The difference, by ear
Industrial metal uses machines for coldness and repetition. Cyber metal uses them for precision, and its guitars are far more technical.
Both are part sung, part screamed, but industrial metal is a little slower: 100 to 140 bpm against 120 to 180. To hear the difference, play Fear Factory next to Ministry. Cyber metal grew out of industrial metal, ten years later.
In figures
Cyber metal
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Industrial metal › Cyber metal
In short
Mechanised death metal with cold digital production, dual vocals and science-fiction themes.
How it sounds
- Cold digital production with processed guitars and quantised drums.
- Vocal contrast: growls in the verses, clean melodic singing in the chorus.
- Synthesizers and a dystopian science-fiction atmosphere.
Key acts
- Fear Factory
- Sybreed
- Mnemic
Start here
The pickFear Factory - Demanufacture. The kick drum sounds like a pneumatic hammer, deliberately.
Full page →Industrial metal
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Industrial metal
In short
Metal riffs over programmed drums, samples and synths. Mechanical by design.
How it sounds
- Programmed or heavily processed drums with samples of mechanical sounds.
- Repetitive, staccato riffing, with the guitar treated as a rhythmic element.
- Distorted vocals, declaimed or shouted through effects.
Key acts
- Ministry
- Fear Factory
- Rammstein
- Godflesh
Start here
The pickGodflesh - Streetcleaner. It sounds like an industrial city collapsing, which is the subject.
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