The difference, by ear
Black metal is growled or screamed where deathrock is sung cleanly, and much faster: 160 to 280 bpm against 140 to 180. Songs run longer in black metal: usually 4 to 9 minutes, against 3 to 5 minutes in deathrock. To hear the difference, play Christian Death next to Bathory. Deathrock comes from the rock side of the tree and black metal from the metal side, and deathrock came first, by three years.
In figures
Deathrock
Where it sits
Rock › Punk rock › Post-punk › Gothic rock › Deathrock
In short
The American version, more punk and more theatrical, with tribal drums and horror-movie imagery.
How it sounds
- Tribal drumming with heavy toms and bass up front.
- Guitar with tremolo and surf reverb, but in minor keys.
- Theatrical, near-recitative vocals with horror-film imagery.
Key acts
- Christian Death
- 45 Grave
- Kommunity FK
Start here
The pickChristian Death - Only Theatre of Pain. Rozz Williams was nineteen when he wrote it.
Full page →Black metal
Where it sits
In short
Tremolo picking, blast beats, shrieked vocals and deliberately cold production. More an aesthetic than a technique - atmosphere matters more than clean sound.
How it sounds
- Tremolo picking on open fifth voicings, with vocals in the high register.
- Deliberately thin, cold production - the missing bass is an aesthetic choice, not an accident.
- Fast blast beats, drums often mixed back, atmosphere placed above technique.
Key acts
- Bathory
- Mayhem
- Darkthrone
- Emperor
Start here
The pickDarkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky. The production is intentional, not a flaw.
Full page →