Metal music can be difficult to define even for those familiar with its sounds; due to its varied characteristics it is impossible to identify exactly what defines this genre.
However, it has long been associated with dark and rebellious themes, influencing everything from fashion to literature.
Origins
Heavy metal music’s roots can be traced back to British industrial city Birmingham during the late 1960s. At that time, economic growth in Britain had started to slow and unemployment rates began rising sharply; youth found refuge in rock music as an expression of rebellion against their current circumstances and an outlet of self-expression.
Black Sabbath was the precursor of modern heavy metal, founded in 1968 by guitarists Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler along with drummer Bill Ward. Their use of distorted guitar tones coupled with dark, occult-themed lyrics helped establish heavy metal as a genre; Ozzy Osbourne’s distinct vocal style and larger-than-life personality was also instrumental to its development.
Deep Purple, Judas Priest and Alice Cooper all played an influential role in shaping heavy metal’s evolution. Although their musical styles differed significantly from Black Sabbath’s, these bands shared similar themes as well as a raw and aggressive sound. Progressive metal acts like King Crimson also helped contribute to its development by mixing dissonant vocals with complex instrumental passages to create progressive metal.
Although other instruments can also play a part in heavy metal music, the electric guitar remains at its heart. The distinctively distorted tone it produces through amplifier is what differentiates this genre from other forms of rock music.
Heavy metal emerged as a musical movement that mixed fantasy with political protest, challenging authority while offering escape. This contrasted to Punk which offered more direct means of venting young angst and frustration.
Heavy metal music is highly captivating and engaging, featuring thunderous drums and thrilling guitar solos that combine thunderous drumming with electrifying guitar solos, often coupled with frequent changes in tempo and rhythm, complex chords and extended improvisation as trademarks of this genre combining diverse influences such as blues, classical, punk music as well as other types of rock music such as punk. Heavy metal’s aggressive images often seen as representing its rejection of traditional values while supporting self-indulgence rather than traditional values are hallmarks of heavy metal’s music as much as its sound characteristics!
Subgenres
Heavy metal music encompasses an expansive spectrum, each subgenre offering its own distinct sound. Popular genres include power metal, thrash metal, melodic death metal and more rarely heard forms like funk metal and gothic symphonic metal.
Some early heavy metal bands incorporated elements from other genres into their music, including blues and psychedelic rock. For instance, the brief yet influential glam metal movement in the early 1970s had an influenceful impact on T. Rex and David Bowie (especially his persona as Ziggy Stardust).
Metal musicians typically employ distortion to amplify their instruments and create an epic, booming sound. Additionally, some bands employ other techniques, like palm mutes to increase volume without distorting notes; many metal musicians also incorporate vocals into their music to express emotion or add intensity.
Heavy metal song structures typically include verse, chorus and bridge sections. Verse verses often feature repetitive chords while choruses often showcase more complex arrangements and an assortment of vocal styles. Finally, bridge sections often include powerful solos which showcase musician’s technical expertise.
Heavy metal music came under attack in the 1980s from both political and academic groups who blamed its fans and players for contributing to various social problems ranging from crime, despondency and suicide. Defenders of heavy metal pointed out that its exploration of madness and horror simply served to provide an outlet for human emotions.
In the 1990s, heavy metal’s popularity surged through new bands exploring various styles and influences. Nu metal bands like Korn and Slipknot combined heavy metal with elements from hip hop and electronic music to appeal to younger listeners; punk rock, alternative rock and grunge also heavily influenced heavy metal music, with Alice in Chains and Soundgarden drawing inspiration from blues musicians like Lennie James.
Characteristics
Heavy metal music is defined by a guitar-and-drums sound characterized by high volumes, distorted guitars and drumming techniques such as blast beats. Furthermore, heavy metal has many vocal styles–from singing to screaming to growling–and often dark lyrical themes exploring fear, mistrust, paranoia and anger; metal bands often portray this subculture through their music.
Popularity soared during the 1970s, as groups like Black Sabbath, Saxon, and Iron Maiden spearheaded what became known as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM). This music served as an antidote to punk rock while paying homage to classic rock. NWOBHM music featured long haired musicians with theatrical performances and an adventurous spirit – perfect for nightclubs!
Power metal developed as a subgenre of metal music in the 1980s, featuring elements from both thrash and death metal but without as many extreme elements. This genre combines fast tempos, an anti-commercial attitude, intensity of rock with classical and symphonic influences as well as clean vocals with melodies at its center; modern bands that utilize keyboards and orchestral arrangements include Nightwish and Delain who regularly incorporate power metal elements into their songs.
An electric guitar is a central element in all metal genres. The amplified power produced by this instrument gives heavy metal its distinct sound, while drummers, bass guitarists and lead guitarists all contribute significantly. Keyboards may occasionally appear; this depends on which style of metal you listen to.
At its core, metal music is performed mainly by male musicians. While female singers may participate, most do not play an instrument. This reflects how male dominance dominates metal subculture; part of a wider culture that supports masculinity.
Heavy metal has often found itself in conflict with mainstream culture in certain countries due to its loud, provocative music. Many see heavy metal as a genre which encourages hedonism and antireligious sentiment, yet regardless of this it continues as an expressive outlet which connects deeply with listeners – inspiring subgenres and creating global communities with their own culture, fashion, and aesthetics.
Influences
Metal music has had an immense effect on culture and society, influencing fashion, visual arts, political views and more. Metal serves as a platform to express forgotten or suppressed emotions while offering a sense of belonging and rebellion against societal norms – which has created a global subculture comprising multiple subgenres with dedicated fans all around the globe.
Heavy metal’s early pioneers drew influence from multiple musical genres and artists, drawing heavily upon rock’s guitar-driven sound and style while borrowing elements of blues musicians to develop its distinctive, loud, and distorted guitar tone. Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf provided inspiration for its raw emotion and expressive guitar playing; Cream and The Kinks developed power chords with more aggressive drumming styles; while progressive rock acts such as King Crimson also helped define this genre with their psychedelic arrangements featuring psychedelic arrangements and distorted guitars – providing plenty of inspiration from other musical genres and artists for heavy metal’s beginnings.
Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth led an emerging wave of metal bands during the 1980s known as “thrash metal,” taking rock music to another level through fast rhythms and intense guitar solos. Their lyrics often addressed controversial or taboo topics which caused religious conservative groups to criticize this genre of metal music for encouraging violence, Satanism or rebellion.
Though these claims have since been disproved, metal’s association with male-dominated cultures and accusations of misogyny among its fans remains.
Heavy metal’s roots in blues rock provide realistic and cathartic qualities while its influence from pop music gives the genre its more fantasy side through outlandish lyrics. As a result, heavy metal explores human nature’s duality: darkness and evil coexist with beauty and light – reflected by Iron Butterfly’s name being taken from hippie counterculture idiom “heavy as iron” while also serving as a pun on chemical element iron with properties related to heavy metal themes; similarly its dualistic nature can be seen both doom metal genres as well as melodic gothic metal genres as it explores these themes; the same duality can also be seen when considering doom metal’s more pessimistic and depressive genres alongside melodic gothic metal genres that explore these issues as well.