| Heavy Metal |
Article Index for Heavy Metal |
Articles about Heavy Metal Music |
Website Links For Heavy Metal |
Information AboutHeavy Metal |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT HEAVY METAL MUSIC | |
| heavy metal | |
| music genres | |
Heavy metal (sometimes referred to simply as '''metal''') is a genre of Rock Music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s.Weinstein (1991), p. 14 With roots in Blues-rock and Psychedelic Rock , the bands that created heavy metal developed a thick, heavy, guitar-and-drums-centered sound, characterized by highly amplified Distortion and fast guitar solos. The All Music Guide states that "of all rock & roll's myriad forms, heavy metal is the most extreme in terms of volume, Machismo , and theatricality."1 Heavy metal has long had a worldwide following of fans known as " Metalhead s" or " Headbangers ". Although early heavy metal bands such as Led Zeppelin , Black Sabbath , and Deep Purple attracted large audiences, they were often critically reviled at the time, a status common throughout the history of the genre. In the mid-1970s, Judas Priest helped spur the genre's evolution by discarding much of its Blues influence; the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal followed in a similar vein, fusing the music with a Punk Rock sensibility and an increasing emphasis on speed. Heavy metal became broadly popular during the 1980s, when many now-widespread subgenres first evolved. Variations more aggressive and extreme than metal music of the past were mostly restricted to an Underground audience; others, including Glam Metal and, to a lesser extent, Thrash Metal went on to mainstream commercial success. In recent years, styles such as Nu Metal have further expanded the definition of the genre. CHARACTERISTICS Heavy metal is traditionally characterized by loud distorted guitars, emphatic rhythms, dense bass-and-drum sound, and vigorous vocals. Metal subgenres variously emphasize, alter, or omit one or more of these tropes. The typical band lineup includes a Drummer , a Bassist , a Rhythm Guitar ist, a Lead Guitar ist, and a singer, who may or may not be an instrumentalist. Acoustic Keyboards were popular with early metal bands—especially the Organ and occasionally the Mellotron —but they are now uncommon. Electronic Keyboard s are often featured today by bands in a variety of styles, including Progressive Metal , Power Metal , and Symphonic Metal . The electric guitar and the sonic power that it projects through amplification is historically the key element in heavy metal.Weinstein (1991), p. 23 Guitars are often played with Distortion Pedal s through heavily overdriven Tube Amplifiers to create a thick, powerful, "heavy'" sound. In the early 1970s, some popular metal groups began cofeaturing two guitarists. Leading bands such as Judas Priest and Iron Maiden followed this pattern of having two or three guitarists share the roles of both lead and rhythm guitar. A central element of much heavy metal is the guitar solo, a form of Cadenza . As the genre developed, more intricate solos and Riffs became an integral part of the style. Guitarists use Sweep-picking , Tapping , and other advanced techniques for rapid playing, and many subgenres emphasize Virtuosic displays. The lead role of the guitar in heavy metal often collides with the traditional "frontman" or bandleader role of the vocalist, creating a musical tension. Metal vocals vary widely in style, from the multioctave, theatrical manner of Judas Priest's Rob Halford and Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson , to the intentionally gruff approach of Motörhead 's Lemmy and Metallica 's James Hetfield , to the straight-out screaming and growling of Lamb Of God 's Randy Blythe and At The Gates ' Tomas Lindberg , to the phlegm-clogged, possessed style of black metal singers such as Mayhem 's Dead . The Bass Guitar plays an important role in most metal bands, providing the low-end sound crucial to making the music "heavy."Weinstein (1991), pp. 23–24 In addition, the bass is often distorted and modified by a variety of effects pedals. Metal bassists frequently use picks instead of their fingers to get a stronger articulation. The drum setup is generally much larger than with other forms of rock music.Weinstein (1991), p. 24 Aside from the standard toms, bass drum, snare, and hi-hat, ride, and crash cymbals, there is often a double bass drum, additional toms and cymbals (e.g., "splash" cymbals), and other instruments such as a Cowbell . In terms of live sound, volume is considered vital.Weinstein (1991), p. 23 Following the lead set by Jimi Hendrix and The Who —which once held the distinction of "World's Loudest Band" in the '' Guinness Book Of World Records ''—early heavy metal bands set new benchmarks for volume. Dick Peterson of Blue Cheer says, "We had a place in