Heavy Metal Music: A Reference Midway Through the Maze

A reference for those who are looking for an introduction to heavy metal music.

Defining Heavy Metal

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.

Where did it come from?

Heavy metal is a type of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Characteristics include aggressive vocals, distorted guitars, bass guitar, drums, and often accompanied with keyboards.

The origins of heavy metal can be traced back to bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, which began to experiment with sounds that were louder and heavier than what was typical at the time. This new sound caught on with other bands and soon became its own genre.

In the 1980s, heavy metal became one of the most popular genres of music in the world. Bands such as Metallica and Megadeth helped to bring this sound to a wider audience, and today there are heavy metal fans all over the globe.

What are the sub-genres?

Heavy metal is a genre of 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 1968, three British rock bands—Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple—and two American bands—Blue Cheer and Iron Butterfly—are often credited with creating heavy metal. These bands were soon followed by other less influential groups such as Bang, Bloodrock, Captain Beyond,Alice Cooper In 1970 Judas Priest released their debut album Rocka Rolla which is considered to be very influential to the genre. In 1974 KISS released their debut album KISS which also was a big influence to the genre. In terms of commercial success Blue Öyster Cult were one of the most successful heavy metal bands of the 1970s.

Today there are many sub-genres of heavy metal including:
-Thrash Metal
-Death Metal
-Doom Metal
-Black Metal
-Power Metal
-Progressive Metal
-Glam Metal
-Speed Metal

The Elements of Heavy Metal

Though it is commonly associated with louder, more aggressive-sounding music, the term “heavy metal” can refer to any genre of rock music that features distorted electric guitars,bass guitar, and drums.

The Riffs

Riffs are the lifeblood of heavy metal. A riff is simply a catchy, repeated guitar figure that forms the basis of a song. Riffs are usually played by the lead guitarist in unison with the rhythm guitarist and bassist, and they are often played at high volume with distortion. Riffs are usually fairly simple, although some may be quite complex.

Most heavy metal songs are built around a central riff that is repeated several times throughout the song. The lead guitarist will often play variations on the riff, or add embellishments to it, but the basic idea is always the same. The riff will usually be accompanied by a drum beat that helps to drive the music forward.

The best riffs are those that are instantly catchy and memorable. Some of the most famous heavy metal riffs of all time include “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple, “Ace of Spades” by Motorhead, “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath, and “Enter Sandman” by Metallica.

The Power Chords

In terms of music, a power chord is simply two or more notes played together that create a “chord of power.” Power chords are usually played on electric guitars with distortion to create a heavier, more powerful sound. In heavy metal music, power chords are often played along with palm-muted single notes to create a driving, aggressive sound.

The Drumming

Beyond the simple thump of the bass drum that keeps time, metal has come to be defined by its use of double-bass pedals, which allow a drummer to play rhythms with their feet that are too fast for their hands. In addition to the double bass, metal also uses a variety of cymbal sizes and types to create different sonic effects.

The Icons of Heavy Metal

Calling all metalheads! It’s time to headbang and rock out to some of the heaviest, most shredding sounds known to humankind. We’re talking, of course, about heavy metal music. This genre has been around for decades, and has given birth to some of the most iconic musicians in the world.

Ozzy Osbourne

John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, actor and reality television star who rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which he adopted the nickname “Prince of Darkness”. Osbourne’s total album sales from his years in Black Sabbath, combined with his solo work, is over 100 million.[1] As a member of Black Sabbath, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and was cited as “The Godfather of Heavy Metal”.[2][3] Osbourne’s longevity and success have earned him the informal title of “Heavy Metal’s Greatest Truthsayer”.[4]

Born in Birmingham, Osbourne became interested in music at an early age. He formed a band with fellow pupil Tony Iommi in 1968 called Earth, renamed after discovering another local band already used the name. They began playing shows around Birmingham and had moderate local success. Earth changed their name after being discovered by Stainless Galore management agency during an early show and subsequently renamed themselves Black Sabbath. The band’s first album was entitled Black Sabbath (1970) and was a commercial success; it reached number eight on the UK Albums Chart[5] and number 23 on Billboard’s Top LPs chart in the US.[6][7] Despite an association with occultism and horror, Black Sabbath also became associated with pop culture; their second album, Paranoid (1970), contained two top ten singles in “Paranoid” and “Iron Man”.

Metallica

This hard-hitting quartet from Los Angeles is responsible for some of the most popular – and heaviest – metal anthems of the past few decades. Metallica was founded in 1981 by Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield, and has gone on to sell over 100 million records worldwide. The band’s signature sound is a mix of speed, power and precision, with often complex song structures and arrangements. Metallica has undergone numerous lineup changes over the years, but the current members are Hetfield (vocals, guitar), Ulrich (drums), Kirk Hammett (guitar) and Robert Trujillo (bass).

Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden is an English heavy metal band formed in 1975. The band’s first album, 1980’s Iron Maiden, was a commercial and critical success, and they have since released a string of successful albums. Iron Maiden is one of the most successful heavy metal bands of all time, with over 100 million albums sold worldwide. The band has been nominated for four Grammy Awards and won one for their song “Fear of the Dark”.

The Legacy of Heavy Metal

Though its golden age may have come and gone, the legacy of heavy metal still looms large in the musical landscape. For those looking to get their start in the genre, it can be tough to know where to begin. This article will serve as a reference midway through the maze, with a focus on the history and evolution of heavy metal.

The New Wave of British Heavy Metal

The New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) emerged in the late 1970s as a response to the declining popularity of the existing hard rock and heavy metal scene. Bands such as Iron Maiden, Motörhead and Judas Priest revitalized the genre with their innovative songwriting and powerful performances. The NWOBHM quickly gained a global following, and its influence can still be felt in heavy metal music today.

The American Heavy Metal Scene

The American heavy metal scene began to coalesce in the late 1960s and early 1970s around the hard rock of bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath.However, it was not until the mid-1970s that a distinct American heavy metal sound began to emerge with bands such as Kiss, Aerosmith, and Van Halen. This sound would come to be defined by its use of power chords, double bass drumming, and distortion-heavy guitar riffs. In the 1980s, the American heavy metal scene would be further defined by the rise of thrash metal bands such as Metallica and Megadeth.