The difference, by ear
The same phenomenon on the rock branch: a deliberate return to an old idiom, prompted partly by a press looking for a movement.
Both are sung cleanly and move at much the same pace, around 140 to 180 bpm. Songs run longer in NWOTHM: usually 4 to 6 minutes, against 2½ to 3½ minutes in garage rock revival. To hear the difference, play Enforcer next to The White Stripes. NWOTHM comes from the metal side of the tree and garage rock revival from the rock side, and garage rock revival came first, by five years.
In figures
NWOTHM
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Traditional heavy metal › NWOTHM
In short
New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal: a new generation deliberately playing like it's 1982, down to the tape production.
How it sounds
- Deliberate reproduction of 1981-1984 production, often recorded to analogue tape.
- Riffs and harmonies straight in the NWOBHM tradition, with no modern elements.
- Hand-painted covers and cassette releases - it is all part of the package.
Key acts
- Enforcer
- Cauldron
- Haunt
Start here
The pickEnforcer - Diamonds. Sounds like 1983 and was recorded in 2010.
Full page →Garage rock revival
Where it sits
Rock › Rock and roll › Garage rock › Garage rock revival
In short
A reaction to nu metal and radio pop: crisp guitars, plain production, narrow suits. It put guitar rock back on festival bills in the 2000s.
How it sounds
- Deliberately plain production: few tracks, raw guitar tone, no click track.
- Short riffs from blues or 1960s garage, wrapped in pop structures.
- A strict visual code - a colour scheme or a uniform for each band.
Key acts
- The White Stripes
- The Strokes
- The Hives
Start here
The pickThe Strokes - Is This It. Thirty-six minutes without a gram of fat.
Full page →