The difference, by ear
Black metal is growled or screamed where NWOBHM is sung cleanly, and faster: 160 to 280 bpm against 140 to 190. To hear the difference, play Iron Maiden next to Bathory. Both grew out of heavy metal, NWOBHM first and black metal three years after.
In figures
NWOBHM
Where it sits
In short
New Wave of British Heavy Metal: punk speed, twin guitar harmonies and self-releasing on a large scale. The textbook every thrash band studied.
How it sounds
- Twin guitars harmonised in thirds - the wave's technical signature.
- Faster tempos than the 1970s, with Steve Harris's galloping bass technique.
- Cheap, usually self-funded production and seven-inch singles on local labels.
Key acts
- Iron Maiden
- Saxon
- Diamond Head
- Angel Witch
Start here
The pickDiamond Head - Am I Evil? The riff that half of thrash was born from.
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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