The difference, in figures
Black metal is clearly faster (+3), slightly heavier (+1) and slightly less melodic (−1) than DSBM. It emerged in 1982, 12 years before DSBM in 1994. Black metal is what DSBM descends from, 1 level up. Both trace to Sweden.
DSBM
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Black metal › DSBM
In short
Depressive suicidal black metal: slower tempos, wailing guitars and desperate vocals. The subject matter is heavy, and the genre is debated inside the scene itself.
How it sounds
- Slower tempos with repetitive riffs in mournful minor keys.
- Lo-fi production with distant, desperate vocals.
- Long, monotonous structures built on repetition.
Key acts
- Shining
- Silencer
- Lifelover
Start here
The pickLifelover - Pulver. The least monotonous record in the genre.
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 →