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Contrary to about 400 of the definitions already listed here, Heavy Metal has nothing to do with Marilyn Manson. Heavy Metal is a genre of music inspired by American Blues music, in which people began to exploit the characteristics of the electric guitar to create louder, more discordant sounds. Heavy Metal is characterized by fast tempo, agressive rythm, and grandoise lyrics, often involving such themes as drug abuse, death, or political issues.
Megadeth, Metallica, Judas Priest = Metal
Marilyn manson, Linkin Park, rapcore music = Not Metal
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A type of music that most people like better than rap, according to thumbs up/down votes in the rap and heavy metal catagory. see for you self
No comment in this area///
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A genre of music that is simply too diverse to define correctly.
Not all metal is aggressive, not all metal is fast, not all metal is about killing, not all metal is about Satan, and ALL metal is talented sophisticated music (save for the bands that just suck).
Metal has to be split up into multiple sub-genres because of how diverse it is.
Heavy Metal - generally refers to late 70s/early 80s bands that have their sound rooted in hard rock. Can also describe bands that don't really fit into any other sub-genre. Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden are the big 3 bands of heavy metal, but earlier hard rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple are sometimes called heavy metal.
Speed Metal - a type of heavy metal that is faster and can have influences of punk in their rhythms. Not many bands are exclusively referred to as speed metal, because speed metal is hardly distinguishable from thrash metal. Motorhead and Venom, two British bands, are sometimes regarded as definitive of the style.
Thrash Metal - this happened after the New Wave of British Heavy Metal when American bands started to combine it with elements of hardcore punk (there are many other genres to combine punk with metal as well). Bands in this genre play fast riffs with a lot of palm muting and the guitars are often tuned to standard E or standard E flat; many of these guitarists are trained musicians and guitar solos are prevalent. Vocalists can sing (generally in a virtuoso style) shout, or in some cases, growl, generally dealing with lyrical content about war, violence, society, etc. The "big 4" of thrash are Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax, with other popular American bands being Overkill, Exodus, and Testament.
Power Metal - like thrash metal, it is a derivative of speed metal, though power metal rarely has as much aggression as thrash metal. Power metal makes use of fast tempos, operatic vocals, neo-classical guitar solos, keyboards, and has an "epic" feel with lyrics usually dealing with fantasy subjects. Dragonforce is a popular power metal band, but they are dishonest, and not as original as Sonata Arctica, Manowar, or Helloween.
Death Metal - a derivative of thrash metal that started when bands began experimenting with growled vocals, and more violent playing. Bands who play this style are dismissed by the mainstream as being "talentless" or "just noise", but anyone who studies music will tell you that most death metal is in fact quite musical and very challenging. Lyrics, more often than not, deal with death and gore, but some bands even sing about philosophy, politics, or abstract material. Possessed and Death are credited as being some of the originators, as well as lesser known bands like Master. Though these bands were more rooted in thrash, Morbid Angel came along and really made the genre what it is. Sub-styles of death metal are brutal death metal, which focuses on further extreme and technical playing, technical death metal, which focuses almost purely on playing with as much skill and proficiency as possible (many of them are uncreative), and melodic death metal, which originated in Sweden and focuses on harmonized minor-key melodies.
Black Metal - another derivative of thrash, which has since broken away from it, that usually employs fast playing, and rasped and/or screamed vocals. Many bands make use of lo-fi recording, and melody is often a strong musical focus. The style of vocals used in black metal contains a lot of emotion, and creates the effect that the performer is experiencing strong pain or sorrow, though many vocalists just want to sound evil. Lyrics primarily deal with the occult and Satan, though like all metal, can cover a wide variety of topics. Venom is seen as a key influence on the genre due to the aesthetic, and similarity to first-wave artists such as Bathory. Mayhem became the leaders of the second-wave Norwegian scene.
Doom Metal - inspired largely by the early work of Black Sabbath, and is characterized by slower tempos, chugging guitar riffs, and clean vocals with an "epic" feel. Pentagram and Trouble are seen as key innovators of the style. Doom metal has diversified into death/doom, which contains the growled vocals of death metal and focuses on melody and melancholy, giving rise to gothic metal, and funeral doom metal, which like death/doom usually employs growled vocals and generally uses very slow tempos, repetitive and hypnotic song structures, and ultimate heaviness; Katatonia is an example of death/doom and Shape of Despair is an example of funeral doom.
Folk Metal - mixes black metal or power metal with traditional folk music (usually European folk music). It is often ridiculed for being cheesy, but once you get into it, it's some of the catchiest most fun metal to listen to. Often referred to as viking metal. Ensiferum, Finntroll, Borknagar, Wintersun, and Korpiklaani are all examples of folk metal.
Progressive or Avant-garde Metal - bands in this genre focus on unconventional song structures, and elements that are uncommon in metal or even in rock. Dream Theater is one of the biggest prog metal bands.
