The difference, by ear
Black metal is growled or screamed where Neue Deutsche Härte is sung cleanly, and much faster: 160 to 280 bpm against 100 to 130. To hear the difference, play Rammstein next to Bathory. They share a root in heavy metal, and black metal came first, by twelve years.
In figures
Neue Deutsche Härte
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Industrial metal › Neue Deutsche Härte
In short
The German version: simple heavy riffs, danceable synths, declaimed German vocals and a great deal of pyrotechnics.
How it sounds
- A simple, heavy riff played in unison with the synthesizer.
- Mid, danceable tempos with four-to-the-floor drumming.
- Declaimed German vocals, with the rolled R as a trademark.
Key acts
- Rammstein
- Oomph!
- Eisbrecher
Start here
The pickRammstein - Mutter. Flawless production and their best set of songs.
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 →