The difference, by ear
Black metal is growled or screamed where neo-psychedelia is sung cleanly, and much faster: 160 to 280 bpm against 90 to 140. To hear the difference, play The Flaming Lips next to Bathory. Neo-psychedelia comes from the rock side of the tree and black metal from the metal side, and neo-psychedelia came first, by two years.
In figures
Neo-psychedelia
Where it sits
Rock › Psychedelic rock › Neo-psychedelia
In short
Psychedelia retold by every new generation, with digital studios and rather less mysticism.
How it sounds
- Abundant reverb and delay, with the voice treated as an instrument.
- Modern studio production carrying 1960s sonic references.
- Pop melody under a thick layer of effects.
Key acts
- The Flaming Lips
- Tame Impala
- King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Start here
The pickTame Impala - Lonerism. One man, a bedroom studio, a stadium sound.
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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