History MediaNotes / HeavyMetal

At the same time, the mainstream music business had gotten wise to the burgeoning success of heavy metal and were busy making a more accessible, radio-friendly version, infusing metal elements into glam and arena rock to create a form of music that has at different times and places been called "glam metal", "pop metal", "Eighties metal" (a serious misnomer as there were plenty of other forms of metal at the time), "HairMetal", and other more unflattering terms. Glam metal featured a bouncy, dance-friendly beat with an exaggerated echoey "gated" snare tone (just think "Eighties drums" and you'll get the general idea), a mixture of aggressive distortion and sugary mainstream-friendly guitar work, a scaled-back, more rockish variant of the MetalScream, and a sleazy HotterAndSexier image with androgynous musicians in [[{{Stripperiffic}} highly sexualized]] outfits, raunchy lyrics that often centered around prostitution, sex, drugs, and L.A./Vegas nightlife. While reviled by the core metal faithful from its very inception, glam metal became outrageously popular, and many "vanilla" heavy metal bands like Def Leppard, Tygers of Pan Tang, and, most [[DisContinuity infamously]], Judas Priest, jumped on the bandwagon after the diversification of the metal genre took the wind out of NWOBHM's sails.

[[JudasPriest http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/painkiller.jpg]]

If Black Sabbath was the UrExample of heavy metal, JudasPriest and DeepPurple were certainly the [[TropeCodifier Trope Codifiers]]. They provided a faster, smarter variation on Black Sabbath's crushing riffwork, mixing razor sharp riffs, agile leads, and the earliest examples of the dramatic, high-pitched vocals and searing "MetalScream" that would become almost synonymous with metal in the mid-to-late 1980s. Fast-paced burners like "Highway Star", "Tyrant", and "Exciter" stripped away Black Sabbath's blues baggage, providing a sound that was nothing short of revolutionary. Unfortunately, it turned out to be too revolutionary for the conservative '70s rock scene and heavy metal enjoyed limited mainstream success at this time.

* Metalcore, while very unpopular among many metalheads, does fall under the heavy metal umbrella, fusing MelodicDeathMetal with modern breakdown-oriented hardcore music. Its most iconic features are chugging "breakdowns" (where the tempo and musical complexity are reduced for a period and the band rides only one or two chords), disjointed song structures, and hoarse, shouted vocals alternated with clean poppy vocals that tend to be far tamer in range and intensity than usual metal singing. Important bands include Trivium, AvengedSevenfold, and KillswitchEngage. It has a derivative called "deathcore" that adds influences from down-tempo "slam" death metal and grindcore. Job For A Cowboy's debut EP is probably the definitive deathcore record. Recently many metalcore bands have begun taking in influences from thrash metal (probably [[FollowTheLeader in imitation of Trivium]]), but most dedicated thrashers are [[{{Hatedom}} not impressed]].

{{Metallica}} were the first thrashers out of the gates with their 1983 debut ''Kill 'em All''. The distinctive guitar styles of James Hetfield and Dave Mustaine (who, although already departed from the band, [[InternetBackdraft arguably]] had far more impact on Metallica's early style than his replacement Kirk Hammett) and tougher, more masculine imagery of the band themselves were a hit, and they were quickly joined on the scene by not just other thrash founders like Exodus, but dozens of followers like Music/{{Megadeth}} (masterminded by an enraged Dave Mustaine trying to one-up Metallica), Testament, {{Slayer}}, and others. The thrash movement spread across the America but truly found second homes in New York, where {{Anthrax}} and Music/{{Overkill}} infused an extra dose of punk elements to create a pounding, crowd-pleasing "mosh" rhythm and acerbic DeadpanSnarker attitude, and in Germany, where it intermingled with European extreme metal to fuse the best of both worlds, springing bands such as Kreator, Sodom, Tankard and Destruction.

* Thrash metal is characterized by its choppy rhythms, frequent tempo shifts, and typically large number of riffs per song. Lyrics tend towards more concrete and less fantastic than other types, often with a political or social bent. Prominent examples include {{Metallica}}, Megadeth, {{Anthrax}}, {{Slayer}} ("The Big Four"), Kreator, Sodom, Flotsam and Jetsam, and Watchtower. The more intellectual forms can overlap with aggressive power metal and the more aggressive forms overlap with death metal. Sometimes mixes with hardcore to form "crossover thrash", as exemplified by Suicidal Tendencies and Nuclear Assault.

