Rockpedia

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

Horror punk1979

Second genre

Psychobilly1980

Head to headHorror punk vs Psychobilly
Horror punk: heaviness 5, melody 8, speed 7. Psychobilly: heaviness 4, melody 7, speed 8.Heaviness5 / 4Melody8 / 7Speed7 / 8
Each corner is a ten-point rating. The further out, the higher.

The difference, by ear

Psychobilly shares the horror imagery and keeps rockabilly's instrumentation - upright bass, reverb, hollow-body guitar. Horror punk uses a standard punk band.

Both are sung cleanly, but psychobilly is a little faster: 180 to 220 bpm against 160 to 200. To hear the difference, play Misfits next to The Meteors. Both grew out of punk rock, horror punk first and psychobilly a year after.

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

In figures

Heaviness
Horror punk5
Psychobilly4
−1
Speed
Horror punk7
Psychobilly8
+1
Melody
Horror punk8
Psychobilly7
−1

Horror punk

1979 · New Jersey, USA

Where it sits

Rock › Punk rock › Horror punk

In short

Punk with B-movie horror imagery, baritone vocals and mutant doo-wop choruses.

How it sounds

  • Baritone vocals with vibrato, in a 1950s crooner style.
  • Doo-wop vocal harmonies over punk guitars.
  • Black-and-white horror-film imagery and lyrics.

Key acts

  • Misfits
  • Samhain
  • The Damned

Start here

The pickMisfits - Walk Among Us. Thirteen horror songs in twenty-five minutes.

Full page →

Psychobilly

1980 · United Kingdom

Where it sits

Rock › Punk rock › Psychobilly

In short

Rockabilly with slapped upright bass, punk speed and lyrics about monsters. Quiff haircut mandatory.

How it sounds

  • Slapped upright bass played hard, as a percussion instrument.
  • Rockabilly reverb on the guitar, with punk speed and aggression.
  • Quiff haircuts, tattoos and lyrics about monsters, cars and the morgue.

Key acts

  • The Meteors
  • Demented Are Go
  • Nekromantix

Start here

The pickThe Meteors - In Heaven. Ground zero, manifesto included.

Full page →