The difference, by ear
Black metal is cold, tremolo-driven and refuses groove. Black 'n' roll keeps the shriek and the tone and puts a rock and roll band underneath.
Both are growled or screamed, but black metal is faster: 160 to 280 bpm against 140 to 190. Songs run longer in black metal: usually 4 to 9 minutes, against 3 to 5 minutes in black 'n' roll. To hear the difference, play Darkthrone next to Bathory. Black 'n' roll grew out of black metal, fifteen years later. Norway appears in the origins of both.
In figures
Black 'n' roll
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Black metal › Black 'n' roll
In short
Black metal with a rock and roll groove. Darkthrone turned this way on their own after 2006.
How it sounds
- Riffs with rock and roll groove, but a black metal tone and vocals.
- Mid tempos, plain drumming and verse-chorus structures.
- Warmer production than in classic black metal.
Key acts
- Darkthrone
- Kvelertak
- Khold
Start here
The pickKvelertak - Kvelertak. Produced by Kurt Ballou, and you can hear it instantly.
Full page →Black metal
Where it sits
In short
Tremolo picking, blast beats, shrieked vocals and deliberately cold production. More an aesthetic than a technique - atmosphere matters more than clean sound.
How it sounds
- Tremolo picking on open fifth voicings, with vocals in the high register.
- Deliberately thin, cold production - the missing bass is an aesthetic choice, not an accident.
- Fast blast beats, drums often mixed back, atmosphere placed above technique.
Key acts
- Bathory
- Mayhem
- Darkthrone
- Emperor
Start here
The pickDarkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky. The production is intentional, not a flaw.
Full page →