The genre was truly born when an obscure little English band known as BlackSabbath fused this sound like raunchy, aggressive blues routines on their 1970 self-titled album. The band's morbid CrapsackWorld imagery and Tony Iommi's signature aggressive guitar riffs became wildly popular with young people on both sides of the Atlantic, much to [[TheNewRockAndRoll the consternation]] of [[MoralGuardians their parents]] and the newly un-hip '60s "flower generation". Despite the controversy (which would persist and mutate into different forms as heavy metal itself evolved), Black Sabbath enjoyed brisk album sales and a sizable fanbase.

As a traditionally niche genre that is currently a commercial darling, information about heavy metal is somewhat conflicting these days. The forums and album reviews at [[http://www.metal-archives.com Metal Archives]] will help you understand the metal community. They're not a forgiving forum due to having to deal with [[PeripheryDemographic Periphery Demographics]] and trolls a lot, so beware of InternetBackdraft if you decide to post. The black metal scene is the most prominent there too, so if you see someone write something really bizarre and/or offensive, it's almost certainly a black metal fan. Black metallers are...[[{{understatement}} weird]].

{{Metallica}} were the first thrashers out of the gates with their 1983 debut ''Kill 'em All''. The distinctive guitar styles of James Hetfield and Dave Mustaine (who, although already departed from the band, [[InternetBackdraft arguably]] had far more impact on Metallica's early style than his replacement Kirk Hammett) and tougher, more masculine imagery of the band themselves were a hit, and they were quickly joined on the scene by not just other thrash founders like Exodus, but dozens of followers like {{Megadeth}} (masterminded by an enraged Dave Mustaine trying to one-up Metallica), Testament, {{Slayer}}, and others. The thrash movement spread across the America but truly found second homes in New York, where {{Anthrax}} and Music/{{Overkill}} infused an extra dose of punk elements to create a pounding, crowd-pleasing "mosh" rhythm and acerbic DeadpanSnarker attitude, and in Germany, where it intermingled with European extreme metal to fuse the best of both worlds, springing bands such as Kreator, Sodom, Tankard and Destruction.

{{Metallica}} were the first thrashers out of the gates with their 1983 debut ''Kill 'em All''. The distinctive guitar styles of James Hetfield and Dave Mustaine (who, although already departed from the band, [[InternetBackdraft arguably]] had far more impact on Metallica's early style than his replacement Kirk Hammett) and tougher, more masculine imagery of the band themselves were a hit, and they were quickly joined on the scene by not just other thrash founders like Exodus, but dozens of followers like {{Megadeth}} (masterminded by an enraged Dave Mustaine trying to one-up Metallica), Testament, {{Slayer}}, and others. The thrash movement spread across the America but truly found second homes in New York, where {{Anthrax}} and {{Overkill}} infused an extra dose of punk elements to create a pounding, crowd-pleasing "mosh" rhythm and acerbic DeadpanSnarker attitude, and in Germany, where it intermingled with European extreme metal to fuse the best of both worlds, springing bands such as Kreator, Sodom, Tankard and Destruction.

The first movement came from when punk rock's own offspring, the nastier, noisier, more aggressive "hardcore punk", trickled down into a metal scene already amped-up on punk rock rage. Many within the metal scene decided to beat them at their own game and turn it UpToEleven. British band {{Venom}}'s 1981 album ''Welcome to Hell'' was perhaps the first prominent fruit of the budding extreme metal subculture. Blisteringly fast, stupendously aggressive, and unabashedly offensive with its lurid [[{{Satan}} Satanic]] imagery and violent themes, ''Welcome to Hell'' was perhaps the most aggressive album ever published at the time, and became a lightning rod for controversy from people who claimed that it was subversive, Satanic, and encouraged all manner of social ills. This, of course, only made it more popular with rebellious youth. European "SpeedMetal" bands began to one-up each other in aggression, creating a massive metal arms race of chainsaw guitar riffs, frenetic drumming, and new vocal styles that mutated the high-pitched wail that had now become the definitive metal voice into nearly incomprehensible shrieking and gibbering. These early extreme metal albums were raw, uncompromising, and hostile, attracting a small but loyal following of hardcore fans, but were too unpolished and off-putting to crack the larger music world.

