Genres
Here on The Metal Planet, you will soon see that it really isn't just a 'metal' music blog. The variety of genres is quite wide and will only continue to grow. To save you time from googling I thought I would post a short description of each genre. Stealing from WikiPedia of course.
Alternative Metal: Is a cross-genre term used to describe heavy metal bands with a pronounced experimental edge. Bands often use typical heavy metal instruments, but include unconventional lyrics, odd time signatures and unusual technique. In many instances it is described as a fusion of metal and alternative rock, and distinguished from nu metal by its lack of hip-hop influence.
Avant-Garde Metal: (sometimes called experimental metal) is a cross-genre term used to describe metal bands that exhibit experimentation through non-standard sounds, instruments, and song structures akin to the genre of metal they are rooted in.
Black Metal: an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It often employs fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, and unconventional song structure.
Dark Ambient: is a subgenre of ambient music that features foreboding, ominous, or discordant overtones. Dark ambient emerged in the 1980s and 1990s with the introduction of new synthesizer and sampling technology in the electronic music genre and other technical advances in music. Dark ambient is a diverse genre, related to industrial music, noise, ethereal wave, and black metal, yet generally free from derivatives and connections to other genres or styles.
Dark Cabaret: is a music genre that blends the aesthetics of the decadent, risqué German Weimar-era cabarets and 1920s burlesque and vaudeville shows with the morbid, gloomy stylings of post-1970s-goth culture, gothic rock, punk, deathrock, and darkwave music. Dark cabaret music usually features passionate, deep female or male vocals, in a style influenced by Marlene Dietrich's singing or the singing in a Kurt Weill operetta. The vocals are usually accompanied by a sparse piano accompaniment, along with strings (cello or violin) and other instruments such as the accordion or trumpet.
Deathcore: a sub-genre of metalcore, deathcore is heavily influenced by modern death metal in its speed, heaviness, and approach to chromatic, heavily palm muted riffing and dissonance. Lyrics may not always be in the death metal vein, but traditional growls, and screaming are prevalent, often combined with metalcore vocals. Much of deathcore features breakdowns and melodic riffs,a trait which is attributed to the hardcore aspect of its metalcore influence.
Death Metal: an extreme heavy metal subgenre. The genre is typically characterized by the use of heavily distorted guitars, harsh vocals that are low-pitched and/or growled, morbid lyrics, exceptionally fast-paced rhythms and melodies, frequent blast beats on drums, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes.
Doom Metal: Emerged as a recognized heavy metal sub-genre during the first half of the 1980s. Generally, doom metal features very slow tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "denser" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres. Both the music and the lyrics intend to evoke a sense of despair, dread, and impending doom.
Drone Metal: Began as a derivative of doom metal and it is largely defined by drones; notes or chords that are sustained and repeated throughout a piece of music. Typically, the electric guitar is performed with large amounts of reverb and feedback while vocals, if present, are usually growled or screamed. Songs are often very long and lack beat or rhythm in the traditional sense. Drone doom is generally influenced by drone music, noise music and minimalist music.
Folk Metal: Developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with folk music. This includes the widespread use of folk instruments and, to a lesser extent, traditional singing styles.
Glam Metal: (also known as hair metal) arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States. It was a dominant genre in popular rock music throughout the 1980s. Musically, glam metal songs use distorted guitar riffs based around power chords and catchy hooks over hard-hitting drumming. Most songs feature flashy virtuoso shred guitar solos with heavily effect-processed lead guitar sound. The overall sound is much more commercial and studio-engineered than earlier styles of metal. The vocals have a catchy melody with an anthemic "sing-along" chorus. In addition, they were usually sung with a clean tone like in hard rock. Many of the bands donned make-up to achieve an androgynous look, similar to that of some 1970s glam rock bands.
Gothic Metal: Is characterised as a combination of the dark melancholy of gothic rock with the aggression of heavy metal music. The genre originated during the mid 1990s in Europe as an outgrowth of doom-death, a fusion genre of doom metal and death metal.
Grindcore: Often shortened to grind, is an extreme music genre that emerged during the mid–late 1980s. It draws inspiration from some of the most abrasive music genres – including death metal, industrial music, noise and the more extreme varieties of hardcore punk. Grindcore is characterized by heavily distorted, down-tuned guitars, extreme tempos, frequently accompanied by blast beats, songs often lasting no more than two minutes (some are seconds long), and vocals which consist of growls and high-pitched screams. Lyrical themes range from social and political issues (Napalm Death) to gore (Carcass) and humor (Anal Cunt).
