Heavy Metal Music: Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia

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Introduction

What is heavy metal music?

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 the United Kingdom 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. The genre’s lyrics and performance styles are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo.

In 1970, the four principal British heavy metal bands — Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and Iron Maiden — appeared on the scene. Many of their American contemporaries — including Blue Öyster Cult, Kiss, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, and Grand Funk Railroad — followed suit over the next few years. These bands developed a following among working-class youths in Britain and America who were attracted to the music’s wild energy and Senhorita – definition of Senhorita by The Free Dictionary . The first wave of British heavy metal was followed by a second wave in the early 1980s that included such bands as Def Leppard

History of heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and the United States. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock, and acid rock, the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion and extended guitar solos. In 1971, Judas Priest helped spur the genre’s evolution by discarding much of its blues influence; Motörhead also pioneered the power chord.[2][3] Initially, disco was incorporated into many hard rock tracks;[4] more often heavy metal lyrics treated familiar “love, sex, bad relationship” topics with paradoxical humor.

Proto-metal developed during the late 1960s and early 1970s as transitional music between blues rock and hard rock; it also began to merge elements of punk rock into the genre. Pioneering acts such as Vanilla Fudge,[5] The James Gang featuring Joe Walsh,[6] Leslie West of Mountain,[7] Blue Cheer,[8][9] Grand Funk Railroad,[10] Black Sabbath,[11][12][13] Deep Purple,[14][15] Aerosmith,[16][17] Kiss,[18][19] Nazareth[20][21 ]and Led Zeppelin[22][23][24 ]are often cited as early proto-metal repertoire.

Genres of heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom 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. The genre’s lyrics and performance styles are sometimes associated with aggression and machismo.

Thrash metal

Thrash metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its fast tempo and overall aggression. The songs usually use fast percussive beats and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work. The lyrical subject matter often deals with criticisms of The Establishment, and at times shares a disdain for Christian dogma.

Early thrash metal was an influenced by hardcore punk, and developed as a reaction against both the prevailing British rock music of the early 1980s and the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Thrash metal achieved mainstream success in the late 1980s, peaking with commercial releases such as Metallica’s 1986 album Master of Puppets,Anthrax’s Among the Living (1987), Megadeth’s Countdown to Extinction (1992) and Slayer’s Reign in Blood (1986). Though often criticized for their excessive violence and machismo, a number of these bands were embraced by critics as exaggerating the elements of traditional heavy metal. Thrash metal has seen a resurgence in recent times, with many newer bands drawing influence from the original pioneers.

Death metal

Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, blast beat drumming, deep growling vocals, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes.

Death metal lyrical themes include: violence, death, religion, suicide, misery, gore, and horror. Death metal songs often use graphic artwork and lyrical content that can be abortion, rape, cannibalism, necrophilia, mutilation, torture,Bestiality and other forms of extreme violence. Some songs also use satanic references and misogynistic imagery.

Origin of the term “death metal” is open to debate. One claim suggests it was coined in the mid-1980s by William Grim (owner and founder of Combat Records) who combined death metal with thrash metal to form the name “death-thrash”.

The early death metal scene was strongly influenced by Thrash Metal groups like Kreator, Sodom and Destruction from Hamburg Germany as well as Possessed from the San Francisco Bay Area in California . Death Metal developed in the US in the mid to late 1980s with bands such as Death (later known as Control Denied), Morbid Angel and Obituary.

Black metal

Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw (lo-fi) recording, unconventional song structures, and an emphasis on atmosphere. Artists often appear in satanic or anti-Christian imagery.

Black metal developed in Europe in the early 1980s, drawing heavily from the Norwegian hard rock and heavy metal bands Venom, Mercyful Fate, and Celtic Frost. In the early 1990s, a second wave arose that was strongly influenced by Norwegian black metal artists such as Mayhem and Burzum.

The black metal scene today is small but international, with bands from countries such as Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Poland, France, Brazil, Chile, Japan, Estonia and the United States.

The term “black metal” has been applied to bands with varying degrees of similarity to the original sound of Norwegian black metal of the early 1990s. Bands such as Dimmu Borgir,[3] Old Man’s Child,[4][5] one-time Emperor collaborator Zyklon-B,[6][7] and Marduk[8][9] have been described by music journalists as standing on the fringes of black metal. Similarly influential but non-black metal artists include Cradle of Filth[10]lineup including Dani Filth),[11] Sigh,[12][13] Summoning,[14][15] Gorgoroth,[16][17] Tiamat The Wretched End,[18][19] Vader[20][21] (in its earliest incarnation),[22], Deathstars[23],[24], Nightwish,[25], Theatre des Vampires.[26], Therion.[27],[28], Dämmerfarben [de],[29], Aborted Fetus [ru],[30].

