The difference, by ear
Both are growled or screamed, but black metal is a little slower: 160 to 280 bpm against 200 to 300. Songs run longer in black metal: usually 4 to 9 minutes, against 2 to 4 minutes in war metal / bestial. To hear the difference, play Blasphemy next to Bathory. War metal / bestial grew out of black metal, eight years later.
In figures
War metal / bestial
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Black metal › War metal / bestial
In short
Black and death metal reduced to noise, speed and bullet belts. The least legible branch of metal there is.
How it sounds
- Deliberately illegible production, everything saturated and compressed.
- Extreme tempos, chaotic drumming, riffs that are barely distinguishable.
- Fully distorted vocals, usually through effects.
Key acts
- Blasphemy
- Revenge
- Archgoat
Start here
The pickBlasphemy - Fallen Angel of Doom. Twenty-five minutes of organised chaos.
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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