The difference, by ear
Both are modern, digitally produced and dynamically extreme. Progressive metalcore comes from metalcore; this comes from nu metal.
Both are part sung, part screamed, but progressive metalcore is faster: 130 to 190 bpm against 90 to 150. To hear the difference, play Tallah next to Architects. They share a root in heavy metal, and progressive metalcore came first, by eight years. Global appears in the origins of both.
In figures
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.
Full page →Progressive metalcore
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Metalcore › Progressive metalcore
In short
Metalcore with eight-string guitars, ambient passages and structures borrowed from djent.
How it sounds
- Seven- and eight-string guitars with polyrhythms taken from djent.
- Ambient passages and electronic textures between the heavy sections.
- Very clean production with wide dynamics and vocals across many registers.
Key acts
- Architects
- Erra
- Northlane
Start here
The pickArchitects - All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us. Devastating in both senses.
Full page →