Heavy Metal Artists, Styles and Genres
By Chad Bowar, About.com Guide to Heavy Metal
Information about and links to heavy metal artists and genres such as death metal, black metal, traditional metal, doom metal, progressive metal, gothic metal, grindcore and power metal.
- Heavy Metal 101
- Recent Heavy Metal Interviews
- Black Metal Artists
- Death Metal Artists
- Doom Metal Artists
- Folk Metal Artists
- Gothic Metal Artists
- Metalcore Artists
- Power Metal Artists
- Progressive Metal Artists
- Thrash Metal Artists
- Traditional Metal Artists
Heavy Metal 101
Basic information about heavy metal, including descriptions of various heavy metal genres.
- What Is Heavy Metal?
- Heavy Metal Timeline
- What Is Thrash Metal?
- What Is Death Metal?
- What Is Black Metal?
- What Is New Wave Of British Heavy Metal?
- What Is Melodic Death Metal?
- What Is Power Metal?
- What Is Metalcore?
- What Is Doom Metal?
- What Is Progressive Metal?
- What Is Grindcore?
- What Is Hair Metal?
- Heavy Metal Artists A-Z
- Heavy Metal Tour Dates
Recent Heavy Metal Interviews
The latest heavy metal band and artists interviews.
- Samael's Vorph
- Agoraphobic Nosebleed's Jay Randall
- Gorgoroth's Infernus
- Candlemass' Leif Edling
- Clutch's Dan Maines
- God Forbid's Doc Coyle
- Napalm Death's Mark "Barney" Greenway
- Luna Mortis' Mary Zimmer
- Cannibal Corpse's Paul Mazurkiewicz
- Cattle Decapitation's Travis Ryan
- Kreator's Mille Petrozza
- Yngwie Malmsteen
- Viking Skull's Jess Margera
- Cynic's Paul Masvidal
- Exodus' Gary Holt
- Gojira's Joe Duplantier
- The Haunted's Peter Dolving
- Amon Amarth's Johan Hegg
- Trivium's Matt Heafy
- Evergrey's Tom S. Englund
Black Metal Artists
Traditional black metal is very raw and harsh with high screeching vocals and blasphemous lyrics. There are genres of black metal that are more melodic and symphonic.
Death Metal Artists
Death metal is brutal and intense with unintelligible "cookie monster" vocals. Melodic death metal originated in Scandinavia and incorporates more melody.
- Amon Amarth
- Arch Enemy
- Behemoth
- Cannibal Corpse
- Cattle Decapitation
- Celtic Frost
- Dark Tranquillity
- Death
- Goatwhore
Doom Metal Artists
Doom metal is generally slow and epic with downtuned guitars. Stoner metal is a closely related genre.
Folk Metal Artists
Folk and Viking metal bands generally utilize some acoustic and other unusual instruments in addition to the traditional metal instruments. Nature is a strong influence to many folk metal bands.
Gothic Metal Artists
Gothic metal is a genre that generally has a dark atmosphere and many bands utilize a combination of female and male vocals.
- Paradise Lost
- Sinamore
- Theatre Of Tragedy
- Tristania
- Weltenbrand
- Within Temptation
- More Gothic Metal Artists
Metalcore Artists
Links to bands in the metalcore genre, which combines heavy metal and hardcore.
- The Agonist
- All That Remains
- As I Lay Dying
- Bullet For My Valentine
- Bury Your Dead
- Caliban
- Chimaira
- Dillinger Escape Plan
Power Metal Artists
Power metal is very melodic and guitar oriented with soaring vocals. It's a very popular genre in Europe.
Progressive Metal Artists
Progressive metal uses complex song structures and extended instrumental parts. The vocals are usually melodic.
Thrash Metal Artists
Thrash metal was popularized in the early '80s by bands like Metallica. It's very guitar driven and played at a fast speed.
Traditional Metal Artists
Links to and information about traditional heavy metal, which is straightforward and melodic.
