The difference, in figures
Black metal is far heavier (+7), clearly less melodic (−4) and slightly faster (+2) than Rockabilly. It emerged in 1982, 28 years after Rockabilly in 1954. They sit on opposite branches of the tree and share no common ancestor.
Rockabilly
Where it sits
Rock › Rock and roll › Rockabilly
In short
Rock and roll filtered through white country music: slapped upright bass, Sun Studio echo and a vocal hiccup. It gets rediscovered every couple of decades.
How it sounds
- Slapped upright bass - the strings snap against the neck and keep time in place of the drums.
- Tape slapback echo on the vocals, the Sun Studio trademark.
- Clean or lightly overdriven guitar with country-style picking and no distortion.
Key acts
- Carl Perkins
- Johnny Cash
- Gene Vincent
- Stray Cats
Start here
The pickCarl Perkins - Blue Suede Shoes, the original rather than the Elvis version.
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 →