How Heavy Metal and Psychedelic Rock Fans Can Enjoy Each Other’s Music

Do you love head-banging to heavy metal but also enjoy mellowing out to psychedelic rock? You’re not alone! In fact, there are plenty of fans of both genres who appreciate the sounds of each. Here’s how heavy metal and psychedelic rock fans can enjoy each other’s music.

The Basics of Metal and Psychedelic Rock

To the untrained ear, metal and psychedelic rock can sound like complete noise. However, there are actually a lot of similarities between the two genres. Both styles of music are often based around electric guitars and feature distorted sounds. They also both tend to be high energy and have a lot of reverb. If you’re a fan of one genre, you might be surprised to find that you enjoy the other as well.

The History of Metal

Metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It is characterized by heavily distorted guitars, long solos, and aggressive vocals. Metal is often associated withHeavy Rock or Hard Rock.

The first heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath and Deep Purple emerged in the late 1960s. These bands used heavier guitars and amps than their predecessors, which helped them create a louder, more aggressive sound. In the 1970s, bands like Led Zeppelin and Queen took metal to new heights with their progressive, highly technical approach to the genre.

In the 1980s, metal underwent a major resurgence with the rise of thrash metal and glam metal. Thrash metal bands like Metallica and Megadeth pioneered a more aggressive, faster-paced style of metal, while glam metal bands like Mötley Crüe and Poison brought a more commercialized sound to the genre.

Today, there are many different subgenres of metal (such as death metal, black metal, and power metal), each with its own unique sound and characteristics. Despite its sometimes negative reputation,metal music has produced some of the most influential and celebrated artists in rock history.

The History of Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s with the goal of reproducing the ‘mind-altering’ experiences of psychedelic drugs. It draws on musical traditions of Psychedelia emerged in various countries and scenes, including the United States, Britain, and West Germany.

Psychedelic rock often incorporates distorted electric guitars, sitars, drums, and sometimes use of feedback and other electronic effects. The style is often characterized by extended jams and improvisation.

The earliest examples of psychedelic rock include British bands such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones who experimented with drugs like LSD. American bands such as The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, and Grateful Dead also began to experiment with psychedelia. Rock music was also being made in West Germany by band such as CAN who were influenced by American psychedelic rock.

The Similarities Between Metal and Psychedelic Rock

Many people think that metal and psychedelic rock are two completely different genres of music. However, these two genres actually have a lot in common. Both genres are known for their experimental nature, and both genres often explore dark and/or controversial topics. In addition, both genres often make use of distorted guitars and heavy drums.

The Distortion

Both genres commonly use heavily distorted guitars. This distortion is usually achieved by using a distortion pedal, which boosts the signal of the guitar and introduces various types of artifacts such as clipping and compression. The result is a sound that is much louder and more aggressive than the sound of an un-distorted guitar.

The Repetition

One of the things that both metal and psychedelic rock have in common is the use of repetition. This can be seen in both the song structures and the guitar playing. For example, a lot of metal songs will have a very simple verse/chorus/verse structure. This is partly due to the fact that metal songs are often quite long, so they need to have a repetitive element to keep the listener engaged. Similarly, psychedelic rock songs often make use of repeated riffs and chord progressions. This has the effect of creating a hypnotic or trance-like state in the listener.

The Loudness

Both genres are known for the loudness of their music. This is because both genres seek to create an immersive experience for their fans, one that can transport them away from the everyday world and into a space where they can feel the music in their bones. This shared goal is what makes the two genres so compatible.

The Differences Between Metal and Psychedelic Rock

Metal and Psychedelic rock are two genres of music that have a lot of differences. Metal is heavier, louder, and has a more aggressive sound while Psychedelic rock is more mellow, trippy, and has a more laid back sound. Despite their differences, there are still some similarities between the two genres.

The Vocals

The biggest difference between metal and psychedelic rock is probably in the vocals. Metal is all about the guttural growls and screams, while psychedelic rock is all about the high, ethereal voices. If you’re a fan of metal, you’re probably not going to enjoy the vocals in psychedelic rock, and vice versa. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, Aladdin Sane-era David Bowie straddles the line between metal and psychedelic rock with his unique vocal style.

The Lyrics

Metal lyrics are mostly about things like destruction, violence, and sex. Psychedelic rock lyrics, on the other hand, are about tripping on drugs and having hallucinations.

The two genres also differ in their vocal styles. Metal vocalists sing in a growling, guttural style, while psychedelic rock vocalists often sing in a high-pitched, nasal style.

The instrumentation of metal and psychedelic rock also differs. Metal bands typically have two guitarists who play power chords and solos with distortion, a bassist who plays heavy riffs, and a drummer who plays fast, aggressive beats. Psychedelic rock bands usually have only one guitar player who uses feedback and reverb to create a “walls of sound” effect, a bassist who plays funk-inspired grooves, and a drummer who plays laid-back beats.

The Instruments

Instrument-wise, the two genres couldn’t be more different. Heavy metal is all about the lead guitar, with the drums and bass providing a propulsive backbeat over which the guitarist can show off his or her chops. Psychedelic rock, on the other hand, tends to be more keyboard-heavy, with guitars taking a backseat to organs, pianos and other keyboard instruments. The result is a very different soundscape: heavy metal is all about power and aggression, while psychedelic rock is more about atmosphere and texture.

How Metal and Psychedelic Rock Fans Can Enjoy Each Other’s Music

Although metal and psychedelic rock fans may not think they have much in common, there are actually many ways in which they can enjoy each other’s music. For example, both genres often have complex and interesting lyrics, and both genres often make use of distorted guitars and other interesting sounds. In addition, both genres often explore dark and misunderstood topics.

Finding the Right Band

Metal and Psychedelic Rock might seem like two genres that would never be caught together, however, there are many bands that have elements of both styles in their music. If you are a fan of both genres, or if you are curious about exploring one style through the other, here is a list of bands that are sure to please fans of both Metal and Psychedelic Rock.

-The Melvins
-Pig Destroyer
-Sunn O)))
-Behexen
-Electric Wizard
-Black Sabbath
-Sleep

Going to the Right Concert

Whether you’re a fan of metal or psychedelic rock, there are certain concert etiquette rules you should follow to ensure that everyone has a good time. First and foremost, try to get to the venue early. This will help you avoid the crowds and find a good spot to stand or sit. If you’re not familiar with the band that’s playing, do some research before the concert so you know what to expect. And finally, be respectful of other fans and leave any preconceived notions at the door.

No matter what type of music you’re into, following these simple guidelines will help you enjoy the concert experience to the fullest.

Listening to the Right Albums

One thing that fans of both genres can appreciate is the importance of listening to the right albums. When it comes to metal, there are certain seminal albums that every fan should listen to. These include Black Sabbath’s self-titled debut album, Led Zeppelin’s IV, Metallica’s Ride the Lightning, and Slayer’s Reign in Blood. For psychedelic rock, fans should check out The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, and The Doors’ self-titled debut album. By familiarizing themselves with these classic albums, fans of both genres will be able to appreciate the music that each has to offer.