The difference, by ear
Both are groove-first with samples and enormous choruses. Nu metal's groove is hip-hop's; this one's is a march.
Nu metal is part sung, part screamed where Neue Deutsche Härte is sung cleanly, at much the same pace, around 80 to 130 bpm. To hear the difference, play Rammstein next to Korn. They share a root in heavy metal and arrived in the same year.
In figures
Neue Deutsche Härte
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Industrial metal › Neue Deutsche Härte
In short
The German version: simple heavy riffs, danceable synths, declaimed German vocals and a great deal of pyrotechnics.
How it sounds
- A simple, heavy riff played in unison with the synthesizer.
- Mid, danceable tempos with four-to-the-floor drumming.
- Declaimed German vocals, with the rolled R as a trademark.
Key acts
- Rammstein
- Oomph!
- Eisbrecher
Start here
The pickRammstein - Mutter. Flawless production and their best set of songs.
Full page →Nu metal
Where it sits
In short
Seven-string guitars tuned very low, hip-hop groove, a DJ or sampler and lyrics about personal trauma. The decade's best-selling and most disputed genre.
How it sounds
- Seven-string guitars tuned very low, with simple syncopated riffs.
- Very prominent bass, often slapped or synth-toned, plus a DJ or sampler in the line-up.
- Vocals moving between rapping, singing and screaming, with lyrics about personal trauma.
Key acts
- Korn
- Slipknot
- Deftones
- Limp Bizkit
Start here
The pickKorn - Korn. The first track opens with bagpipes, which nobody ever remembers.
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