** Venom's album "Black Metal" is often held to be the inspiration for all extreme metal. However, some black metallers have explicitly denied the impact of Venom's music on their work, Varg Vikernes for instance claiming that he thought of Venom as simply an [[DidNotDoTheResearch American Motorhead]].

The period between 1985-1990 is widely considered the golden age of heavy metal and was the zenith of the genre's popularity and influence and filled with many of the genre's most esteemed classics, but even in these heady years the forces that would create heavy metal's downfall were beginning to manifest. As the Eighties progressed, the formerly quite distinct divide between American and European metal blurred and the various strains of metal began to hybridize. In continental Europe, the "vanilla" heavy metal had taken a different path from that in the US, becoming more and more refined and intellectual in nature as a contrast against the raw fury of extreme metal, which was by now starting to congeal into a cohesive scene that would one day be known as black metal. While this "power metal" had analogues in American bands like {{Queensryche}} and {{Manowar}}, it was far more popular in Europe, where bands like Iron Maiden (not a power metal band itself, but the first significant "thinking man's" metal band and the most important progenitor of power metal) {{Helloween}}, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, and others were wowing metal fans with high-flying instrumental theatrics and escapist, [[HeavyMithril fantasy-oriented]] lyrics. Power metal and progressive rock, which was now losing the bad reputation it had acquired in the 1970s, spawned a host of new "white-collar" American power metal bands like Queensryche, Fates Warning, and Crimson Glory.

* Power metal has a sort of dual origin, having arisen separately in the US and Europe, and mixed later, which leads to a very sharp divide between US and European power bands. As a rule, power metal is more thoughtful and orderly than most metal, with an emphasis on instrumental ability (but not to the degree of prog metal or [[TechnicalDeathMetal tech death]]) and fantastic lyrics. American power metal, typified by Sanctuary, Attacker, IcedEarth, Omen and {{Savatage}}, is usually more aggressive, with influences from thrash and LowFantasy lyrics. European power metal, typified by {{Helloween}}, Edguy, Stratovarius, and BlindGuardian, is usually more melodic, with lots of synthesizers, a distinctive "double bass" beat, and HighFantasy or SciFi lyrics. [[StopHavingFunGuys Some metalheads look down on power metal and its fans for not being "metal" enough]], referring to the genre as "flower metal". Think of American power metal as [[RobertEHoward Robert E. Howard]] and European power metal as [[JRRTolkien J.R.R. Tolkien]].

In truth, the genre had come close to dying, but remnants of it had survived, especially in Europe, where glam metal and grunge had much less impact than in the US. Helloween rose from a second-tier speed/power metal act to a megahit with their ''Keeper of the Seven Keys'' duology, which focused on catchy vocal melodies, a more light-hearted LighterAndSofter attitude, and influences from synthesizer-heavy European pop music, spawning hundreds of imitators throughout TheNineties. DreamTheater created a modest but enduring fanbase by taking the progressive rock influences on power metal and running with them, merging metal and prog-rock into a unique new "progressive metal" sound that found a following with people who wanted something "smarter" than grunge. Their sophomore effort ''Images and Words'' sold 800,000 copies despite being released at the height of the grunge craze. Black Sabbath survived by ignoring most of the developments of the 80s and returning to the bluesy, stomping proto-heavy metal that had carried them through TheSeventies, culminating in a brief resurgence of fame as they reunited with former frontman RonnieJamesDio for the 1992 album ''Dehumanizer'', which is still highly regarded to this day. Death metal, a niche genre to begin with, maintained a small but devoted fanbase. And a group of musicians in Norway had turned the chaotic extreme metal scene into a coherent musical movement that would gain notoriety far beyond its small fanbase.

