Heavy metal music

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, especially in the United Kingdom and United States.

Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, especially in the United Kingdom and United States. It is known for distorted guitars, extended guitar solos, emphatic rhythms, and high volume, and it later expanded into many subgenres. The genre has a substantial Canadian following and has produced internationally known Canadian acts such as Rush, Anvil, Voivod, and Helix.

Origins

Heavy metal developed from blues rock, psychedelic rock, and acid rock in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The style is closely associated with bands from the United Kingdom and the United States, especially early pioneers such as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple.

Musical characteristics

Heavy metal is characterised by distorted electric guitars, extended solos, emphatic drumming, and a loud, forceful sound. Later descriptions of the genre also emphasize intensity, virtuosity, and aggressive performance.

Subgenres and evolution

Over time, heavy metal fragmented into numerous related styles, including thrash metal, death metal, speed metal, rap metal, and Christian metal. Different bands and scenes adapted the genre toward either more extreme or more accessible forms.

Culture and reception

Heavy metal has often been linked to a broader subculture with distinctive fashion and performance practices. Although it attracted large audiences, it was also frequently criticised by reviewers and moral commentators.