forming that heavy-metal sound. Although I'm not saying we knew what we were doing, 'cause we didn't. All we knew was we wanted more power."Walser (1993), p. 9 Tony Iommi , guitarist for the pioneering Black Sabbath , is among the numerous heavy metal musicians to suffer substantial hearing loss due to the volume of their live performances. Heavy metal's volume fixation was mocked in the Rockumentary spoof '' This Is Spinal Tap '' in which guitarist " Nigel Tufnel " reveals that his Marshall Amplifiers have been modified to " Go To Eleven ." Musical language Rhythm and groove The heavy metal main groove is characterized by short, two-note or three-note rhythmic figures—generally made up of that let the chords ring, particularly in slow-tempo songs such as ballads, or to add ambience and texture with one guitarist letting a chord ring while another plays faster passages. ''' Chords One of the signatures of the genre is the guitar . Various power chords can also be played with a consistent finger arrangement that slides easily up and down the Fretboard .Schonbrun (2006), p. 22 's "Addicted to Chaos" is an example of a heavy metal riff incorporating several types of Power Chord s]] Typical harmonic relationships Heavy metal is usually Riff -based. Riffs are frequently created with three main harmonic traits: modal scales progressions, tritone and chromatic progressions, and the use of pedal point. Modal harmony harmonic progression in I-VI-VII (Am-F-G): the main riff of Judas Priest 's " Breaking The Law "]] Traditional heavy metal tends to employ modal scales, in particular the Aeolian and Phrygian Mode s.Walser (1993), p. 46 Harmonically speaking, this means the genre typically incorporates modal chord progressions such as aeolian progression like I-VI-VII, I-VII-(VI) or I-VI-IV-VII and phrygian progressions implying the relation between I and ♭II (I-♭II-I, I-♭II-III or I-♭II-VII for example). Examples of aeolian harmony include Judas Priest's " Breaking The Law ", Iron Maiden's " Hallowed Be Thy Name ", and Accept 's "Princess of the Dawn", each employing a I-VI-VII progression as its main riff. Examples of phrygian harmony include, Mercyful Fate 's "Gypsy" (main riff I-♭II-I-VI-V), Megadeth 's "Symphony of Destruction" (main riff built on the ♭II-I relation) and Sodom 's "Remember the Fallen" (Introduction + main riff - the riff closing implies a phrygian Cadence : I-♭II-III) Tritone and chromatism "]] A trademark of many heavy metal subgenres is the use of tense harmony, such as , 2007 . The tritone, an interval spanning three whole tones—such as C and F#—is one of the fundamental expressions of dissonance in Western music. The tritone was banned from medieval ecclesiastical singing because of its dissonant quality, which led monks to call it ''diabolus in musica''—"the devil in music." The first explicit prohibition of that interval seems to occur with ''"the development of Guido Of Arezzo 's Hexacordal system which made B flat a diatonic note, namely as the 4th degree of the hexachordal on F. From then until the end of Renaissance the tritone, nick name the "diabolus in musica" was regarded as an unstable interval and rejected as a consonance"''. (Sadie, Stanley (1980). "Tritone " in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1st ed.). MacMillan, pp.154-155 ISBN 0-333-23111-2) ''"It seems first to have been designated as a 'dangerous' interval when Guido Of Arezzo developed his system of hexachords and with the introduction of B flat as a diatonic note, at much the same time acquiring its nickname of 'Diabolus in Musica' ('the devil in music')''." (Arnold, Denis (1983) « Tritone » in The New Oxford Companion to Music, Volume 1: A-J. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-311316-3). But later in history with the rise of the Baroque and Classical music era, that interval came to be perfectly accepted, but yet was used in a specific controlled way. It's only in the Romantism and modern classical music that composers started to use it freely and to exploit the evil connotations which are culturally associated to it Because of that original symbolic association, it came to be heard in Western cultural convention as “evil.” Today the interval continues to suggest an "oppressive," "scary," or "evil" sound. Heavy metal has made extensive use of ''diabolus in musica'' because of these connotative qualities; it is frequently used in guitar solos and riffs, for example at the beginning of " Black Sabbath ," the lead song on the band's debut album. Pedal point Heavy metal often makes extensive use of Pedal Point as a harmonic basis. A pedal point is a sustained tone, typically in the bass range, during which at least one foreign (i.e., dissonant) harmony is sounded in the other parts.Kennedy (1985), "Pedal Point," p. 540 Heavy metal riffs are frequently constructed over a persistent