Doom metal

Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much “thicker” or “heavier” sound than other heavy metal genres. Both the music and the lyrics intend to evoke a sense of despair, dread, death, or other pessimism. Blues influences and early doom metal bands such as Black Sabbath helped shape this style. British bands such as Witchfinder General, Pagan Altar and Cathedral, American bands Pentagram, Saint Vitus and Bedemon, Norwegian band Candlemass, Italian band Bulldozer created a heavy sound mixed with blues.

Early doom metal lyrics were often about loathing for humanity in general or self-hatred; topics included Topic of Pork’n Roll self-harm,[10] drug addiction[11][12] and suicide.[13] Worship of Satan or other evil entities was also common,[10] especially in the work of black metal bands like Venom,[14] Mercyful Fate[15][16][17] and Bathory.[18] In the 1990s there was increased focus on personal struggles and social issues, with bands like Anathema, Paradise Lost,[19] My Dying Bride,[20] Katatonia[21][22][23](dubbed by some as the leaders of ” Peaceville three”), Tool,[24][25} Neurosis[26][27], Type O Negative[28], disparaging religion,[29][30] politics and society in general.[31].

Heavy metalcore

Heavy metalcore (or metalcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of heavy metal and hardcore punk. Metalcore is characterized by strong rhythms, down-tuned, heavily distorted guitars, and intense bass and drum lines backing screamed vocals. The genre developed in the early to mid-1990s with bands such as Earth Crisis, Integrity, Hatebreed, and Converge. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a new wave of bands such as Atreyu, Bleeding Through, Killswitch Engage, Parkerlane[disambiguation needed], Shadows Fall, As I Lay Dying popularized the genre while pioneer groups like Earth Crisis and Converge continued to play a major role in the style’s development.

Metalcore reached its commercial peak in the mid-2000s with bands such as As I Lay Dying selling over 500,000 records; however it continues to be a strong underground presence with bands like Parkway Drive selling over 100,000 records while largely remaining outside of mainstream media attention. In the 2010s there has been a resurgence of interest in metalcore led by newer bands such as Bring Me the Horizon[2] and Parkway Drive.[3][4] On October 14th 2017 Metalcore was added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Notable heavy metal bands

bands such as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Megadeth are considered some of the most influential and commercially successful heavy metal bands of all time, having sold tens of millions of records worldwide.

Metallica

Formed in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1981, the group was founded when drummer Lars Ulrich posted an advertisement in a local newspaper, The Recycler, which read, “Drummer looking for other metal musicians to jam with Tygers of Pan Tang, Diamond Head and Iron Maiden.” Guitarist James Hetfield responded to the ad, and Metallica was formed. The band’s fast tempos, instrumentals and aggressive musicianship made them one of the founding “big four” bands of thrash metal, alongside Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer. Metallica’s current line-up comprises founding members Hetfield (lead vocals rhythm guitar) and Ulrich (drums), longtime lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo. Guitarist Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) and bassists Ron McGovney, Cliff Burton and Jason Newsted are former members of the band.

Metallica achieved substantial commercial success with their eponymous fifth album Metallica (also known as The Black Album), which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. With this release the band expanded its musical language resulting in an album that appealed to a more mainstream audience. The album was also their first to be certified diamond in the United States for sales exceeding ten million copies. In 2000 they released their cover album Garage Inc.. Four years later they returned with St. Anger (2003), a controversial album noted for its raw production. In 2009 Death Magnetic was released to critical acclaim; debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 it received universal acclaim from fans and critics alike – being awarded perfect scores by several major publications – while some called it their best work in over two decades. In 2008 Metallica was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Slayer

Slayer is an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman. Slayer’s fast and aggressive musical style made them one of the founding “big four” bands of thrash metal, alongside Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax. Slayer’s current lineup comprises King (guitars), Tom Araya (bass, vocals), Paul Bostaph (drums) and Gary Holt (guitars). Hanneman and drummer Dave Lombardo are former members of the band.

Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the big four thrash metal bands, along with Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax. Since its debut album in 1983, the band has released studio albums that have received critical acclaim. Four of the band’s studio albums have received gold certification in the United States. The band has received five Grammy nominations, winning one in 2007 for the song “Eyes of the Insane” and one in 2008 for “God Hates Us All”. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Slayer number 40 on their list of greatest artists of all-time. In 2011 was ranked number 85 in Spin’s list of greatest artists ever.

Slayer has played at several music festivals worldwide including Unholy Alliance, Download Festival, Ozzfest, Soundwave festival and Mayhem Festival.

Megadeth

Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. The group was formed in 1983 by guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson, shortly after Mustaine’s dismissal from Metallica. A pioneer of the American thrash metal scene, the band is credited as one of the genre’s “big four” with Anthrax, Metallica and Slayer, responsible for its development and popularization. Megadeth plays in a technical style, featuring fast rhythm sections and complex arrangements. Themes of death, war, politics and religion dominate the group’s lyrics.

The band has released fifteen studio albums, four live albums, two compilation albums, one EP, forty-six singles, nine video albums and thirty-five music videos. They have sold over 38 million records worldwide,[2][3] making them one of the best-selling heavy metal bands of all time. In 1985, they released their debut album Killing Is My Business… and Business Is Good!, the first release under the Megaforce Records label. The album caught the attention of Elektra Records only after its reissue a year later by Combat Records; it subsequently became their major label debut Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying?, which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 chart.[4] In 1988 they released So Far, So Good… So What!, which debuted at number 11 on Billboard 200.[5] After leaving Capitol Records in 2004 amid corporate restructuring,[6] they were picked up by Roadrunner Records.[7] Their most recent studio album,, Dystopia (2016), reached number three in the United States and number two in Australia.[8] It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance[9] at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony to be held in February 2017—their second consecutive Grammy nomination after Countdown to Extinction.[10][11][12]

Megadeth has hosted its own music festival cruise called Metal Cruise ([13][14]) since 2014. Megadeth was ranked asnumber 10 at Kerrang!’s “The 50 Best Live Bands Of All Time” list[15].

Anthrax

Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. The band was considered one of the leaders of the thrash metal scene during the 1980s. Of the “Big Four” thrash metal bands–the others being Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth–Anthrax was the only one from the East Coast, and often credited as one of the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal to create a fast and aggressive musical style. Anthrax’s current lineup includes founding members Joey Belladonna (vocals) and Scott Ian (guitar), as well as Frank Bello (bass), Charlie Benante (drums), and Jonathan Donais (guitar).

Origins (1981–1982)
Anthrax was formed in Queens, New York City, on July 18, 1981 by guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker. The band was named after the disease of the same name which Ian saw in a biology textbook. Originally intending to call themselves “Terrorist Attack”, they changed their name upon realizing that another band had already taken that name. The band’s first line-up was completed with singer John Connelly, drummer Dave Weiss and guitarist Greg Walls.

Early years and Fistful of Metal (1982–1984)
WEQX-FM disc jockey Paul Rabbitt inspired Lilker to include him in Anthrax’s line-up after hearing some demos he had recorded. Lilker brought Rabbitt to Greg Walls’s house where all four men agreed on changing the band’s name to “Anthrax”. They recorded their first demo tape during this time.[8] The demo, titled “Soldiers of Metal”, was engineered by Tony Lombardo at Radio Tokyo in New York City. Released on Punkcore Records in June 1982, it included hits such as “Soldiers of Metal”, “John Custer”, “DeathRider” and “Gung-Ho”. Soon after its release, Greg Walls left Anthrax and was replaced by Bob Mayo on guitar. Before touring or recording their debut album Fistful of Metal in 1983, Anthrax fired Weiss and recruited Neil Turbin as their new singer; Weiss would resurface several years later joining Overkill while Turbin would briefly join Flotsam & Jetsam before pursuing his own solo career or roles with Beyond Fear & Death Dealer.[10][11] Later that year Lilker switched from bass to rhythm guitar during rehearsals for Fistful because he couldn’t hear himself over then-drummer Greg D’Angelo’s double bass drums.[12][13]

Conclusion

In conclusion, heavy metal music is a genre of music that has evolved over time, with various subgenres emerging throughout its history. It is characterized by its heavy use of guitars, drums, and vocals, as well as its often aggressive and intense sound. While it is not for everyone, heavy metal music has a devoted following among many fans around the world.