The difference, by ear
Black metal is growled or screamed where psychobilly is sung cleanly, and swings further either way: 160 to 280 bpm against 180 to 220. Songs run longer in black metal: usually 4 to 9 minutes, against 2 to 3 minutes in psychobilly. To hear the difference, play The Meteors next to Bathory. Psychobilly comes from the rock side of the tree and black metal from the metal side, and psychobilly came first, by two years.
In figures
Psychobilly
Where it sits
Rock › Punk rock › Psychobilly
In short
Rockabilly with slapped upright bass, punk speed and lyrics about monsters. Quiff haircut mandatory.
How it sounds
- Slapped upright bass played hard, as a percussion instrument.
- Rockabilly reverb on the guitar, with punk speed and aggression.
- Quiff haircuts, tattoos and lyrics about monsters, cars and the morgue.
Key acts
- The Meteors
- Demented Are Go
- Nekromantix
Start here
The pickThe Meteors - In Heaven. Ground zero, manifesto included.
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.
Full page →