The difference, by ear
Black metal is growled or screamed where speed metal is sung cleanly, and swings further either way: 160 to 280 bpm against 180 to 230. To hear the difference, play Motörhead next to Bathory. Both grew out of heavy metal, speed metal first and black metal a year after.
In figures
Speed metal
Where it sits
In short
NWOBHM with the throttle down, but the vocals still melodic. The missing link between heavy metal and thrash.
How it sounds
- Tempos of 180 to 220 bpm with galloping or two-beat drumming.
- Fast palm-muted riffing, but with vocals that stay melodic and high.
- Long solos with NWOBHM-school technique.
Key acts
- Motörhead
- Exciter
- Agent Steel
- Helloween
Start here
The pickMotörhead - Ace of Spades. Thirty-five minutes, constant speed, zero compromise.
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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