Sludge Metal - fuses elements of doom metal and hardcore punk. Recent metal trends have shown that these bands have started to experiment with post-rock and progressive metal in their sound. Acid Bath, Isis, and Mastodon are all examples of sludge metal.
Metalcore - another punk fusion genre, that mixes the modern American hardcore scene, usually with melodic death metal. Some bands focus too much on modern hardcore and are deemed not metal by serious metalheads. Trivium, As I Lay Dying, All That Remains, and Shadows Fall are generally regarded as mostly metal, though bands like Atreyu and Avenged Sevenfold are not. Deathcore is an offshoot of this genre where bands incorporated brutal or technical death metal into their sound, and have been very poorly received by critics and metalheads alike.
Nu metal is NOT a sub-genre of metal, due to having more in common with alternative rock, grunge, or even hip-hop than metal.
Heavy metal is my favorite kind of music, and there are always new twists and turns with unique bands waiting for me to discover.
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Probably the most controversial of all rock music for its lyrics and image. Its loud, aggressive music and characterized by the electric guitar play the central role in the music backed up with vocals, drumming and base. It branched off of psychedelic music and blues rock in the 60's. The original heavy metal band is no doubt Black Sabbath and it has been going on for 30-35 years.
The idealogy of the music is very romantic which means it is a praise of imagination, emotion and fantasy. Another central theme heavy metal obsessed apon is chaos which involves mental illness, confusion, war, hell demons and what not. Bands go at this theme to find excitement within it or deep personal and emotional involvement or it can be the band reflecting on the human condition from the outside. Finally, the prime reason of its controversy is its anti-Jeudo Christian imagery and themes like Satan, hell and evil. Like written earlier, metal bands make songs about evil because it goes back to chaos. Also, Jeudo-Chrisitanity is the very foundation of Western civilization and making negative (or anti) songs about it means it is the ultimate rebellion. She further explains why they make songs about evil to question society what is really profane. Yes, but there are still bands who use satanic imagery simply as a gimmick to look rebellious or simply just having fun being offensive. There are some themes of hedonism themes (sex, drugs, rock & roll etc) as praise or sometimes negative criticism. And some metal bands do start bands to blow off teen angst just like any other type of rock music. But the difference is, heavy metal is against the idea of rebellion to be cool and hip. So, understand there is more to heavy metal music than the old, tired "kill your mother/rape your dog" stereotypes.
It has branched out into many sub-genres over the years. It started in the early 70s with traditional metal and then New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWBHM in short), then thrash metal and hair metal in the 80s. 2 children sub-genres Black metal and death metal arose in the late 80s from the parent thrash metal. The 90's is considered the depression of heavy metal when its popularity started to die down. Nu-metal/rapcore, which only a few of them should be considered heavy metal at all, became popular in the mainstream. Doom metal were born in the underground then in the shadow. Now in the 00's, metalcore bands are hitting mainstream while most nu-metal bands popularity withered away.
traditional metal - Black Sabbath and Judas Priest
New Wave Of British Heavy Metal - Iron Maiden and Judas Priest
thrash/speed metal - Slayer, Metallica, Anthrax, Sepultura, Overkill, Megadeth, and Kreator
hair metal - Motley Crew, Kiss, Poison, and Whitesnake
black metal - Burzum, Emperor, Mayhem, Enslaved and Dark Funeral
death metal - Death, The Possesed, Obituary, Morbid Angel, Bolt Thrower and Dying Fetus
nu-metal (most nu-metal shouldnt be even counted as heavy metal) - Korn, Deftones, Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, and Linkin Park
doom metal - Cathedral, Katatonia, Theatre of Tragedy and My Dying Bride
sludgecore - Crowbar, Eyehategod, Soilent Green and Iron Monkey
power metal - Manowar, Blind Guardian, Primal Fear and Memory Guardian
modern metal (or groove metal) - Pantera, Pissing Razors, Machine Head and Skinlab
metalcore - Lamb of God, Caliban, Killswitch Engage, and Annubus Rising
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A genre of music that evolved from rock in the late 70s and early 80s.
Is characterized by heavily distorted guitars, giving them a deep, rough sound, which is where the "heavy" part came from; powerful drums, and thick bass. Usually includes very complex guitar work and amazing solos.
Black Sabbath is often considered the original heavy metal band. Bands like Metallica and Iron Maiden are considered the perfectors of the genre, and pioneers of the overall 80s metal scene.
Over the years, it has evolved into several subgenres. The most popular one with metalheads is thrash metal, but there are several others such as power metal, doom metal, black metal, death metal, etc.
The most recent subgenre that's spawned in today's modern scene is nu metal. This subgenre has basically the same characteristics of traditional metal, except for the fact that guitar solos are very rare, if not included at all. This has caused many metalheads to look down upon it as "shit", "poser metal", or "mallcore" (many people also link it to "emo", as sometimes they may have similar lyrics).
