# Heavy metal types: Help me learn these metal genres **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 5, 2010, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101 "2010-10-05T08:01:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/1 "2010-10-05T08:01:09Z")
So, I am interested in getting out and seeing some live heavy metal music. This web site [DCHeavyMetal.com](http://dcheavymetal.com/) has been helping me get acquainted with the local scene but I just don’t understand a lot of the genre terminology. So heavy metal Dopers, please school me! Here is a list of genres I read about on the site. Can you describe their sound in words, and offer a few of the top bands in the genre, and maybe even a link to a certain song on YouTube which exemplifies the genre. death metal black metal thrash metal speed metal progressive metal doom metal metalcore deathcore grindcore hardcore “tech” technical death metal industrial melodic black metal brutal death metal Your knowledge and help is much appreciated!! Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/2 "2010-10-05T08:14:14Z")
I can’t speak to all of the genres listed here, but to elaborate on a few; Death metal - Up-tempo, heavily distorted guitars, double bass drums, and almost universally growled/screeched “cookie monster” vocals. Bands of note - Death, Cannibal Corpse, Dethklok (a parody of death metal, really, but also the best-selling death metal band of all time.) “Technical” death metal is a subgenre that puts more focus on intricate solos and musicianship. Black metal - Like death metal, but with “extreme” lyrics generally of a misanthropic, often Satanic nature. Doom metal - Heavily distorted like death metal, but whereas death metal is fast, doom metal is _sloooooooooooow._ Vocals are much less distorted as well, but are often sung in a very low pitch that can be just as hard to understand. Notable bands include early Black Sabbath (particularly on Paranoid), Type O Negative, and Kyuss. Thrash/speed metal - Up-tempo, considerably less distortion than death metal, and clean vocals. Lots of overlap here, though speed metal tends to be more technically demanding of the two genres. Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica and Slayer are the “big four” thrash bands. Speed metal with lyrics focused on mythology, war, or other “epic” themes is often called “power metal”. ---
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/3 "2010-10-05T08:18:22Z")
I’m not an expert on all types of metal, but for the progressive type I would suggest [Queensryche](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlPiLkO004I) or [Dream Theatre](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5sg8heGdyk). In the UK at least speed metal was epitomised by Motorhead and I generally think of early Metallica and Anthrax as a US version that are also sometimes categorised as thrash. As for Black/Doom metal, well IMHo Black Sabbath were the progenitor of both genres, but I’m not really up on who the modern forerunners are. Hopefully other will be along soon with a more exhausitve answer. ---
**Author:** ![Kilmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@Kilmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilmore)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/4 "2010-10-05T08:25:54Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > So, I am interested in getting out and seeing some live heavy metal music. This web site [DCHeavyMetal.com](http://dcheavymetal.com/) has been helping me get acquainted with the local scene but I just don’t understand a lot of the genre terminology. So heavy metal Dopers, please school me! > > Here is a list of genres I read about on the site. Can you describe their sound in words, and offer a few of the top bands in the genre, and maybe even a link to a certain song on YouTube which exemplifies the genre. > > death metal > black metal > thrash metal > speed metal > progressive metal > doom metal > metalcore > deathcore > grindcore > hardcore > “tech” > technical death metal > industrial melodic black metal > brutal death metal > > Your knowledge and help is much appreciated!! Thanks in advance! I’ll go with what I know. Thrash metal tends to be fast and energetic, with a lot of powerful riffage. Vocals run the whole gamut from clear to rough. Noteworthy bands include early Metallica, Slayer, Exodus, Kreator, Anthrax, Annihilator etc. Speed Metal is simply metal with an emphasis on speed without the high and mighty aspirations of Power Metal. Megadeth and Motorhead have been called speed metal, though it often bleeds over with thrash. Doom Metal is slower riff oriented, most often with clear, even operatic vocals. The music is sludgey. Cathedral, Solitude Aeturnus, Pentagram, Saint Vitus and the mighty Candlemass anchor this genre, Black Sabbath is the grandaddy and I’d consider the more recent Heaven and Hell right in line. I’ll leave other types of metal to the respective experts. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/5 "2010-10-05T10:32:34Z")
> [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](#): > > I’m not an expert on all types of metal, but for the progressive type I would suggest [Queensryche](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlPiLkO004I) or [Dream Theatre](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5sg8heGdyk). Opeth gets thrown into the progressive metal category, though they usually lean towards progressive death metal. Opeth not-growly and melodic: [Death Whispered a Lullaby](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNbaGJRt25s) Opeth growly and hardcore, but still melodic: [Heir Apparent](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNbaGJRt25s) ---
**Author:** ![Kilmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@Kilmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilmore)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/6 "2010-10-05T11:42:21Z")
I got to thinking about it, and to be honest, genre is the last thing you should be worried about. Even within genres some bands rock and others suck. You just need to discover a band you really like, and then another, and then you can follow up on other bands that share something in common with those you know you like. That website you linked is really nice, you should just watch the YouTube videos they have imbedded and find what hits your groove. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/7 "2010-10-05T12:02:44Z")
