Heavy Metal Subgenres (Part I)

The first thing to know about metal genres is that identifying them is no easy task. Especially, if you are a newbie in the world of heavy music or if you think that "metal is just noise". Get ready to sharpen your eyes and ears well to recognize each metal genre separately, and then recognize them even in a mix of sounds in this first part of this post! 

Trash Metal

Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is generally characterized by rhythms similar to speed metal and hardcore punk in aggressiveness and forcefulness. Songs of the genre usually use fast percussion and a low register of guitar riffs, which are also usually fast and cutting. The lyrics of thrash metal songs often deal with social problems, often with a direct and denouncing language. It was one of the first subgenres of heavy metal to appear, and its influence on this style has been and continues to be very great. 

The correct name of this genre is thrash metal. The name thrash was given by the sound that generates the pick when it is recharged with more force and scrapes the guitar string. Some of the famous band are Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, Sodom, Kreator and Overkill.

Power Metal

Power Metal. It is one of the most accessible and melodic sub-styles within the whole range of sounds that can be found in Heavy Metal. Power Metal was born as a sub-genre of Heavy Metal and Speed Metal, concentrating on the speed, power and melody of the music. Many bands, mostly from the so-called European school, characterized it with a fast, melodic sound and lyrics related to fictional or epic themes.

Choruses, solos and vocal melodies are the priority. Likewise, the double bass drum and keyboards are vital elements of the style. The lyrics, far from death, corruption and politics, are inspired by fantasy, epic, ancient kingdoms and mythological battles. Some of the famous bands from this genre are Rhapsody, Hellowen, Sonata Arctica, Blind Guardian and Kamelot.

Doom Metal

Doom metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is one of the slowest and heaviest genres of metal, clearly distinguishing itself in these aspects from thrash and death metal, and in general from other subgenres of extreme metal.

Another important characteristic of doom metal is its capacity for creativity and experimentation, which leads it to combine and experiment with other sub-genres of heavy metal and even with elements outside metal, such as jazz and blues. That is why there are so many labels within it: proto-doom, traditional doom metal, death/doom, gothic/doom metal, epic doom metal, stoner metal, sludge metal, drone/doom metal, post-metal, post-hardcore, funeral doom metal, black/doom. Doom metal is a genre that never ceases to innovate and experiment, although never leaving aside its musical matrix already described. Black Sabath, Type 0 Negative, Bedemon,  Candlemass and Pentagram are examples of this subgenre.

Metalcore

Metalcore is a genre of musical fusion that incorporates elements of hardcore punk with others from heavy metal. The term is an acronym for heavy metal and hardcore punk.

Metalcore bands usually have two guitarists, who often play fast, heavy riffs. Metallic hardcore bands usually play hardcore punk riffs with high distortion, while melodic metalcore bands usually play riffs inspired by melodic death metal. The bass players usually follow the guitar in the rhythm. The drummer usually plays double pedal or double bass drum with fast rhythms, usually d-beats, as part of their hardcore influence. Lead vocals in metalcore are usually screamed. Guttural vocals were becoming common in the 1990s. Melodic metalcore bands usually combine these with clean vocals. The most famous bands are Avenged Sevenfold, Asking Alexandria, Bring Me the Horizon, and Killswitch Engage.