[Trawlerman]

I've had that question going around in my head over the past few days. What defines Heavy Metal or just Metal?

I think we can all agree that it's loud, fast, primarily guitar driven rock. But where does the music cross from being just Rock music to being Heavy Metal? Is there an in-between?

Listening to some AC/DC I agree that it's heavier than say Bryan Adams but generally it's not on the scale of Motorhead. So are AC/DC just rock? Where do Deep Purple come into things?

The term heavy rock is bandied about quite abit. Is this an in-between term or is it just another name for metal.

I'm confused by this.

BTW, i'm not interested in the so called nu-metal. Korn and Linkin Park don't really hold much appeal for me. I'm much more into the classic 70s/80s rock sounds

 

[XXhalberstramXX]

metalness is related to the square of appropriateness of the devil sign and linearly dependent on headbangability. umm... yeah

 

[Yeldarb]

Trawlerman,

Heavy rock preceeded heavy metal.

I would say the likes of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin are heavy rock.

My youngest brother by 10 years was into Heavy Metal which would include such as Def Leopard/ AC/DC etc.

I found the bands I liked in the 70s, my brother found the bands he liked in the 80s. He thought that Heavy Metal was the start of things, but changed his mind when he heard some of my older vinyl.

So heavy rock was the starting point for what became heavy metal.

I hope this helps.

Brad

(I see that Headphonus Supremus = change of avatar!)

 

[Harrath]

I think 3 things define "heavy metal" (not neccessarily other types oy metal):

1. Songs are driven by the rhythm guitar section; guitars are distorted with lots of gain in the preamp stage.

2. That section plays a "gallop", a.k.a. 8th note + 2 16th note rhythms.

3. Grand guitar solo.

 

[KR...]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_metal_music

 

[Nacher]

I think that Scandinavian "real" metal has taken over the term metal, while heavy metal is kept for the 70-80s acts. "Metal" mostly needs dark, depressive and "artistic" approach.

 

[marios_mar]

no precise borders. Really.

 

[markl]

1. Mullets/big hair/hairspray
2. Popular in small mid-Western cities
3. Tight leather pants
4. Satan and/or elves/hobbits/wizards
5. Two kick drums and or a gong
6. Guitars with two necks
7. Homo-erotic imagery
8. High-pitched singers

 

[D-EJ915]

Quote:

So heavy rock was the starting point for what became heavy metal.

I could've sworn that was called Hard Rock...anyway...

Heavy Metal is the most loosely used "rock" term around, everybody calls any variety of hard music "heavy metal", it means nothing now.

 

[pcolbeck]

Spandex !

 

[KR...]

Metal is a state of mind really,....

 

[daycart1]

Quote:

Originally posted by Harrath I think 3 things define "heavy metal" (not neccessarily other types oy metal): 1. Songs are driven by the rhythm guitar section; guitars are distorted with lots of gain in the preamp stage. 2. That section plays a "gallop", a.k.a. 8th note + 2 16th note rhythms. 3. Grand guitar solo.

This seems about right to me. AC/DC is too wussy to be considered "metal", though it could be called "hard rock" I'd say that Led Zep is transitional. Most metal singers imitate Plant, and many metal tracks include wimpy sections (or entire wimpy tracks on an album) just as in later Led Zep.

 

[Harrath]

I think Dio's "Holy Diver" is a perfect example of a "definitive" heavy metal song. I also agree that Scandinavian Metal has taken over the term "metal" and that "heavy metal" refers to stuff from the late 70's and 80's.

 

[Trawlerman]

I think that has cleared things up a little.

DEJ915 summed thing up for me quite nicely. In the UK anything that's rock and not in the charts is pretty much all classed as being heavy metal. **** I even heard somebody recent describe The Darkness as heavy metal. Hence the confusion.

 

[Riordan]

now why does this thread remind me of jack black's movie "school of rock"...

"you there in the second row - what is the correct definition of death metal?"