Extreme metal

Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal and visual transgression." ^[1] The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound associated with the doom metal, speed metal, thrash metal, black metal, and death metal genres.^[2]

Though many extreme sub-styles are not very well known to mainstream music fans, extreme metal has influenced an array of musical performers inside and outside of heavy metal.

Definitions

"Extreme" can be meant to describe any of the following musical elements: instrumentation (whether it is intended to be faster, more aggressive, abrasive or "heavier" than other metal styles), lyrics (dealing with darker, more sensational topics and themes), vocals (which often use guttural, harsh or abrasive singing), or appearance and stage demeanor (using corpse paint, Satanic or occult imagery). The "extreme" label is most commonly applied to bands whose music is extreme; for example, few would consider Kiss or Alice Cooper to be extreme metal, though they could be considered to employ "extreme" elements in their appearance and stage demeanor for their time.

"Extreme metal’s sonic excess is characterized by high levels of distortion (also in the vocals – grunting or screaming), less focus on guitar solos and melody, emphasis on technical control, and fast tempos (at times, more than 200 beats per minute). Its thematic transgression can be found in more overt and/or serious references to Satanism and the darker aspects of human existence that are considered out of bounds or distasteful, such as death, suicide and war."^[3] "Visual transgression [can include]...medieval weaponry [and] bloody/horrific artwork."^[4]

According to ethnographer Keith Kahn-Harris,^[5] the defining characteristics of extreme metal can all be regarded as clearly transgressive: the "extreme" traits noted above are all intended to violate or transgress given cultural, artistic, social or aesthetic boundaries.

Given the vagueness of existing definitions and considering the limitations such definitions have, there are many artists for whom the usage of the term "extreme metal" is a subject of debate.^[5] However, Kahn-Harris also notes that many musicians and fans see such debates over style and genre as useless and unnecessary, or at least as given undue attention.

History

Below is a basic summary explaining how the primary extreme metal genres evolved. The first two bullets are the precursor genres. Starting with speed metal, the summary lists the extreme metal genres.

• Traditional heavy metal (late 1960s/early 1970s)
  • New Wave of British Heavy Metal (late 1970s)
    • Speed metal (late 1970s/early 1980s)
      • Thrash metal (early 1980s)
        • Black metal (mid-1980s)
        • Death metal (mid-1980s)
  • Doom metal (early 1980s)^[6]

Extreme metal genres

Primary genres

• Black metal
• Death metal
• Doom metal
• Speed metal
• Thrash metal

Subgenres of primary genres

• Subgenres of black metal
  • Ambient black metal
  • Symphonic black metal
  • War metal^[7]
• Subgenres of death metal
  • Melodic death metal
  • Technical death metal
• Subgenres of doom metal
  • Epic doom
  • Funeral doom^[5]
  • Traditional doom^[8]

Fusion genres

Fusions between primary genres

• Black-doom^[9][10]
• Blackened death metal
• Death-doom

Fusions with other metal styles

• Dark metal
• Melodic death metal^[11]
• Pagan metal
• Viking metal

Fusions with hardcore punk and punk rock styles

• Crossover thrash
• Crust punk
• Grindcore
  • Deathgrind
  • Goregrind
  • Pornogrind^[12][13]
• Metalcore
  • Deathcore
  • Mathcore
  • Melodic metalcore^[14]
• Sludge metal^[15]

Fusion with rock styles

• Black 'n' roll^[16]
• Blackgaze^[17]
• Death 'n' roll^[18]
• Sludge metal^[5] (sometimes)

Fusions with various other musical styles

• Avant-garde metal
• Drone metal^[5]
• Stoner metal
• Pagan metal
• Viking metal

Derivatives

Although the following derivatives have extreme influences, they are usually not considered extreme themselves:

• Gothic metal, influenced by death-doom and doom metal
• Groove metal, influenced by thrash metal and death metal

References

• Crocker, Chris (1993). Metallica: The Frayed Ends of Metal. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-08635-0. 

Extreme metal Genres Black metal death metal doom metal thrash metal Subgenres Black metal Ambient black metal symphonic black metal war metal Death metal Melodic death metal technical death metal Doom metal Epic doom funeral doom traditional doom Fusion genres Avant-garde metal black-doom black 'n' roll blackened death metal blackgaze crossover thrash crust punk dark metal death-doom death 'n' roll drone metal grindcore deathgrind goregrind pornogrind metalcore deathcore mathcore melodic metalcore pagan metal sludge metal stoner metal Viking metal Notable scenes Australian thrash metal Bay Area thrash metal Brazilian thrash metal Les Légions Noires Norwegian black metal Swedish death metal Teutonic thrash metal Other topics Gothic metal groove metal growling hardcore punk headbanging heavy metal subgenres moshing NWOBHM shrieking speed metal Heavy metal music portal