This playlist is the ultimate playlist for fans of black metal’s melodic sound and its heavy soundscape, from its origins to its ripple effects across Scandinavia and beyond.
Layering vocals (whispers, growls and screams) to achieve heavier sounds is one of the primary strategies used for increasing heaviness in music production. Further research supports that theory – as heaviness may also depend on pitch and tempo parameters.
Motivation
Metal music can help motivate you through any workout imaginable: running long distances, reps at the gym or powerlifting sets on a powerlifter. Loud, hypnotic and immersive, heavy metal is known to put people in the zone and inspire courage and perseverance – an engaging metal song can transport listeners into an alternate reality of deafening drums, growling vocals and shredding fretwork; some critics have even accused it of simply being loud noise and violence – true fans understand its immense power!
Iron Maiden and Saxon led the new wave of British heavy metal during the 1970s. By the ’80s, however, metal had evolved into more aggressive form known as thrash metal; featuring fast tempos, harsh guitar timbres, often featuring apocalyptic or critical lyrics, and often fast double bass drumming tempos. Bands such as Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax led this style through violent shredding and double bass drumming while Ritchie Blackmore from Deep Purple/ Rainbow brought chord progressions inspired by Baroque models to modern heavy metal genre.
As heavy metal became an increasingly mainstream genre, its subgenres expanded. By the end of the decade, heavy metal had so many variations it was nearly impossible for bands to maintain an identity as one unit.
As heavy metal’s popularity increased throughout the ’90s, nu metal emerged: an amalgamation of thrash and grunge rock combined with hip hop-inspired singing reminiscent of Limp Bizkit and Slipknot’s chart-topping performances. Heavy metal musicians and fans have long come under criticism by politicians who link its music with crime or despondency; but supporters of metal argue its complex explorations of madness and horror as well as its powerful messages of perseverance and resilience are more profound than critics can deny.
Relaxation
Heavy metal music first emerged in the late 1960s and can often be heard played on loud, distorted electric guitars. Heavy metal’s popularity reached its pinnacle during the 1980s as bands such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath became recognized for their powerful performances with loud music that often provokes strong emotional responses, like anger or hatred, often with sexually explicit lyrics that provoke strong reactions in listeners. While critics may view heavy metal music as provocative or disturbing, fans say listening can actually help relax them.
Heavy metal has its roots in blues, psychedelic rock, and acid rock music genres. Three British bands – Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin – in the late 1960s created what would come to be known as heavy metal as an individual style of rock music, drawing from these sources while adding in elements from more contemporary rock styles such as amplified guitars with fast tempos, intense performances, amplified effects guitars, etc. This style became known by this name.
Metal musicians and fans have often been accused of contributing to social ills ranging from violence to despondency and suicide. Some forms of metal music feature strong male imagery which may give rise to accusations of misogyny; defenders of metal music note its diversity, saying its long history of musical experimentation provides proof of this statement.
In the 1980s, newer bands emerged that helped revive heavy metal’s popularity. Bands such as Def Leppard, Iron Maiden and Saxon led what came to be known as “new wave British heavy metal”, while gender-bending bands such as Quiet Riot and Motley Crue were part of what came to be known as “glam metal”.
In the ’80s, hard music saw its debut in its modern form with bands such as Slayer, Metallica and Anthrax pioneering the genre thrash metal; characterised by fast tempos with aggressive vocal and guitar timbres as well as critical or critical-sarcastic lyrics.
In the 1990s, metal musicians and fans once more came under criticism by critics claiming that their music contributed to violence, antisocial behavior, lack of focus in schooling, depression and even mental illness. Yet metal remains popular worldwide and some artists have found success outside mainstream venues.
Gym
Metal music can be an excellent way to boost and motivate your gym workout, keeping you focused and pushing through that last set of dumbbells until your muscles feel like they may explode. Plus, metal’s intense and harsh vocals and lyrics will have you shouting your workout away!
Heavy metal music genre is typically fast-paced with distorted guitars and heavy drumming, featuring screamed or raspy vocals with melodic guitar leads. There are multiple subgenres of heavy metal including groove, power, thrash and speed metal as well as classic rock influences as well as psychedelic and blues rock music within this genre.
Groove metal, also referred to as neo-thrash or post-thrash metal, is a subgenre of thrash metal which employs slow to mid tempo riffs with down tuned guitars and funk-inspired rhythm. Additionally, groove metal may incorporate elements from blues rock, hardcore punk and jazz music styles – examples such as Pantera, Exhorder and Lamb of God are examples of groove metal acts.
Power metal is a heavy metal subgenre influenced by both thrash metal and power metal genres, and features more melodic vocal stylings than other genres of heavy metal. Power metal also combines theatricality with strong, heroic themes; songs typically follow this path of energetic or melancholic songs.
Thrash metal, which originated in the mid-1980s, is a fast-paced subgenre of heavy music characterized by sharp vocals alternating between melodic and harsh tones, and often featuring a fast bass line. Through its influence on other genres such as hard rock, punk and rap music, thrash metal helped pave the way for alternative metal music genres to evolve over time.
Music of various genres can serve as an excellent motivator when working out, but none quite compare to heavy metal for unleashing your FIGHT instincts and motivating you to exercise. While some might prefer hip hop for this purpose, nothing hits quite so hard on our reptilian brain and activates our FIGHT instincts like an awesome heavy metal song does!
Romance
Heavy metal music has long been associated with aggression and power, yet can also convey strength and resilience. An ideal metal song transports listeners away to another time or place while reinforcing self-confidence and providing resilience against any challengers to self-confidence. Romantic ballads also have long been part of metal’s repertoire and bands often explore themes related to love or desire while most commonly you will hear growling vocals, heavy guitar riffs and pounding drums instead.
In the 1960s, British bands such as Cream, the Yardbirds and Jimi Hendrix pioneered the use of distorted power chords, heavy beats and emphatic bass lines that characterize metal music as opposed to blues-based rock. Black Sabbath made metal music legendary in the 1970s when their iconic three-chord opener to their classic song “Black Sabbath” conjured an evil atmosphere and cemented its status as a genre unto itself. From there on out, numerous bands began diversifying metal’s sound. Iron Maiden gravitated more toward progressive power metal, Judas Priest was inspired by Sabbath’s menacing, dark melodies, while Metallica revved up their tempos to give headbangers whiplash. Hair bands such as Motley Crue and Quiet Riot provided MTV-friendly performances while nu-metal mutants Korn and Slipknot gave off a post-alt-rock and hip-hop edge to their music.
Metal songs often carry messages of hope and survival that can provide motivation for those suffering depression or hopelessness, or who have experienced trauma such as the death of a loved one. Such songs can even help overcome nightmares or grieve for lost loved ones more quickly.
Heavy metal music may have an association with masculinity and machismo, leading some critics to label the genre as misogynist. Yet metal has a longer and richer history than any other musical style and female artists have been crucial contributors in its development; many early power metal and symphonic metal bands featured female lead singers; Nightwish, Delain, and Within Temptation all boast female artists within their ranks as lead singers or vocalists respectively.