* Also related to symphonic metal and power metal is progressive metal, which combines the power and aggression of metal with the instrumental technicality and odd song construction of prog-rock. Some of the bands, like Shadow Gallery, also take on classical influences, while others such as Liquid Tension Experiment have a jazz-fusion influence. The genre tends to be focused on EpicRocking and instrumental technicality. Some well-known bands in this genre include DreamTheater, Fates Warning, Queensryche, SymphonyX, Pain of Salvation, {{Ayreon}} and the aforementioned bands. There are also quite a few progressive death metal bands around, including {{Opeth}}, {{Atheist}}, and Cynic.

One of the [[RockMeAsmodeus most]] [[FanDumb frequently]] misunderstood genres of popular music, heavy metal traces its origins back to the late 1960s, as the hippie movement began to burn out and hard/acid rock bands began to proliferate, bringing with them a new, [[DarkerAndEdgier hard-edged]] style of guitar playing. In particular, JimiHendrix is credited as a major inspiration with the story that a supposed music magazine article described his music as "like bars of metal raining down on the stage."

One of the [[RockMeAsmodeus most]] [[FanDumb frequently]] [[GannonBanned misunderstood]] genres of popular music, heavy metal traces its origins back to the late 1960s, as the hippie movement began to burn out and hard/acid rock bands began to proliferate, bringing with them a new, [[DarkerAndEdgier hard-edged]] style of guitar playing. In particular, JimiHendrix is credited as a major inspiration with the story that a supposed music magazine article described his music as "like bars of metal raining down on the stage."

One of the [[RockMeAsmodeus most]] [[FanDumb frequently]] [[GannonBanned misunderstood]] genres of popular music, heavy metal traces its origins back to the late 1960s, as the hippie movement began to burn out and hard/acid rock bands began to proliferate, bringing with them a new, [[DarkerAndEdgier hard-edged]] style of guitar playing. The genre was truly born when an obscure little English band known as BlackSabbath fused this sound like raunchy, aggressive blues routines on their 1970 self-titled album. The band's morbid CrapsackWorld imagery and Tony Iommi's signature aggressive guitar riffs became wildly popular with young people on both sides of the Atlantic, much to [[TheNewRockAndRoll the consternation]] of [[MoralGuardians their parents]] and the newly un-hip '60s "flower generation". Despite the controversy (which would persist and mutate into different forms as heavy metal itself evolved), Black Sabbath enjoyed brisk album sales and a sizable fanbase.

* Nu-metal [[YourMileageMayVary arguably]] isn't actually metal, and is a genre that many metalheads despise that is seen as a combination of various different styles, including grunge, hip-hop, funk rock, hardcore and groove metal. The guitars are usually downtuned, the riffage isn't particularly complex, and the lyrics are often quite [[{{Wangst}} angsty]]. Rapping is occasionally used. The genre is ''extremely'' controversial; mentioning it near a metalhead is rather risky. We'll leave it at that...

* Nu-metal isn't actually metal, and is a genre that many metalheads despise that is seen as a combination of various different styles, including grunge, hip-hop, funk rock, hardcore and groove metal. The guitars are usually downtuned, the riffage isn't particularly complex, and the lyrics are often quite [[{{Wangst}} angsty]]. Rapping is occasionally used. The genre is ''extremely'' controversial; mentioning it near a metalhead is rather risky. We'll leave it at that...

* Nu-metal [[strike: isn't actually metal]] is a genre of metal that many metalheads despise that is seen as a combination of various different styles, including grunge, groove metal, alternative metal, industrial metal and hip-hop. The guitars are usually downtuned, the riffage isn't particularly complex, and the lyrics are often quite [[{{Wangst}} angsty]]. Rapping is occasionally used. The genre is ''extremely'' controversial; mentioning it near a metalhead is rather risky. We'll leave it at that...

** Many of the black metal bands who have run with Emperor's symphonic, synthy black metal sound have deviated so far from the blueprint that they sound more like power metal. Thematic pre-occupations with the devil generally only extend so far as the lyrics, and most modern popular black metal bands have little "kvlt" credibility. Black metal's influence can now be found in most extreme metal bands, and is far from a niche genre - everything from folk (Finntroll) to thrash (Aura Noir) carries examples of genre-crossing from black metal.