From the couple of concerts that we went to years ago I would think you’d like the thrash/speed/power metal bands more. There seems to be a few bands playing at the Jaxx which is close to you. Nevermore is the 15th. If I was around I’d be at the Zombie/Cooper show the 17th, and I might actually be able to go. That’s at Merriweather. Epica is a power metal band playing the 16th of November. Blind Guardian is another power metal band playing in December. I also think you and I saw the Devin Townsend guy and I think we also saw Helloween and Symphony X, so if you liked those then you might like some of the above bands. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/8 "2010-10-05T12:46:01Z")
> [@Kilmore](#): > > I got to thinking about it, and to be honest, genre is the last thing you should be worried about. Even within genres some bands rock and others suck. You just need to discover a band you really like, and then another, and then you can follow up on other bands that share something in common with those you know you like. That website you linked is really nice, you should just watch the YouTube videos they have imbedded and find what hits your groove. This is excellent advice, and I heartily endorse using pandora as a tool for helping you out here. Once you find a band or song that strikes your fancy, just type it in and away you go. Be sure to babysit it a bit at first telling it what you like and don’t care for. Soon you’ll have a station that plays to that “sound” that you like and will be made up of many metal bands that work in that genre. Generally speaking: Death- Fast pounding drums with a lot of heavily distorted guitars, vocals are fast, rough and normally low. Black- See above but add in a lot of synth and vocals are normally screeched. These bands are usually more theatric and focus on evil and fantasy, satanism, etc.. Doom- Slow, thunderous, droning with melodic breaks. Vocals vary between singing, spoken word chanting, and low roars. Generally has a sad focus, but can also do the whole triumphant destuction/ decay thing. Think beautiful melancholy etc… Speed and thrash are basically the same thing depending on the amount of traditional metal and punk influence. fast, with varying levels of technical skill or clarity of notes. The sound is lighter than the above genres as well with less low end. Technical metal is sort of a metalhead music major’s wank. The songs can vary wildly but have odd times and melodic structures. Impressive if you know what you are listening to, but can disappoint in from song to song. The various core genres and sub species of metal either blended with hardcore rock, or occasionally with each other. Explore for yourself, though i will mention that grindcore has a focus on gross lyrics. Industrial- any- metal will be the sound of that genre mixed with industrial music techniques. Think a darker heavier nine inch nails. Brutal may or may not exist depending on your ear. Also worthy of note or listen is folk metal which blends traditional music with death or prog/ power metal techniques. It can be awesomely good or incredibly cheesy, but it’s nearly always fun and makes you want to jump up an down. ---
**Author:** ![Suil\_Dubh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85f322/32.png) [@Suil\_Dubh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suil_Dubh)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/9 "2010-10-05T13:04:18Z")
I love Heavy Metal and I could write about it for hours, but I’ll try and provide a brief summary for the genres I like best. **DEATH METAL** **Sounds Like:** guttural growling vocals, alternating slow and fast tempos **Lyrics:** death, dead bodies, diseases; occasionally Satanic or political (Grindcore is basically Death Metal performed by punks, with political lyrics) **Typical Bands:** Napalm Death, Carcass, Death, Morbid Angel, Autopsy **Record Labels:** Earache, Peaceville, Relapse, Roadrunner **BLACK METAL** **Sounds Like:** guttural growling vocals, extremely fast tempos **Lyrics:** Satanism, burning churches; winter; pagan Scandinavia, occasionally Nazism **Typical Bands:** Darkthrone, Mayhem, Burzum, Emperor, Satanic Warmaster **Record Labels:** Moonfog, Osmose, Peaceville (Black Metal is also typified by the black and white “Kiss” style make-up that the performers wear.) **THRASH & SPEED METAL** (Purists differentiate between the two, IMO they’e close enough to group together) **Sounds Like:** vocals can vary between growling and actual singing, fast tempos with lots of catchy guitar riffs and complicated guitar solos **Lyrics:** rock and fantasy imagery, sometimes politics or Satantism; drugs and alcohol **Typical Bands:** Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, Exodus **Record Labels:** Megaforce, Music for Nations, several major labels **PROGRESSIVE METAL** **Sounds Like:** heavy metal with jazz and progressive rock inspired tempo changes **Lyrics:** fantasy; philosophy; concept albums **Typical Bands:** Dream Theater, Queensryche, Cynic **Record Labels:** various major labels **DOOM METAL, STONER METAL etc** **Sounds Like:** Black Sabbath, very slow tempos **Lyrics:** drugs, magic & wizardry **Typical Bands:** Sleep, Cathedral, Boris, Electric Wizard **Record Labels:** Southern Lord, Rise Above Again, IMO, the remainder of the genres you’ve listed are so similar that they can be grouped somewhere in the four wider types above. For example, I love Grindcore, but I also realize that to any casual listener it’s going to sound exactly the same as Death Metal, so there’s not much point in sub-categorizing it. Punk and hardcore music also suffers from the same kind of ad nauseam sub- and sub-subdividing. It can get quite inane sometimes. After all most modern music critics don’t bother to classify Skifflepsychedelicpopfolkrock bands like the Beatles, Randbpsychedelicpopfolkrock bands like the Rolling Stones, and Neoskifflepsychedelicpopfolkrock bands like Oasis into different genres. ---
