Extreme metal is a loosely definit umbrella term for a nummer o relatit hivy metal subgenres that hae developit syne the early 1980s. The term uisually refers tae a mair abrasive, hairsker, unnergrund, non-commercializit style or soond nearly aaways associatit wi genres lik black metal, daith metal, doom metal, thrash metal an whiles speed metal, an groove metal.[1]
Tho no vera weel kent tae mainstream muisic fans, as it is bi definition coontercultur, extreme metal haes influencit an array o muisical performers inside an ootside o hivy metal.
"Extreme" can be meant tae describe ony o the follaein traits: muisic (whether it is intendit tae be faster, mair aggressive, abrasive or "hivier" than ither metal styles), leerics (dealin wi daurker, mair sensational topics an themes), vocals (which aften uise guttural, hairsk or abrasive singin), or appearance an stage demeanor (uisin corpse paint, Satanic or occult imagery). The "extreme" label is maist commonly appleed tae baunds whose muisic is extreme; for ensaumple, few wad consider Kiss or Alice Cooper tae be extreme metal, tho thay coud be considered tae employ "extreme" elements in thair appearance an stage demeanor for thair time.
Accordin tae ethnographer Keith Kahn-Harris,[2] the definin characteristics o extreme metal can aw be regardit as clearly transgressive: the "extreme" traits notit abuin are aw intendit tae violate or transgress gien cultural, airtistic, social or aesthetic bundaries.
Gien the vagueness o existin definitions an considerin the limitations sic definitions hae, thare are mony airtists for whom the uisage o the term "extreme metal" is a subject o debate.[2] Housomeivver, Kahn-Harris an aw notes that mony muisickers an fans see sic debates ower style an genre as uiseless an unnecessary, or at least as gien undue attention.
Tho sangs in traditional hivy metal mey be louder, hairsker or mair abrasive than rock muisic in general, the unnerlyin elements o melody, harmony an rhythm are generally seemilar tae those in rock an pop muisic. Conventional melodies – ane o the key elements o popular muisic – are aften o limitit importance in extreme metal, if no absent entirely, awtho chord progressions are still present an important. Extreme metal sangs rarely hae the central focus o a melodic "pop heuk," an when present, melodic elements mair teepically provide an instrumental backdrop rather than a central focus.
Ane o the mair apparent characteristics o extreme metal is the vocals. Extreme metal singin includes various extendit techniques; frae hairsk, guttural daith grouls (characteristic o doom an daith metal) tae heich-pitched shriekin (characteristic o black metal). Thrash metal vocalists commonly employ a hairsk or shoutit vocal style. Extreme metal vocalists can uise ane or mair techniques, an some baunds hae multiple sangsters, an in some black metal baunds, even orchestral choir singin is uised.
Extreme metal is an aw characterized bi its unuisual tempo, which mey range frae vera fast-pacit thrash, daith an black metal (an can occasionally approach the extraordinary range o 300 beats per minute)[2] tae the extremely slow, as in funeral doom an drone doom. Drummers aften utilize dooble-kick, dooble bass an blast beats, tho no aw mak uise o thir techniques. Kahn-Harris notes that mony extreme metal drummers tak great pride in creatin an playin drum patterns that are complex an demandin.
Guitars in extreme metal are commonly distortit tae creaut a thick or abrasive tone. Guitars are frequently tuned belaw the staundart E: thrash metal an black metal guitarists uisually tune a hauf or a whole-step doun, while daith metal an doom metal aften tune even lawer. Seiven-string guitars (rather than the mair common sax-string guitars) are no unuisual in extreme metal, pairticularly in daith an doom metal. Drop tunins are common an whiles open tunins are uised as well. Kahn-Harris notes that extreme metal tends tae defy the "riff-guitar solo" paradigm o hivy metal: Guitar solos are aften o less importance in extreme metal than in ither metal styles, an the chord progressions (or "riffs") in extreme metal are aften unuisual an whiles complex an demandin.
Below is a basic summary explainin hou the primary extreme metal genres evolvit:
Fusions atween extreme metal styles
Fusions wi ither metal styles
Fusion wi hardcore punk an punk rock styles
Subgenres an fusion genres |
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Muisical elements |
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Notable scenes an muivements |
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Controversies |
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Cultur |
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Genres | |
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Sub-genres | Black metal: Naitional Socialist black metal - Symphonic black metal - Unblack metal - Viking metal Daith metal: Melodic daith metal - Technical daith metal Doom metal: Epic doom - Stoner doom - Traditional doom |
Fusion genres | Crossover thrash - Crust punk - Daith/doom - Drone metal - Grindcore - Metalcore (Daithcore - Mathcore - Nintendocore) - Sludge metal |
Notable scenes | Bay Aurie thrash metal - Brazilian thrash metal - Les Légions Noires - Norse black metal - Swadish daith metal - Teutonic thrash metal |