What do you think distinguishes heavy metal from hard rock?
kingratt82 asked:
What pushes a song or album or band from hard rock to heavy metal? Is the difference arbitrary, a subjective opinion of the listener? Does the answer lay in the guitar work, and if it does, what makes a guitarist a metal player rather than just a hard rock player?
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What pushes a song or album or band from hard rock to heavy metal? Is the difference arbitrary, a subjective opinion of the listener? Does the answer lay in the guitar work, and if it does, what makes a guitarist a metal player rather than just a hard rock player?
I worked with a guy once that was an accomplished and talented guitar player. He told me once that the difference is arbitrary, really, but that he thought speed plus chords and riffs differentiated metal from hard rock.
Joseph
September 28th, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Madison
Heavy Metal makes you headbang so hard that you need to overdose on Tylenol to feel better.
Hard Rock is almost headbanging, but it’s more foot-tapping and it isn’t as brutal.
September 30th, 2011 at 1:36 am
Charles
Metal is faster, heavier, and more aggressive.
Metal- Slayer
Hard Rock-KISS
October 3rd, 2011 at 12:04 am
Jaden
heavy metal is way more intense. The guitars are usually a lot heavier and a lot more distorted than in hard rock. The drums in heavy metal usually have double bass and are a lot faster and more technical than in hard rock. The lyric subject in heavy metal tends to be darker, more evil, and in some cases more serious than in hard rock. Hard rock lyrics are more about having fun while metal lyrics deal with political/social issues (wars, hate, Etc.) so really the difference between hard rock and metal lies in every aspect of the music. Its not really just one instrument that makes the difference.
Metal bands: Exodus, Slayer, Annihilator, Anthrax, Megadeth
Hard Rock bands: Kiss, Ac/Dc, Guns n Roses (some people consider em metal but they really are just hard rock).
October 3rd, 2011 at 10:03 pm
Savannah
It’s a totally meaningless distinction, and actually trying to canonize the difference is a waste of time.
Just shut up and enjoy the music.
October 5th, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Lucas
Heavy metal is obviously more extreme than hard rock. But all a rock song needs for it to be considered a metal song is a distorted guitar sound and sometimes louder and faster drums. The vocals of both genre’s are pretty much the same except for the screaming, growling, or screeching in some metal songs. Also Hard Rock has a different mood than Heavy Metal because Hard Rock is happier and it’s made more for partying and having a good time, while Heavy Metal is more dark and depressive and it’s made more for expressing your anger or dealing with the harsh realities of everyday life.
October 8th, 2011 at 10:09 pm
David
A bad lead singer…
October 9th, 2011 at 11:21 pm
Sofia
Rock is agenre of pop music that developed after 1960′s. Hard Rock is loosley defined genere of rock music with earliest roots in the mid 1960.s, typified by heavy use of distorted electric guitars, bass guitar and drums often accompanied by piano and keyboards. Hard Rock became a form of pop music in 1970s. Heavy Metal is is a subgenre of Rock music…or any metalic chemical element within the upper range of atomic weights…you choose. hard Rock is was also known as garage rock, blues and psychodelic rock back in the day.
October 10th, 2011 at 8:01 pm
Zachary
Distortion and tuning are big components, but I think the style of playing is the most important thing in defining it. Use of speedy solos (shredding), power chords, downpicking, and a really thick, massive guitar sound all give it characteristics that make it different from hard rock.
Think about Guns N Roses or AC DC (both Hard Rock) versus Metallica (Metal).