**Author:** ![Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walker_in_Eternity)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/10 "2010-10-05T14:24:04Z")
So where do the bands I liked in my youth fit into these genres? Such as Iron Maiden, Saxon, Scorpions and the like. Maiden have always been heavy, but I’ve never thought of them as being thrash or speed metal, In fact the only label I’ve seen applied to them was NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal (obviously this does not apply to the Scorpions as they are German). ---
**Author:** ![Suil\_Dubh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85f322/32.png) [@Suil\_Dubh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suil_Dubh)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/11 "2010-10-05T14:39:22Z")
> [@Walker\_in\_Eternity](#): > > So where do the bands I liked in my youth fit into these genres? Such as Iron Maiden, Saxon, Scorpions and the like. > > Maiden have always been heavy, but I’ve never thought of them as being thrash or speed metal, In fact the only label I’ve seen applied to them was NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal (obviously this does not apply to the Scorpions as they are German). Honestly? I’d just call those “Heavy Metal”. Same goes for Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Motorhead etc. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/12 "2010-10-05T15:18:47Z")
Moved MPSIMS --\> Cafe Society. Rock on, dudes and dudettes. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/13 "2010-10-05T17:37:54Z")
death metal: [Nile](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ5QleN03DU), [Cannibal Corpse](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTpQOZcNASw), [Deicide](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJkMrl4AG8w) black metal: [Enslaved](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNUJ0l32YQw), [Watain](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkYgv8ZbHAM) thrash metal: [Slayer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FniUZJ2U1CA), [Sepultura](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuZJjx2poyA), [D.R.I.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVrruHeFAMs&feature=related) speed metal: I never knew what distinguished “speed” from “thrash” doom metal: [Yob](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaSkJMH3-Pw), [Reverend Bizarre](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQO3GQROBHw) metalcore: [Unearth](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttlzQR-LM4c) deathcore: lol grindcore: [Napalm Death](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQidsbSjL-w), [Nasum](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp5gsSgsf10) hardcore: [Sick of it All](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyUGm6yqKNs) “tech”: [Dillinger Escape Plan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGNb-YT5ECA) technical death metal: [Atheist](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtdhgoGCh2Y), [Cynic](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdwrOESDXxo&feature=related), [Death](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zguCFjHyVeM) industrial melodic black metal: Uh… brutal death metal: [Suffocation](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCmuTAROzh0) Boy am I bored today. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/14 "2010-10-05T20:31:34Z")
Thank you everyone! I am going to take some time to go through all the links, and I will be back with any additional questions comments. In the meantime, anyone care to share what is their favorite “flavor” of metal? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/15 "2010-10-05T20:58:55Z")
I love classic metal - the original stuff like Black Sabbath, heavier Led Zeppelin (remember when Zep was lumped in as metal?), Iron Maiden and UFO, etc… …and I love Thrash’s Big 4: Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer… ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/16 "2010-10-05T21:51:31Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > speed metal: I never knew what distinguished “speed” from “thrash” It’s the chunk. Speed metal just didn’t have the same E-string-riding chunky sound that thrash later developed into a staple of the genre. It’s not that they are totally separate genres, it’s more than thrash evolved out of speed metal. ETA: Most people have most of the genres mostly right here; I guess my years of posting about metal on the Dope have not been in vain! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Blut\_Aus\_Nord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Blut\_Aus\_Nord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blut_Aus_Nord)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/17 "2010-10-05T22:13:15Z")
Death: BLUUUUUUUUUURGH / EAT CHRISTIANS Black: AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH / SODOMIZE CHRISTIANS ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/18 "2010-10-05T22:21:12Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > > [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > > > speed metal: I never knew what distinguished “speed” from “thrash” > > It’s the chunk. And doom metal is distinguished by the sloth? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Yonose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c67d28/32.png) [@Yonose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yonose)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/19 "2010-10-05T22:37:18Z")
I hate genres mostly because I never get them right. I think most bands play a combination of styles and then somebody comes up with a name for that style to be able to market it. I disagree with a couple of things here and there. I consider D.R.I. a crossover band ( a mix between thrash and hardcore) and that black metal employs mostly high pitch shrieky vocals, not low and guttural) but pretty much everybody knows (to the best of my limited knowledge) what they’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2010, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101/20 "2010-10-05T23:06:18Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > > > It’s the chunk. > > And doom metal is distinguished by the sloth? 😉 That the sheer amount of awesomeness much of it displays, yeah. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heavy-metal-types-help-me-learn-these-metal-genres/556101.md?page=2)