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Compare

Two genres, side by side. The ratings are editorial judgements on a ten-point scale, not measurements. Where they come out level, the difference is in the prose underneath them.

First genre

Death 'n' roll1993

Second genre

Old school death metal1989

Head to headDeath 'n' roll vs Old school death metal
Death 'n' roll: heaviness 8, melody 6, speed 5. Old school death metal: heaviness 10, melody 3, speed 8.Heaviness8 / 10Melody6 / 3Speed5 / 8
Each corner is a ten-point rating. The further out, the higher.

The difference, by ear

Entombed made both, consecutively. Old school death metal is the Swedish tone over tremolo; this is the same tone over a boogie.

Both are growled or screamed, but old school death metal is a little faster: 120 to 220 bpm against 120 to 160. To hear the difference, play Entombed next to Autopsy. Both grew out of death metal, old school death metal first and death 'n' roll four years after.

Put together from each genre's vocals, tempo, song length, key acts and place in the tree.

In figures

Heaviness
Death 'n' roll8
Old school death metal10
+2
Speed
Death 'n' roll5
Old school death metal8
+3
Melody
Death 'n' roll6
Old school death metal3
−3

Death 'n' roll

1993 · Sweden

Where it sits

Heavy metal › Death metal › Death 'n' roll

In short

Death metal that admits its rock roots: groove, blues riffing and a hoarse shout.

How it sounds

  • Riffs with rock and roll groove played with a death metal tone.
  • Mid tempos with swing and shuffle drumming instead of blast beats.
  • Hoarse vocals, closer to Lemmy than to a classic growl.

Key acts

  • Entombed
  • Gorefest
  • Six Feet Under

Start here

The pickEntombed - Wolverine Blues. Death metal you can tap your foot to.

Full page →

Old school death metal

1989 · Florida / Stockholm

Where it sits

Heavy metal › Death metal › Old school death metal

In short

The sound of the first wave: either the Swedish HM-2 buzzsaw or the cavernous American murk, with no showy technicality.

How it sounds

  • Thick, buzzing guitar tone - either the Swedish HM-2 or the cavernous American murk.
  • Variable tempos, with slow doom passages between the fast sections.
  • Analogue production with real drums, no triggers and no quantisation.

Key acts

  • Autopsy
  • Dismember
  • Bolt Thrower
  • Incantation

Start here

The pickAutopsy - Mental Funeral. Death metal that crawls rather than runs.

Full page →