repeating note played on the low strings of the bass or rhythmic guitar, most usually on the E, A, and D strings.In black metal, however, pedal point is seldom a component of the guitar riff itself, but is rather played in the background by the bass. In other words, a single bass note—most frequently low E or A—is persistently repeated while some different chords are successively played, including chords that don't normally incorporate that bass note. An example is the opening riff of Judas Priest's " You've Got Another Thing Comin' ." In this case, one guitar plays the pedal point in F#, while the second guitar plays the chords. Classical influence The appropriation of "classical" music by heavy metal typically involves musical elements associated with Baroque , Romantic , and Modernist composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach , Niccolò Paganini , Richard Wagner , Ludwig Van Beethoven , Béla Bartók , and Igor Stravinsky . The tritone, for instance, was already exploited for its dark, anguished connotations by Romantics like Franz Liszt and 20th-century classical composers such as Bartók, Stravinsky, and Arnold Schoenberg . Deep Purple / Rainbow guitarist Ritchie Blackmore began experimenting with musical figurations borrowed from classical music in the early 1970s. In the 1980s, guitarists Randy Rhoads and Uli Jon Roth looked to the early 18th century for models of speed and technique. Yngwie Malmsteen , drawing from similar roots, has inspired myriad neoclassical metal players including Michael Romeo , Michael Angelo Batio , and Tony MacAlpine . Despite the fact that many metal musicians have cited classical composers as inspiration, heavy metal is hardly the modern descendant of classical music.Historical classical music's true descendant is ' (p. 56)." Players who cite Bach as an influence, for example, seldom make use of the complex Counterpoint that is central to the composer's work. Moreover, the extensive use of power chords in heavy metal, implying countless Consecutive Fifths and octaves, violates rules of harmony at the heart of the classical aesthetic.Arnold (1983), p. 476; Sadie (1980), p. 666; Kennedy (1985), "Consecutive," p. 159 Themes Common themes in heavy metal lyrics are sex, violence, fantasy, and the occult. The sexual nature of many heavy metal lyrics, ranging from Led Zeppelin's to those of latter-day nu metal bands, derives from the genre's roots in blues music.Weinstein (1991), p. 36 Heavy metal songs often feature outlandish, fantasy-inspired lyrics, lending them an escapist quality. Iron Maiden's songs, for instance, were frequently inspired by mythology, fiction, and poetry, such as " Rime Of The Ancient Mariner ," based on the Samuel Taylor Coleridge Poem . Other examples include Black Sabbath's "The Wizard," Megadeth 's "The Conjuring" and "Five Magics," and Judas Priest's "Dreamer Deceiver." Other artists base their lyrics on war, nuclear annihilation, environmental issues, and politics or religion. Examples include Black Sabbath's " War Pigs ," Ozzy Osbourne 's "Killer of Giants," Metallica's '' ...And Justice For All '', Iron Maiden's " 2 Minutes To Midnight " and " For The Greater Good Of God ," Accept's " Balls To The Wall ," and Megadeth's " Peace Sells ." Death is a predominant theme in heavy metal, routinely featuring in the lyrics of such different bands as Black Sabbath, Slayer , and W.A.S.P. As with much popular music, visual imagery plays a large role in heavy metal. A heavy metal band's "image" is associated with the thematic content of their lyrics, and is expressed in album sleeve art, stage sets, the clothes of the band, and even band logos, as well as the sound of the music.Weinstein (1991), p. 27 The thematic content of heavy metal has long been a target of criticism. Music critics have often deemed metal lyrics and imagery banal, and others have objected to what they see as advocacy of Misogyny and the occult. During the 1980s, the Parents Music Resource Center petitioned the U.S. Congress to regulate the popular music industry due to objectionable lyrics, particularly those in heavy metal songs. Physical gestures Certain body movements are widely performed at heavy metal concerts, including , 2004 . Retrieved on March 31 , 2007 . Stage Diving , Air Guitar , and Crowd Surfing are also practiced. ORIGIN OF THE TERM ''HEAVY METAL'' The origin of the term ''heavy metal'' in a musical context is uncertain. The phrase has been used for centuries in chemistry and metallurgy, as shown by citations in the ''Oxford English Dictionary''. An early use of the term in modern popular culture was by . " Nova Express ". New York: Grove Press, 1964. Pg. 112 Metal historian , former manager of the Jimi Hendrix Experience . In a 1995 interview on the PBS program ''Rock and Roll'', he asserted that heavy metal "was a term originated in a ''New York