* Doom metal is essentially a development on very early heavy metal before Judas Priest and other mid-70s bands sped it up. The emphasis here is on slow tempos, huge, crushing riffs, and ''extremely'' depressing lyrics. We're not talking "I'm bummed because my girlfriend left me" depressing, we're talking "your life is meaningless and futile, the world is doomed to chaos and terror, and when you die [[AndIMustScream you'll rot inside the prison of your corpse for ever and ever and]] '''[[AndIMustScream EVER]]'''" depressing. Really GrimDark stuff. Black Sabbath is the archetype, with the actual style being codified by Candlemass's landmark ''Epicus Doomicus Metallicus''. Don't let the title fool you, it's a very good album. Has spinoff styles called sludge, funeral doom, and drone doom, each of which is slower, drearier, gloomier, and more unbelievably depressing than the last. Not for the faint of heart. Pagan Altar & Witchfinder General in the UK, and Saint Vitus & Pentagram in the US, are [[TropeCodifier Trope Codifiers]] along with the previously mentioned Candlemass of Sweden.

* Nu-metal [[strike: isn't actually metal]] is a genre of metal that many metalheads despise that is seen as a combination of various different styles, including grunge, groove metal, industrial metal and hip-hop. The guitars are usually downtuned, the riffage isn't particularly complex, and the lyrics are often quite [[{{Wangst}} angsty]]. Rapping is occasionally used. The genre is ''extremely'' controversial; mentioning it near a metalhead is rather risky. We'll leave it at that...

One of the most [[FanDumb frequently]] [[GannonBanned misunderstood]] genres of popular music, heavy metal traces its origins back to the late 1960s, as the hippie movement began to burn out and hard/acid rock bands began to proliferate, bringing with them a new, [[DarkerAndEdgier hard-edged]] style of guitar playing. The genre was truly born when an obscure little English band known as BlackSabbath fused this sound like raunchy, aggressive blues routines on their 1970 self-titled album. The band's morbid CrapsackWorld imagery and Tony Iommi's signature aggressive guitar riffs became wildly popular with young people on both sides of the Atlantic, much to [[TheNewRockAndRoll the consternation]] of their parents and the newly un-hip '60s "flower generation". Despite the controversy (which would persist and mutate into different forms as heavy metal itself evolved), Black Sabbath enjoyed brisk album sales and a sizable fanbase.

The first movement came from when punk rock's own offspring, the nastier, noisier, more aggressive "hardcore punk", trickled down into a metal scene already amped-up on punk rock rage. Many within the metal scene decided to beat them at their own game and turn it UpToEleven. British band {{Venom}}'s 1981 album ''Welcome to Hell'' was perhaps the first prominent fruit of the budding extreme metal subculture. Blisteringly fast, stupendously aggressive, and unabashedly offensive with its lurid [[{{Satan}} Satanic]] imagery and violent themes, ''Welcome to Hell'' was perhaps the most aggressive album ever published at the time, and became a lightning rod for controversy from people who claimed that it was subversive, Satanic, and encouraged all manner of social ills. This, of course, only made it more popular with rebellious youth. European "speed metal" bands began to one-up each other in aggression, creating a massive metal arms race of chainsaw guitar riffs, frenetic drumming, and new vocal styles that mutated the high-pitched wail that had now become the definitive metal voice into nearly incomprehensible shrieking and gibbering. These early extreme metal albums were raw, uncompromising, and hostile, attracting a small but loyal following of hardcore fans, but were too unpolished and off-putting to crack the larger music world.

{{Metallica}} were the first thrashers out of the gates with their 1983 debut ''Kill 'em All''. The distinctive guitar styles of James Hetfield and Dave Mustaine (who, although already departed from the band, [[InternetBackdraft arguably]] had far more impact on Metallica's early style than his replacement Kirk Hammett) and tougher, more masculine imagery of the band themselves were a hit, and they were quickly joined on the scene by not just other thrash founders like Exodus, but dozens of followers like {{Megadeth}} (masterminded by an enraged Dave Mustaine trying to one-up Metallica), Testament, {{Slayer}}, and others. The thrash movement spread across the America but truly found second homes in New York, where {{Anthrax}} and {{Overkill}} infused an extra dose of punk elements to create a pounding, crowd-pleasing "mosh" rhythm and acerbic DeadpanSnarker attitude, and in Germany, where it intermingled with European extreme metal to fuse the best of both worlds.

