The difference, by ear
The revival - 2018 onward - which plays this sincerely rather than as nostalgia, and mixes it with hyperpop and emo rather than with hip-hop.
Both are part sung, part screamed, but new nu metal is a little faster: 90 to 150 bpm against 80 to 120. To hear the difference, play Korn next to Tallah. New nu metal grew out of nu metal, 24 years later.
In figures
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.
Full page →New nu metal
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Nu metal › New nu metal
In short
The generation raised on Korn and Slipknot brings back low tunings and electronic textures with today's production.
How it sounds
- Very low tunings and modern production with electronic and trap elements.
- Short structures built for streaming and vertical video.
- Vocals switching rapidly between rapping, processed singing and screaming.
Key acts
- Tallah
- Vended
- Sleep Token
Start here
The pickLoathe - I Let It in and It Took Everything. Deftones and shoegaze, done very well.
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