Contrary to popular belief, heavy metal is NOT Satanic. Only black metal (and sometimes death metal) bands portray that kind of imagery. However, it's not because they actually worship Satan, but because they're against Christianity as a whole. Some other metal bands of other genres may occasionally use Satanic imagery in their songs, but once again, it's not because they worship Satan. It's just to add deeper meaning and emotion to their songs.
Also contrary to popular belief, it is NOT all mindless incomprehensible screaming. There is another subgenre of metal called "metalcore". These bands usually scream all the lyrics in their songs, and at the moment, metalcore is the most popular subgenre of metal. However, screaming metal bands only account for less than 25% of the entire genre. Metal bands like Iron Maiden, Stratovarius, Symphony X, and Kamelot incorporate very melodic vocals in their music, hardly ever screaming, if at all. If they do scream, it's only for a moment, to add emotion to a section of the song.
*Traditional Metal - Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest
*Thrash Metal - Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Megadeth, Testament, Exodus
*Power Metal - Blind Guardian, Manowar, Stratovarius, Helloween, Edguy, Rhapsody of Fire
*Progressive Metal - Dream Theater, Symphony X, King's X, Opeth
*Grindcore - Napalm Death, Anal Cunt, Carcass
*Death Metal - Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth, Necrophagist, Children of Bodom
*Black Metal - Venom, Emperor, Bathory, Dimmu Borgir, Mayhem, Burzum
*Nu Metal - Korn Slipknot, Deftones, Disturbed, System of a Down
*Metalcore - Unearth, Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, Trivium (early albums), Hatebreed
In my opinion, all heavy metal is good. I know there are many "true metalheads" that will say all nu metal sucks, or all metalcore sucks, and that only old metal is good, but then they're not appreciating the metal genre as a whole. I say, why take your anger out on subgenres of your own favorite music, when you could take it out on those that are obscuring it further, like rap and pop?
If it's metal, it's metal. There shouldn't be any arguments about "true and false metal". It's just music. A guitarist doesn't have to be fucking Kirk Hammet or Kerry King to be talented. A song doesn't have to include a blazing fast solo like in Iron Maiden's Hallowed Be Thy Name to be good. Bands don't have to sound like the big names from the 80s to be great.
And speaking of big names.. Metallica, Slayer, Iron Maiden, etc. are NOT the only good metal bands around. Granted, most of today's mainstream metal is unpopular with diehard metalheads, if you keep looking, you'll find many modern metal bands that are surprisingly good, like Edguy and Children of Bodom. Metal did NOT die in the 80s as many think, and this is why it will remain to please us all with its wonderful sound, unlike rap and pop that have no variety or talent whatsoever.
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A form of Hard Rock that began with Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Purple Haze in the late 1960s and early 70s. Metal is considered the Biggest of the three main forms of Hard Rock, followed by Punk then Grunge. Heavy Metal is composed of big, aggresive sounds produced primarily by electric guitars, bass guitars, and drums. THe vocals are generally very guttural (hoarse and deep voice sounds) or high pithced and shrieking. Metal has almost countless sub-genres including, but not limited to, Hair/Glam Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash, Classic Metal, Nu Metal, Gothic Metal, Black MEtal, Folk Metal, Progressive, and many more.
Some of the greatest Heavy MEtal Bands include Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Iron MAiden, AC/DC, Anthrax, Metallica, KISS, Motley Crue, and Alice Cooper
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I'm also going to delve into this "definition" i suggest that people who know nothing about metal but make accusations anyway look up lyrics to Iron Maiden.
"Can you sing about something else besides Satan?" Try every non-number of the beast iron maiden song.
"Can you sing at all?" Yes. Listen to journeyman. listen to silent lucidity
"Can you not be such goth fucktards?"
Jeans and leather aren't goth
"Can you focus more on music and maybe write some non-retarded lyrics and maybe get someone who can actually sing to sing them?" Pop music is the one that normally has shitty lyrics. Steve harris has a history major, and he writes songs pertaining his knowledge
"Can you make it a little more normal and a little less like goth vampire shit?"
The classic metal clothing is jeans and a t-shirt, or leather. or anything with a "i don't care what you think of me attitude"
"Can you make it a little more closer to rock & roll?" We could, but don't want to
"Can you go five seconds without mentioning Satan?" Hallowed be thy Name, For the Greater Good of God, etc. there's plenty
"^And why the fuck do you do that anyways in the first place?" Shock value
"Do you even know the difference between something that sounds like shit and noise and mud vs. something that actually sounds good?" Silent Lucidity is amazing. Listen to it and tell me i'm wrong. (And It's Queensryche, so it's metal)
Heavy metal takes intelligence and knowledge of music theory (unless you're AC/DC)
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