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Initially developed in the sixties and seventies, metal music is distinguishable by its colossal sound quality, penchant for drawn-out solos, and extravagant performances. Metal may be considered a subgenre of hard rock, wherein various subcategories have sprung up like death metal, black metal, glam, power, and metalcore. The genre developed a huge following and quickly established its own set of ideals, fashions, and even gestures.
The metal movement’s…
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Initially developed in the sixties and seventies, metal music is distinguishable by its colossal sound quality, penchant for drawn-out solos, and extravagant performances. Metal may be considered a subgenre of hard rock, wherein various subcategories have sprung up like death metal, black metal, glam, power, and metalcore. The genre developed a huge following and quickly established its own set of ideals, fashions, and even gestures.
The metal movement’s 1960’s forebears boasted a lighter blues rock tone. The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and The Who led the world in experimentation with heavier distortion and beats that led directly into hard rock and metal. Bands like Cream and The Jimi Hendrix Experience went on to lead the genre with their iconic guitar techniques, intense drums, and heavy bass.
Psychedelic rock crept into the mix as well, inspiring artists like Iron Butterfly, whose 1968 release, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, is widely regarded as the first heavy metal album. ’68 also saw Led Zeppelin’s debut and The Beatles’ White Album, which featured some of the heaviest songs in popular music at the time. Pink Floyd and The Stooges came onto the scene shortly afterward, closely followed by Black Sabbath and Deep Purple in the early seventies, all of whom would have enormous impact on the metal world.
The lyrical convention in those early days of metal skewed toward darker, melancholic subject matter, a practice carried on by modern successors like Metallica, Slayer, and every black metal band. As the style evolved, many bands added more ethereal elements to their songwriting. Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden and many other bands of the death and power metal persuasions are known for their references to mythology, epic poetry and fantasy literature.
Modern metal is one of the most widespread and diverse musical genres and can even be defined as a culture in itself. Fans and critics will agree that, no matter what their background, nearly everyone is drawn to metal music in some capacity.
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