Times'' article reviewing a Jimi Hendrix performance," in which the author likened the event to "listening to heavy metal falling from the sky." A source for Chandler's claim has never been found. The first documented use of the term to describe a musical style is in a May 1971 '' is credited with popularizing the term via his early 1970s essays on bands such as Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath.Weinstein (1991), p.19 "Heavy metal" may have initially been used as a jibe by a number of music critics, but it was quickly adopted by fans of the style. The terms "heavy metal" and "hard rock" have often been used interchangeably, particularly in discussing bands of the 1970s, a period when the terms were largely synonymous.Du Noyer (2003), pp. 96, 78 For example, according to an entry in the 1983 '' Rolling Stone '' encyclopedia, "known for its aggressive blues-based hard-rock style, Aerosmith was the top American heavy-metal band of the mid-Seventies."Pareles and Romanowski (1983), p. 4 Few would now characterize Aerosmith's classic sound, with its clear links to traditional Rock And Roll , as "heavy metal." Even some acts closely identified with the emergence of the genre, such as Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, are not considered heavy metal bands by some in the present-day metal community. HISTORY Pre-history (mid-1960s) American played a major role in popularizing this sound with their 1964 hit " You Really Got Me ."Weinstein (1991), p. 18; Walser (1993), p. 9 A significant contributor to the emerging guitar sound was the Feedback facilitated by the new generation of amplifiers. In addition to The Kinks' Dave Davies , other guitarists such as The Who 's Pete Townshend and the Tridents' Jeff Beck were experimenting with feedback.Wilkerson (2006), p. 19. Where the blues-rock drumming style started out largely as simple shuffle beats on small kits, drummers began using a more muscular, complex, and amplified approach to match and be heard against the increasingly loud guitar.Walser (1993), p. 10 Vocalists similarly modified their technique and increased their reliance on amplification, often becoming more stylized and dramatic. In terms of sheer volume, especially in live performance, The Who's "bigger-louder-wall-of- Marshall s" approach was seminal.McMichael (2004), p. 112 Simultaneous advances in amplification and recording technology made it possible to successfully capture the power of this heavier approach on record. The combination of blues-rock with psychedelic rock formed much of the original basis for heavy metal.Weinstein (1991), p. 16 One of the most influential bands in forging the merger of genres was the power trio Cream , who derived a massive, heavy sound from Unison riffing between guitarist Eric Clapton and bassist Jack Bruce , as well as Ginger Baker 's double bass drumming.Charlton (2003), pp. 232–33 Their first two LPs, '' Fresh Cream '' (1966) and '' Disraeli Gears '' (1967) are regarded as essential prototypes for the future style. The Jimi Hendrix Experience's debut album, '' Are You Experienced '' (1967), was also highly influential. Hendrix's virtuosic technique would be emulated by many metal guitarists and the album's most successful single, " Purple Haze ," is identified by some as the first heavy metal hit.Walser (1993), p. 9 Origins and early popularity (late 1960s and early 1970s) performing in June 1969 for the French TV show ''Tous en scène''.]] In 1968, the sound that would become known as heavy metal began to coalesce. Many scholars and fans point to , 2007 . In October, Page's new band, Led Zeppelin , made its live debut. In November, Love Sculpture , with guitarist Dave Edmunds , put out ''Blues Helping'', featuring a pounding, aggressive version of Khachaturian 's " Sabre Dance ." The Beatles' so-called '' White Album '', which also came out that month, included " Helter Skelter ," one of the heaviest-sounding songs ever released by a major band.Blake (1997), p. 143 In January 1969, Led Zeppelin's Self-titled Debut Album was released and reached number 10 on the '' Billboard '' album chart. In July, Zeppelin and a power trio with a Cream-inspired, but cruder sound, Grand Funk Railroad , played the Atlanta Pop Festival . The following month, another Cream-rooted group, Mountain , played an hour-long set at the Woodstock Festival .Though often identified now as "hard rock," the band's debut album, ''Mountain Climbing'' (1970), placed 85th on the list of "Top 100 Metal Albums" compiled by '' Hit Parader '' in 1989. Grand Funk Railroad's ''Survival'' (1971) placed 72nd (Walser {Link without Title} , p. 174). In the fall, '' Led Zeppelin II '' went to number 1 and the album's single " Whole Lotta Love " hit number 4 on the ''Billboard'' pop chart. The metal revolution was under way.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|