that went along with the genre, and if a band dressed the part, then they were included in the genre, regardless of the music. Many rock bands cashed in on the big-hair, chick make-up image, without coming close to playing metal (Poison being the most well known offender). Granted, the true glam metal band's watered down version of metal wasn't anything to be terribly proud of, and their image still sends shudders through most metalheads. Lyrical content was at it's shallowest, mostly concerned about girls and cars. In my opinion, this was probably heavy metal's lowest point, because it attained public recognition and left the unknowing masses thinking that this was what metal was all about. The name really says it all, as it is the only genre that references the image rather than the sound, lyrical content, or point of origin.

Glam Metal Bands: Stryper, Whitesnake, Dokken

...and it goes on --->>>
__________________
________________________
______________________________

Souls...
they float like the memories I've opened,
Go...
and kiss all the butterflies I've broken,
Sow...
their wings to the coat of my misfortune,
Grow...
to reach the plains only I have spoken...


The Path ~by~ ManMade God
Reply With Quote