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"Extreme" can be meant to describe any of the following traits: music (whether it's intended to be faster, more aggressive, abrasive or "heavier" than other metal styles); lyrics (dealing with darker, more salacious or 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). According to : the "extreme" traits noted above are all intended to violate or transgress given cultural, artistic, social or aesthetic boundaries. HISTORY Early history See Also: Heavy metal music Heavy Metal Music was developed in the late 1960s as a louder, more emphatic version of Blues Rock . Metal pioneers like Led Zeppelin , Jimi Hendrix , Black Sabbath and Deep Purple all had strong roots in blues rock, and though heavy metal was often harsher than its predecessor, it often retained a strong blues feel, frequently covering well-known blues songs. By the 1970s, some musicians in metal were drifting away from the music's blues roots. The most notable development was the so-called " New Wave Of British Heavy Metal " (NWOBHM), with groups like Iron Maiden , Judas Priest and others refining and further developing metal. The music often still used blues-inspired Chord Progressions , but the instrumental techniques and vocal styles had a severely reduced blues feel. Extreme metal's early years The NWOBHM group imagery. Their albums '' Welcome To Hell '' (1981) and '' Black Metal '' (1982) are widely regarded as foundational influences on extreme metal. Venom's members also took on Stage Name s intended to help create a menacing persona. Though the practice is not universal, many extreme metal musicians have similarly taken on stage names. The late 1970s and early 1980s saw the development of Speed Metal and Thrash Metal , two distinct but nonetheless closely related styles that both drew influence from Punk Rock (particularly the emphasis on very fast tempos, 2/4 or implied 2/4 time, and brief songs found in Hardcore Punk ), along with a strong NWOBHM influence. The "big four" of thrash metal (the American groups Anthrax , Megadeth , Slayer and especially Metallica ) proved that extreme metal was a commercially viable force. Later developments According to Khan-Harris, the mid-to-late 1980s saw vital new developments: Death Metal and Grindcore . Though rooted in earlier styles of extreme metal, grindcore and death metal both are partly defined by ragged, barked or "grunted" vocals that can be incomprehensible, particularly to those unfamiliar with the music. These vocal techniques had little precedent, and at least partly marked deliberately anti-commercial stance. Black Metal developed slightly later, and is characterized by shrieking, high-pitched vocals. Doom Metal , while widely recognized as an extreme metal sub-type, is somewhat unusual: with little to no influence from thrash or speed metal, doom metal is markedly slower than most other extreme metal styles, and features a stronger influence from pre-NWOBHM '60s and '70's metal and hard rock. Extreme metal earned an unprecedented level of international mainstream attention in the early and mid-1990s. Some of the attention was positive, expanding the music's audience (s, with dozens of centuries-old Norwegian Christian churches damaged or destroyed; musician Varg Vikernes killed fellow musician Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth ; Mayhem vocalist Dead killed himself; and drummer Bård Faust killed a homosexual acquaintance. As of 2007, extreme metal has been used to describe a wide array of performers and music styles. There are a dizzying variety of sub-genres, often defined by very subtle differences that are not always apparent to novice listeners. Kahn-Harris notesKahn-Harris, 2007 that the use of the term "extreme metal" can sometimes be contentious among fans, and the subject can be hotly debated: for example, Deathcore and Crossover Thrash , while influenced by extreme metal, are often thought of as being closer to hardcore punk or metalcore than extreme metal. 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. CHARACTERISTICS Though songs in traditional heavy metal may be louder, harsher or more abrasive than rock and roll in general, the underlying elements of Melody , Harmony and Rhythm generally similar to those in rock and pop music. However, extreme metal tends to depart from these structures so drastically that Kahn-Harris notes that to the uninitiated, extreme metal can seem like incomprehensible, overwhelming noise despite the presence of recognizable vocals and instruments. Melody - one of the key elements of popular music - is of relatively little importance in extreme metal, whether in the singing or instruments. Extreme metal songs rarely have "pop hooks". Perhaps the most important identifying characteristic of extreme metal is the vocals. Singers in extreme metal utilize various Extended Technique s to create vocals that can be very rough, guttural and bestial (the " Death Grunt " or "growl"), or can be a high-pitched shrieking. Some vocalists also using relatively conventional singing (called "clean vocals") though just how "clean" these vocals are varies widely. Vocalists can use one or more techniques, and some bands have multiple singers, each specializing in one type of vocal. Extreme metal is also characterized by its unusual tempo, which may range from very fast-paced -- Death Metal and Thrash Metal can occasionally approach the extraordinary range of 300 Beats Per Minute see Kahn-Harris -- to the extremely slow, as in Funeral Doom . Drummers often utilize Double Bass Drumming and Blast Beat s, though not all make use of these techniques. Kahn-Harris notes that many extreme metal drummers take great pride in creating and playing drum patterns that are complex and demanding. Guitars in extreme metal are commonly distorted to create a thick, heavy tone. Guitars are frequently tuned below the standard E: s are often of less importance in extreme metal than in earlier metal styles, and the Chord Progression s (or "riffs") in extreme metal are often very fast, unusual, complex and demanding. EXTREME METAL GENRES Subgenres
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