The difference, in figures
Black metal is clearly less melodic (−4), slightly faster (+2) and slightly heavier (+1) than Progressive metalcore. It emerged in 1982, 28 years before Progressive metalcore in 2010. The two split from Heavy metal.
Progressive metalcore
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Metalcore › Progressive metalcore
In short
Metalcore with eight-string guitars, ambient passages and structures borrowed from djent.
How it sounds
- Seven- and eight-string guitars with polyrhythms taken from djent.
- Ambient passages and electronic textures between the heavy sections.
- Very clean production with wide dynamics and vocals across many registers.
Key acts
- Architects
- Erra
- Northlane
Start here
The pickArchitects - All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us. Devastating in both senses.
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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