The difference, by ear
Black metal is growled or screamed where post-punk revival is sung cleanly, and much faster: 160 to 280 bpm against 120 to 160. Songs run longer in black metal: usually 4 to 9 minutes, against 3 to 5 minutes in post-punk revival. To hear the difference, play Interpol next to Bathory. Post-punk revival comes from the rock side of the tree and black metal from the metal side, and black metal came first, by nineteen years.
In figures
Post-punk revival
Where it sits
Rock › Punk rock › Post-punk › Post-punk revival
In short
The same basslines and the same chill, revived every ten years with contemporary production.
How it sounds
- Melodic basslines up front with sharp, dry guitars.
- Dry drums, often with tribal toms and closed hi-hats.
- Cold production with large-room reverb on the vocals.
Key acts
- Interpol
- Editors
- Fontaines D.C.
- IDLES
Start here
The pickInterpol - Turn On the Bright Lights. Post-2001 New York, in 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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