What is a good definition of "heavy metal" music?

[Analog]

Some people like to claim that Led Zeppelin was the originator of Heavy Metal, but I disagree. I think that Heavy Metal has as much to do with image as the music. Groups like "Motorhead" and perhaps Judas Priest had the dark, leather, chains, etc. image that to me personifies Heavy Metal. What do you think?

 

Alice Cooper
Black Sabbath
AC/DC

 

[Eli]

Metallica
Iced Earth
Megadeth
Ozzy

the roots of metal were around before zeppelin .. that's for sure.

 

[godmare]

Yeah, but then there's glam groups like great white and such that are heavy metal, I think (though not a big glam fan), but had a completely different image than judas priest.

 

[DnetMHZ]

Originally posted by: Roger
Alice Cooper
Black Sabbath
AC/DC

and my personal favorite... Iron Maiden 🙂

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: godmare
Yeah, but then there's glam groups like great white and such that are heavy metal, I think (though not a big glam fan), but had a completely different image than judas priest.

Glam rock isn't real metal.. that's just the thing. 😛

 

[godmare]

Originally posted by: Eli
Glam rock isn't real metal.. that's just the thing. 😛

No, i disagree... I think it is 'metallic'
i mean, the group Great White that I cited had Steve Vai on guitar for a few years. Steve Vai is legendary metal guitar.

 

[spaceman]

there are sub genres of heavy metal.

death metal
butt rock
thrash metal
nu metal
etc.
etc.

my favorite "metal" band is Slayer.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Originally posted by: ncircle
there are sub genres of heavy metal.

death metal
butt rock
thrash metal
nu metal
etc.
etc.

my favorite "metal" band is Slayer.

Those are all subgenres of metal. Heavy Metal is the stuff Helloween and Iron Maiden make, "80s metal". Slayer makes trash metal (that genre was created just to find a way to describe Slayer, but there are more bands now with the same style).

Metal is about the broadest genre about, maybe even broader than 'pop'. You have Gothic Metal which often is basically modern Classical music, and you have Marduk.

 

[Anubis]

Zeppelin is said to have started it because their music was different from teh norm. some songs had metal trends more ten the rest of what was out at teh time

metal didnt really start in teh way we thing of it till bands like AC/DC, Slayer,, Metallica..... teh ist goes on. and yes there are many sub generas of metal. "Death Metal" being one of them. bands like Sepultara, Guar...

truth is most of teh sub metal groups sound liek crap. well i think so anyway

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Originally posted by: TheEvil1
Zeppelin is said to have started it because their music was different from teh norm. some songs had metal trends more ten the rest of what was out at teh time

metal didnt really start in teh way we thing of it till bands like AC/DC, Slayer,, Metallica..... teh ist goes on. and yes there are many sub generas of metal. "Death Metal" being one of them. bands like Sepultara, Guar...

truth is most of teh sub metal groups sound liek crap. well i think so anyway

Music is very personal. I hate the saxophone as instrument, which is why 99% of all Jazz music is crap to my opinion.
Several of the more extreme metal bands were not to my liking either, but I've come to appreciate several of those over time due to lyrics which came close to how I felt at that time (sadness, pain, misery), and the way it was sung just added to that feeling (Example: Tristania - Angina). I listen mostly to Gothic and Doom metal (closely related), but sometimes I just like to listen to harder stuff.

I don't like a lot of punk bands because of their 'government baaad, anarchy gooood' lyrics. I love good lyrics which address problems in society, but do give a good alternative, anarchy is not good.

 

[MaxDepth]

Heavy metal as explained to me by a former officemate, who not only was a metal fanatic but also the bass for a band called, "Ass."


Must have:
heavy driving chords (only 2, no more than 3) played repeatedly
operatic use of voice by lead singer
drums in a 2/4 beat

what's not heavy metal?
[to him] any band today that proports itself as a metal band


Bands that fit this definition:
Candlemass
Dio
The Misfits (or Black Flag)

(even Cowboy Bebop has a heavy metal tune on it's second soundtrack. Look for, "LIVE in Baghdad," vocals by Masaaki Endo.)

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: yellowfiero
Some people like to claim that Led Zeppelin was the originator of Heavy Metal, but I disagree. I think that Heavy Metal has as much to do with image as the music. Groups like "Motorhead" and perhaps Judas Priest had the dark, leather, chains, etc. image that to me personifies Heavy Metal. What do you think?

Originators:

Iron Butterfly
MC5
Vanilla Fudge
Steppenwolf

 

[rawoutput]

Originally posted by: Skyclad1uhm1

Originally posted by: ncircle
there are sub genres of heavy metal.

death metal
butt rock
thrash metal
nu metal
etc.
etc.

my favorite "metal" band is Slayer.

Those are all subgenres of metal. Heavy Metal is the stuff Helloween and Iron Maiden make, "80s metal". Slayer makes trash metal (that genre was created just to find a way to describe Slayer, but there are more bands now with the same style).

Metal is about the broadest genre about, maybe even broader than 'pop'. You have Gothic Metal which often is basically modern Classical music, and you have Marduk.

You mean thrash metal, right? My favorite metal band right now is Cradle of Filth, they have a lot of grandstanding / operatic stuff in their music and performances, and still crank out some awesome songs.

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: Eli
Metallica
Iced Earth
Megadeth
Ozzy

the roots of metal were around before zeppelin .. that's for sure.

that's good ones. i don't really think AC/DC is heavy metal. they are too upbeat or something...

Disturbed calls themselves heavy metal. not sure if i agree.

 

[Richdog]

A good definition of Heavy Metal Music is "intolerably loud filth listened to by chicken biting greasy-haired head-bangers". Hope that clears a few things up... lol.😀

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Black Sabbath is/are the godfather(s) of "Heavy Metal". Sure Metal has many faces but I can't seem to find anyone before 1970 with as heavy of sound as Black Sabbath. Sure they were influenced by others but their sound was "original" and that's why they were obscure for SOOOO long. As far as Zeppelin being "Heavy Metal" - uhhh

Rock band - Yes, Metal - maybe, Heavy Metal - Not really.

If Led Zeppelin is "HeavyMetal" then The Doors are too 😛 Don't get me wrong - I love Zeppelin and The Doors but neither would be considered "Heavy Metal"

 

i don't really think AC/DC is heavy metal. they are too upbeat or something...

You honestly don't know what Heavy Metal is, do you ?

 

[godmare]

Originally posted by: rawoutput
You mean thrash metal, right? My favorite metal band right now is Cradle of Filth, they have a lot of grandstanding / operatic stuff in their music and performances, and still crank out some awesome songs.

w00t! do a search for 'cradle of filth' in OT 🙂

 

[Kev]

Slipknot and System of a Down are the only 2 metal bands i listen to, where would they fall under?

 

[vi edit]

Labeling stuff is queer.

 

[shortalias]

Led Zepplin were Heavy Rock, NOT Heavy Metal and neither were Ozzy or Stephenwolf