The difference, by ear
Black metal is growled or screamed where grunge is sung cleanly, and much faster: 160 to 280 bpm against 90 to 140. To hear the difference, play Nirvana next to Bathory. Grunge comes from the rock side of the tree and black metal from the metal side, and black metal came first, by six years.
In figures
Grunge
Where it sits
Rock › Alternative rock › Grunge
In short
Punk plus Black Sabbath plus flannel: quiet verse, exploding chorus and lyrics about self-disgust.
How it sounds
- Quiet verse, chorus at full distortion - the dynamic taken from the Pixies.
- Guitars sometimes tuned a whole step down, through simple fuzz pedals.
- Hoarse vocals with lyrics about self-disgust, apathy and unfocused anger.
Key acts
- Nirvana
- Soundgarden
- Alice in Chains
- Pearl Jam
Start here
The pickAlice in Chains - Dirt. The heaviest and bleakest record the scene produced.
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 →