As the metal hardcore continued their campaign of one-upmanship, [[{{Glam}} glam metal]] was now one-upping ''everyone'' on the charts, with singles by bands like DefLeppard and MötleyCrüe shooting to the top of radio playlists and selling millions of records to a mainstream largely ignored by the "true" metal bands. But this success came with a downside--glam metal's sleazy "[[SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll sex, drugs, and rock and roll]]" image had become TheThemeParkVersion of heavy metal, a stereotype that was beginning to overrun the whole genre in the eye of the general public, and many were becoming discontented with the glamour and glitz of the L.A. glam scene. The media labeled them as a bad influence, fickle, style-conscious youth began to see them as posers, and most of their contemporaries were becoming either too esoteric or too extreme to appeal to the average consumer, leaving no ready replacement. As TheEighties turned into TheNineties, even as the record industry were drunk on the genre's success and former bad boys Metallica came within a hair's breadth of taking home a Grammy award, the scene suddenly collapsed.

The tide begin to turn for heavy metal as TheNineties gave way to the TurnOfTheMillennium. The resurgence of heavy metal had a [[strike:false]] start of sorts with "nu metal", which [[strike:was not heavy metal at all, athough it was marketed as such]] is extremely controversial, to the point where arguments about its metal status even occur on this page. This DarkerAndEdgier spin on alternative rock/metal with its "chug" riffs and [[{{wangst}} angst-ridden]] relationship themes was popular among teens and tweens from 1998 to around 2001, but never caught on the actual heavy metal community and was slapped with the derisive label "mallcore" by its detractors. However, it did show that the public had warmed up again to the idea of "metal" and that the genre could be viable again. With the dawn of the 2000s, heavy metal began to crystallize into a major scene once more as the Internet allowed metalheads across the world to come together and share their fandom. And argue about subgenres. Many major metal bands of the "golden age" reunited or otherwise got a second wind, most notably Iron Maiden, who reunited with longtime singer Bruce Dickinson and released their comeback album Brave New World in 2000 to rave reviews. Judas Priest got back Rob Halford, Black Sabbath got back Ozzy (although that reunion never really went anywhere), and underground legends Jag Panzer started releasing albums again. Dream Theater was now leading a whole host of progressive metal bands that found great popularity in Europe and Japan. Power metal was becoming a sensation in northern Europe, with bands like Helloween, Stratovarius, and Sonata Arctica experiencing considerable success. The time was ripe for a comeback.

By 1990, the writing was on the wall--the genre was already oversaturated with a raft of subgenres and thousands upon thousands of bands, but the genre's momentum kept it going until Nirvana released their album ''Nevermind'' in 1991. Suddenly the youth of the Nineties had found their icon, which not only reflected the [[DarkAge angsty]] [[NinetiesAntiHero new]] [[DarkerAndEdgier cultural zeitgeist]], but seemed [[ThreeChordsAndTheTruth simpler and more "authentic"]] than the glam scene which had now become the face of heavy metal to most people and weren't as unapologetically anti-mainstream and inaccessible as thrash and power metal. The grunge movement soared to prominence in the music scene with the same sort of overwhelming force as punk in the late 1970s and, ironically, heavy metal itself in 1979-81, many of the metal acts that were signed to major music labels were [[ScrewedByTheNetwork betrayed]] by their own publishers and sidelined in favor of hip new alternative rock bands. Some metal bands, most notably Metallica with their self-titled "black album" and glam-cum-power-cum-thrash metallers Pantera, who abruptly broke all ties with their past and advanced a stripped-down, testosterone-heavy, grungified "groove metal" with 1992's ''Vulgar Display of Power''. Still more heavy metal bands, faced with the choice of abandoning their scene or being buried, simply quit. By 1993, heavy metal was being used as a punch line on BeavisAndButthead and the genre seemed dead.

