The difference, by ear
This is metalcore's melodic wing, with the harmonised leads and the sung chorus foregrounded. The parent genre includes chaotic bands that share none of that.
Both are part sung, part screamed and move at much the same pace, around 140 to 190 bpm. To hear the difference, play Killswitch Engage next to Integrity. Melodic metalcore grew out of metalcore, nine years later.
In figures
Melodic metalcore
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Metalcore › Melodic metalcore
In short
Gothenburg harmonies imported into American hardcore. The dominant formula of the 2000s.
How it sounds
- Melodic death metal guitar harmonies over hardcore structures.
- Clean sung choruses with melodic vocals and broad production.
- A final breakdown as the song's climax.
Key acts
- Killswitch Engage
- As I Lay Dying
- Trivium
Start here
The pickTrivium - Ascendancy. Metalcore that remembers to include solos.
Full page →Metalcore
Where it sits
In short
Hardcore and extreme metal fused: breakdowns, melodic riffing and screamed verses alternating with sung choruses.
How it sounds
- The breakdown: a half-time section with syncopated riffing, built for dancing.
- Swedish-influenced melodic riffs alternating with hardcore passages.
- Screamed verses and clean sung choruses - the standard formula after 2002.
Key acts
- Integrity
- Killswitch Engage
- Converge
- Parkway Drive
Start here
The pickKillswitch Engage - Alive or Just Breathing. The album that defined a decade.
Full page →