The difference, by ear
Both are growled or screamed, but black metal is slower: 160 to 280 bpm against 200 to 320. Songs run longer in black metal: usually 4 to 9 minutes, against under a minute to 1½ minutes in grindcore. To hear the difference, play Napalm Death next to Bathory. Both grew out of heavy metal, black metal first and grindcore three years after.
In figures
Grindcore
Where it sits
In short
Hardcore and death metal compressed into songs under a minute, with continuous blast beats. Napalm Death have a song that lasts one second.
How it sounds
- Blast beats at maximum speed, songs under a minute, albums of twenty minutes.
- Short hardcore and death metal riffs with no development.
- Dual vocals: guttural growl and high shriek, alternating rapidly.
Key acts
- Napalm Death
- Repulsion
- Terrorizer
- Brutal Truth
Start here
The pickNapalm Death - Scum. Side B, with Bill Steer on guitar, is the essential half.
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.
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