Groove Metal: Also known as neo-thrash, post-thrash, or power groove, groove metal consists of slow or mid-tempo and down tuned thrash riffs, bluesy guitar solos, greatly emphasized drum work and harsh vocals.
Grunge: (sometimes referred to as the Seattle Sound) is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song dynamics, and apathetic or angst-filled lyrics. The grunge aesthetic is stripped-down compared to other forms of rock music, and many grunge musicians were noted for their unkempt appearances and rejection of theatrics.
Hardcore: is a subgenre of punk rock that originated in North America and the UK in the late 1970s. The new sound was generally thicker, heavier and faster than earlier punk rock. The songs are usually short, fast, and loud, covering topics such as politics, personal freedom, violence, social alienation, straight edge, war, and the hardcore subculture itself. Hardcore spawned several fusion genres and subgenres, some of which had mainstream success, such as melodic hardcore, metalcore, sludge metal and thrash metal.
Heavy Metal: (often referred to simply as metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in England and the United States. With roots in blues-rock and psychedelic rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats, and overall loudness. Heavy metal lyrics and performance styles are generally associated with machismo and masculine sexuality
Horror Punk: is a music genre that was defined by the bands The Misfits, The Cramps and seminally influential group The Damned, blending horror movie lyrical themes and imagery with musical influences from early punk rock, doo-wop, and, to a lesser degree, rockabilly. Horror punk bands usually tell tales through their lyrics, which are often related to horror films, black humor, and horror stories or novels. Horror punk has traditionally used, amongst other horror influence, the aesthetics and themes of zombie films. Some bands base their whole genre on zombies, taking up the names zombiecore. The horror punk genre has a thriving underground following, with websites and concert festivals, such as the Fiend Fest. The fan base has been tied to the resurgence of the closely-related genres, psychobilly and deathrock.
Industrial Metal: Combines elements of industrial music and heavy metal. It is usually centered around repetitive metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals.
Mathcore: (also known as technical metalcore, progressive metalcore, or noisecore) is a rhythmically complex and dissonant style of metalcore. Mathcore has its roots in bands like Converge, Botch,and the Dillinger Escape Plan. The term mathcore is suggested by analogy with math rock. Both math rock and mathcore make use of unusual time signatures.
Metalcore: Combines elements of hardcore punk with heavy metal, thrash metal or extreme metal. Generally, metalcore guitarists use harmonized guitar riffs and solos, drummers use hardcore d-beats and double bass drums, and vocalists use a sing-along style. A distinguishing characteristic is the "breakdown", whereby the song is slowed to half-time and the guitarists play open strings to achieve the lowest-pitched sound. Metalcore generally differs from thrash metal in that it avoids the "chugging" guitar sound and focuses more on melody than aggression.
Melodic Death Metal: (also referred to as melodeath) is a subgenre of death metal which combines the melody of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with the intensity of death metal. The genre is also known as Gothenburg metal,a reference to the city in Sweden where it originated. Originally the genre combined the harmony style and groove melodies of heavy metal with the harsh thrashing sound and vocals of death metal. Later the genre evolved due to many different influences, a notable evolution in the genre being the addition of keyboards. Melodic death metal contains more melodic guitar riffs, melodic solos, and acoustic guitar work than death metal. It also contains more comprehensible lyrics with traditional death growl and screaming vocals.
Post Hardcore: is typically characterized by its precise rhythms and loud guitar-based instrumentation accompanied by a combination of clean vocals and screams. Allmusic states, "These newer bands, termed post-hardcore, often found complex and dynamic ways of blowing off steam that generally went outside the strict hardcore realm of 'loud fast rules.' ... Additionally, many of these bands' vocalists were just as likely to deliver their lyrics with a whispered croon as they were a maniacal yelp."
Post Metal: This heavy metal movement takes influences from post-rock. While it is in many ways similar to post-rock, post-metal tends to include lower-tuned guitars, darker themes and tones, and heavier drums. Post-metal stresses emotion, contrasting the ambiance of post-rock with the weight and bombast of metal. Vocals are deemphasized or non-existent, and lyrics tend to be equally abstract: often thematic or philosophical in nature. It is a largely American phenomenon, but also includes some Japanese bands.
