The difference, by ear
Black metal is growled or screamed where progressive power metal is sung cleanly, and faster: 160 to 280 bpm against 140 to 190. To hear the difference, play Symphony X next to Bathory. They share a root in heavy metal, and black metal came first, by twelve years.
In figures
Progressive power metal
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Power metal › Progressive power metal
In short
Power metal choruses laid over prog structures and meters.
How it sounds
- Long structures and odd meters, with the memorable chorus left intact.
- Keyboards in a lead role, on equal footing with the guitar.
- Technical vocals with wide range and complex phrasing.
Key acts
- Symphony X
- Kamelot
- Angra
Start here
The pickSymphony X - The Divine Wings of Tragedy. The title track runs twenty minutes.
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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