Extreme metal

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Extreme metal
Stylistic origins Heavy metal
Cultural origins Late 1970s to late 1980s, United States and Europe
Typical instruments Electric guitar, bass guitar, drums, vocals, occasionally keyboards
Derivative forms Gothic metal, groove metal
Subgenres
Fusion genres
Regional scenes
Local scenes
Other topics

Extreme metal is a loosely defined umbrella term for a number of related heavy metal music subgenres that have developed since the early 1980s. It has been defined as a "cluster of metal subgenres characterized by sonic, verbal and visual transgression." [1] The term usually refers to a more abrasive, harsher, underground, non-commercialized style or sound associated with the doom metal, speed metal, thrash metal, black metal, and death metal genres.[2]

Though many extreme sub-styles are not very well known to mainstream music fans, extreme metal has influenced an array of musical performers inside and outside of heavy metal.

Definitions

"Extreme" can be meant to describe any of the following musical elements: instrumentation (whether it is intended to be faster, more aggressive, abrasive or "heavier" than other metal styles), lyrics (dealing with darker, more 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). The "extreme" label is most commonly applied to bands whose music is extreme; for example, few would consider Kiss or Alice Cooper to be extreme metal, though they could be considered to employ "extreme" elements in their appearance and stage demeanor for their time.

"Extreme metal’s sonic excess is characterized by high levels of distortion (also in the vocals – grunting or screaming), less focus on guitar solos and melody, emphasis on technical control, and fast tempos (at times, more than 200 beats per minute). Its thematic transgression can be found in more overt and/or serious references to Satanism and the darker aspects of human existence that are considered out of bounds or distasteful, such as death, suicide and war."[3] "Visual transgression [can include]...medieval weaponry [and] bloody/horrific artwork."[4]

According to ethnographer Keith Kahn-Harris,[5] the defining characteristics of extreme metal can all be regarded as clearly transgressive: the "extreme" traits noted above are all intended to violate or transgress given cultural, artistic, social or aesthetic boundaries.

Given the vagueness of existing definitions and considering the limitations such definitions have, there are many artists for whom the usage of the term "extreme metal" is a subject of debate.[5] 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.

History

Below is a basic summary explaining how the primary extreme metal genres evolved. The first two bullets are the precursor genres. Starting with speed metal, the summary lists the extreme metal genres.

Extreme metal genres

Primary genres

Subgenres of primary genres

Fusion genres

Fusions between primary genres

Fusions with other metal styles

Fusions with hardcore punk and punk rock styles

Fusion with rock styles

Fusions with various other musical styles

Derivatives

Although the following derivatives have extreme influences, they are usually not considered extreme themselves:

References

  1. ↑ Julian Schaap and Pauwke Berkers. "Grunting Alone? Online Gender Inequality in Extreme Metal Music" in Journal of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music. Vol.4, no.1 (2014) p. 101
  2. ↑ K. Kahn-Harris, Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge (Berg Publishers, 2007), ISBN 1-84520-399-2, p. 31.
  3. ↑ Julian Schaap and Pauwke Berkers. "Grunting Alone? Online Gender Inequality in Extreme Metal Music" in Journal of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music. Vol.4, no.1 (2014) p. 103
  4. ↑ Julian Schaap and Pauwke Berkers. "Grunting Alone? Online Gender Inequality in Extreme Metal Music" in Journal of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music. Vol.4, no.1 (2014) p. 103
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Kahn-Harris, Keith, Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge, Oxford: Berg, 2007, ISBN 1-84520-399-2.
  6. ↑ Doom metal at Allmusic
  7. ↑ Wolf-Rüdiger Mühlmann: War Black Metal: Die Extremsten der Extremen. Was bleibt, ist Schutt und Asche. In: Rock Hard, no. 279, p. 71-73.
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