Power Metal: is more upbeat than most metal genres, taking heavy influence from heavy metal and speed metal. Power metal often emphasizes clean, melodic, high-pitched vocals, fast pacing that is mostly driven by double bass drumming and melodic lead guitar. The rhythm guitar is defined by straight power chord progressions. Power metal leans toward the positive, happy side of life, seeking to empower the listener and inspire joy and courage. Power metal lyrics usually involve fantasy or science fiction themes.
Progressive Metal: Is a fusion between progressive rock and heavy metal. It is one of heavy metal's more complex genres, due to its use of unusual and dynamic time signatures, long compositions, complex compositional structures, and virtuosic instrumental playing, where instrumental solos are detailed and extended. However, the latest age of Progressive Metal has favoured rougher lyrics and lower-pitched riff sequences with high amounts of strumming. Vocals, if present, are melodic and lyrics are often philosophical, spiritual, or political.
Psychedelic Rock: is a style of rock music that attempts to replicate the mind-altering experiences of hallucinogenic drugs.It emerged during the mid 1960s among garage and folk rock bands in Britain and the United States. Psychedelic rock is a bridge from early blues-based rock to progressive rock and heavy metal, but it also drew on non-Western sources such as Indian music's rāgas and sitars.
Psychobilly: is a genre of rock music that mixes elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and other genres. It is often characterized by lyrical references to science fiction, horror and exploitation films, violence, lurid sexuality, and other topics generally considered taboo, though often presented in a comedic or tongue-in-cheek fashion. Psychobilly music is often played with an upright double bass instead of the electric bass more common in modern rock music. Psychobilly gained underground popularity in Europe beginning in the early 1980s, but remained largely unknown in the United States until the late 1990s. Since then the success of several notable psychobilly bands has led to its mainstream popularity and attracted international attention to the genre.
Punk: is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed the perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock. They created fast, hard-edged music, typically with short songs, stripped-down instrumentation, and often political, anti-establishment lyrics. Punk embraces a DIY (do it yourself) ethic, with many bands self-producing their recordings and distributing them through informal channels.
Sludge Metal: Began as a derivative of doom metal, incorporating hardcore punk and elements of southern rock. Many sludge bands compose slow and heavy songs that contain brief hardcore passages. However, some bands emphasise fast tempos throughout their music.The string instruments are heavily distorted and are often played with large amounts of feedback to produce an abrasive, sludgy sound. Drumming is often performed in typical doom metal fashion, but drummers may employ hardcore d-beat or double-kick drumming during faster passages. Vocals are usually shouted or screamed, and lyrics are generally pessimistic in nature. Suffering, drug abuse, politics and anger towards society are common lyrical themes. New Orleans with its metal scene is often considered as its birthplace.
Shock Rock: is a wide umbrella term for artists who combine rock music with elements of theatrical shock value in live performances. 'Shock rock' first appeared as a loose genre term during the early 1970s, referring to glam rock era musicians. The genre's 'weapons of outrage' vary from decade to decade, but generally involve issues of sex and/or violence which are designed to push the current limits of decency.
Shoegaze: (also known as shoegaze or shoegazer) is a genre of alternative rock that emerged from the United Kingdom in the late 1980s. It lasted until the mid 1990s, peaking circa 1990 to 1991. The British music press (notably NME and Melody Maker) called this genre "shoegazing" because the musicians in these bands often maintained a motionless performing style, standing on stage and staring at their effects pedals or the floor while playing their instruments; hence, the idea that they were gazing at their shoes. The shoegazing sound featured extensive use of guitar effects, and indistinguishable vocal melodies that blended into the creative noise of the guitars. Few shoegazers were dynamic performers or interesting interviewees, which prevented them from breaking through into markets in the United States.
Southern Rock: is a subgenre of rock music. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals.
Stoner Metal: Is typically slow-to-mid tempo, low-tuned, and bass-heavy.It combines elements of psychedelic rock, blues-rock and doom metal, often with melodic vocals and 'retro' production.
Symphonic Metal: Symphonic metal varies in form. It most commonly refers to heavy metal bands that use orchestral elements in their music. These elements include full orchestras, opera themes, vocals or keyboarding akin to that of opera or symphony music, and a softer and more upbeat nature than other metal genres.
Thrash Metal: Is often regarded as the first form of extreme metal. It is generally characterised by its fast tempos, complexity and aggression. Thrash metal guitar playing is most notable for the "chugging" sound it creates through low-pitched palm muted riffs, and high-pitched shred guitar solos. Drummers often use double-kick and double-bass drumming. Vocals are most often shouted or sung in an aggressive manner.Thrash metal evolved from speed metal and NWOBHM at the beginning of the 1980s.
