Metal is one of the most diverse musical genres on the planet. What began in the late 1960s and early 70s with bands like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple has splintered into a sprawling tree of subgenres—each with its own sound, style, and culture. If you’ve ever wondered why one band sounds slow and crushing while another sounds fast and technical, you’ve stepped into the world of metal subgenres. Let’s break down some of the most influential and interesting branches.
Heavy Metal – The Roots
Often referred to simply as “traditional metal,” this is the foundation. Think Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden. The sound is riff-driven, melodic yet heavy, with soaring vocals and guitar harmonies. It’s the blueprint that every other subgenre built on.
Thrash Metal – Speed and Aggression
Emerging in the early 80s, thrash turned up the tempo and intensity. Bands like Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax delivered razor-sharp riffs, double-time drumming, and themes of political rage and societal critique. Thrash laid the groundwork for many extreme subgenres.
Death Metal – Brutality Unleashed
Taking thrash to its most extreme, death metal is defined by growled or guttural vocals, blast-beat drumming, and crushingly heavy guitar riffs. Bands like Death, Cannibal Corpse, and Morbid Angel pioneered the style. Substyles include melodic death metal (In Flames, At the Gates) and technical death metal (Necrophagist, Obscura).
Metalcore – The Fusion of Hardcore and Metal
Metalcore blends the aggression of extreme metal with the raw energy of hardcore punk. Emerging in the mid-to-late 90s, it became one of the most popular heavy styles of the 2000s. Hallmarks include breakdowns (slow, crushing riffs made for headbanging and moshing), screamed/shouted vocals, and often a mix of harsh and clean singing.
Notable pioneers include bands like Converge and Integrity, who brought underground credibility. Later, groups such as Killswitch Engage, As I Lay Dying, and Parkway Drive helped push metalcore into the mainstream with melodic riffs and anthemic choruses.
Substyles have since branched out:
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Melodic metalcore (e.g., August Burns Red, Bullet for My Valentine) leans into catchy hooks and guitar harmonies.
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Deathcore (e.g., Suicide Silence, Whitechapel) adds death metal’s brutality and gutturals.
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Post-hardcore/modern metalcore often emphasizes atmosphere and emotional themes, like Bring Me The Horizon’s early work or Architects.
Black Metal – Darkness and Atmosphere
Known for its raw sound, shrieked vocals, and often lo-fi production, black metal embraces themes of mysticism, nature, and anti-religion. Early Norwegian bands like Mayhem, Emperor, and Darkthrone shaped the style. Atmospheric black metal and symphonic black metal expanded its horizons with ambience and orchestration.
Doom Metal – Slow and Crushing
If thrash was about speed, doom took the opposite route. Inspired by Black Sabbath’s darker riffs, doom emphasizes slow tempos, heavy distortion, and a bleak mood. Candlemass and Saint Vitus are classics, while bands like Sleep and Electric Wizard pushed the stoner-doom angle.
Power Metal – Fantasy and Melody
Uplifting, melodic, and often fantastical, power metal leans heavily on soaring vocals, blazing guitar solos, and epic lyrics. Bands like Helloween, Blind Guardian, and DragonForce are famous for songs that sound like soundtracks to imaginary quests.
Progressive Metal – Complexity and Experimentation
Progressive metal blends metal’s heaviness with prog rock’s intricacy. Expect odd time signatures, lengthy songs, and virtuosic musicianship. Dream Theater, Opeth, and Tool are some of the genre’s most acclaimed names.
Nu-Metal and Alternative Metal – Breaking Boundaries
In the 90s, bands like Korn, Slipknot, and Linkin Park brought a mix of metal, hip-hop, and alternative rock. Often polarizing, nu-metal emphasized groove, downtuned guitars, and raw emotion over technicality.
Djent – Polyrhythms and Precision
A more recent subgenre, djent is characterized by heavily palm-muted, syncopated guitar riffs played on extended-range guitars. Bands like Meshuggah pioneered the style, while Periphery and Tesseract helped popularize it.
Why Subgenres Matter
For newcomers, metal’s endless subgenres can seem overwhelming—but they’re part of what makes the genre so vibrant. Each represents a different mood, culture, and philosophy. Whether you’re in the mood for fantasy escapism, existential dread, or pure adrenaline, there’s a subgenre of metal waiting for you.
👉 Final Thought: At the end of the day, subgenres are labels, not walls. Many bands blur the lines between styles, and that’s part of the magic of metal—it never stops evolving.
