The difference, in figures
Black metal is clearly less melodic (−3), slightly heavier (+1) and slightly faster (+1) than Symphonic black metal. It emerged in 1982, 12 years before Symphonic black metal in 1994. Black metal is what Symphonic black metal descends from, 1 level up. Both trace to Norway.
Symphonic black metal
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Black metal › Symphonic black metal
In short
Keyboards and choirs over black metal structures. Grand, theatrical and by far the most saleable of the subgenres.
How it sounds
- Keyboards and choirs treated as a lead instrument rather than as background.
- Broad orchestration, occasionally with a real orchestra, and large studio production.
- Epic structures with recurring themes and film-score dynamics.
Key acts
- Emperor
- Dimmu Borgir
- Cradle of Filth
Start here
The pickEmperor - In the Nightside Eclipse. Recorded by teenagers, and it sounds monumental.
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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