As the metal hardcore continued their campaign of one-upmanship, [[{{Glam}} glam metal]] was now one-upping ''everyone'' on the charts, with singles by bands like DefLeppard and [=~Mötley Crüe ~=] shooting to the top of radio playlists and selling millions of records to a mainstream largely ignored by the "true" metal bands. But this success came with a downside--glam metal's sleazy "[[SexDrugsAndRockAndRoll sex, drugs, and rock and roll]]" image had become TheThemeParkVersion of heavy metal, a stereotype that was beginning to overrun the whole genre in the eye of the general public, and many were becoming discontented with the glamour and glitz of the L.A. glam scene. The media labeled them as a bad influence, fickle, style-conscious youth began to see them as posers, and most of their contemporaries were becoming either too esoteric or too extreme to appeal to the average consumer, leaving no ready replacement. As TheEighties turned into TheNineties, even as the record industry were drunk on the genre's success and former bad boys Metallica came within a hair's breadth of taking home a Grammy award, the scene suddenly collapsed.

** Venom's album "Black Metal" is often held to be the inspiration for all extreme metal. However, some black metallers have explicitly denied the impact of Venom's music on their work, Varg Vikernes for instance claiming that he thought of Venom as simply an American Motorhead.

* Power metal has a sort of dual origin, having arisen separately in the US and Europe, and mixed later, which leads to a very sharp divide between US and European power bands. As a rule, power metal is more thoughtful and orderly than most metal, with an emphasis on instrumental ability (but not to the degree of prog metal or [[TechnicalDeathMetal tech death]]) and fantastic lyrics. American power metal, typified by Sanctuary, Attacker, IcedEarth, and Savatage, is usually more aggressive, with influences from thrash and LowFantasy lyrics. European power metal, typified by {{Helloween}}, Edguy, Stratovarius, and BlindGuardian, is usually more melodic, with lots of synthesizers, a distinctive "double bass" beat, and HighFantasy or SciFi lyrics. [[StopHavingFunGuys Some metalheads look down on power metal and its fans for not being "metal" enough]], referring to the genre as "flower metal". Think of American power metal as [[RobertEHoward Robert E. Howard]] and European power metal as [[JRRTolkien J.R.R. Tolkien]].

* While less of a subgenre than a style that is attached to a previously existing subgenre (usually power metal), symphonic metal has become increasingly popular in recent years. Combining aspects of heavy metal with the orchestral drama of film soundtracks and 19th-century classical, Symphonic metal features lush orchestral textures, provided either by synthesizers or a proper orchestra, and often female vocals, which are rare in other forms of heavy metal. More extreme symphonic bands often pair a female clean vocalist with a male harsh vocalist for a SopranoAndGravel effect. Therion is the TropeMaker, {{Epica}} is a TropeCodifier, with other important bands including Nightwish, Within Temptation, and Rhapsody. Note that most power metal bands (such as Helloween, Blind Guardian, Angra, Sonata Arctica and, err, every other power metal band with enough money to get an orchestra) like to add some orchestra to their music so it's really hard to determine this subgenre.

* While less of a subgenre than a style that is attached to a previously existing subgenre (usually power metal), symphonic metal has become increasingly popular in recent years. Combining aspects of heavy metal with the orchestral drama of film soundtracks and 19th-century classical, Symphonic metal features lush orchestral textures, provided either by synthesizers or a proper orchestra, and often female vocals, which are rare in other forms of heavy metal. More extreme symphonic bands often pair a female clean vocalist with a male harsh vocalist for a SopranoAndGravel effect. Therion is the TropeMaker, {{Epica}} is a TropeCodifier, with other important bands including Nightwish, Within Temptation, and Rhapsody.

{{Metallica}} were the first thrashers out of the gates with their 1983 debut ''Kill 'em All''. The distinctive guitar styles of James Hetfield and Dave Mustaine (who, although already departed from the band, [[InternetBackdraft arguably]] had far more impact on Metallica's early style than his replacement Kirk Hammett) and tougher, more masculine imagery of the band themselves were a hit, and they were quickly joined on the scene by not just other thrash founders like Exodus, but dozens of followers like {{Megadeth}} (masterminded by an enraged Dave Mustaine to exact revenge on Metallica for firing him by doing everything they did better), Testament, {{Slayer}}, and others. The thrash movement spread across the America but truly found second homes in New York, where {{Anthrax}} and {{Overkill}} infused an extra dose of punk elements to create a pounding, crowd-pleasing "mosh" rhythm and acerbic DeadpanSnarker attitude, and in Germany, where it intermingled with European extreme metal to fuse the best of both worlds.