Speed metal
Speed metal | |
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Stylistic origins | |
Cultural origins | Late 1970s and early 1980s, mainly in the United Kingdom |
Derivative forms | |
Other topics | |
Speed metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots.[1] It is described by AllMusic as "extremely fast, abrasive, and technically demanding" music.[2]
It is usually considered less abrasive and more melodic than thrash metal. However, speed metal is usually faster and more aggressive than traditional heavy metal, also showing more inclination to virtuoso soloing and featuring short instrumental passages between couplets. Speed metal songs frequently make use of highly expressive vocals, but are usually less likely to employ "harsh" vocals than thrash metal songs.[3]
Origins
New wave of British heavy metal
One of the key influences on the development of speed metal was the new wave of British heavy metal, or
It was an era directed almost exclusively at heavy metal fans and is considered to be a major foundation stone for the extreme metal genres.
The NWOBHM came to dominate the heavy metal scene of the early-mid-1980s. It was musically characterised by fast upbeat tempo songs,
Other metal influences
Motörhead is often credited as the first band to play speed metal in the mid-1970s.
History
The origin of the genre's name is the aptly named "
This is the only Deep Purple song that employs the double bass drum, and the video from the band shows them actually bring out the second bass as needed to play the song. While speedy, technical playing did not dominate Deep Purple's music, they clearly were the inventors of rock that was fast, technical and loud. Those characteristics would become the hallmarks of speed metal. The name of the origin song, "Speed King" would have also played a role in the genre's naming. At the very least, the band acknowledged what they were doing which was a radical departure from all prior rock music.
Black Sabbath are a British heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, and are often cited as one of the grandfathers of the genre. Though usually known for playing a fairly slow, sludgy tempo, "After Forever" is a very up-tempo song with a much faster pace than other songs in their catalogue. Still in certain other songs such as "Electric Funeral", "Into the Void" and "Under the Sun (Every Day Comes and Goes)" there is a section in the middle of the song that shifts away from the core music and plays a much faster pace than in the rest of the song, then returns to the original melody. There are those who believe that their song "Symptom of the Universe" from their 1975 release Sabotage album is the first true example of a speed metal song.
Judas Priest are a British heavy metal band, also formed in Birmingham, England, that often played faster than most rock groups of the time and brought a more "metallic" sound to the guitars. Some songs, such as 1978's "Exciter", were groundbreaking for their sheer ferocity and speed; few, if any, bands exempting Motörhead played with the same tempo.[citation needed]
Exciter (who took their name from the aforementioned Judas Priest song) is a Canadian speed metal band from Ottawa, Ontario, which was formed in 1978. They are widely considered to be one of the first speed metal bands and a seminal influence of the thrash metal genre. Anvil are another Canadian speed metal band from Toronto, Ontario, who also formed in 1978. To date, the band has released seventeen studio albums, and has been cited as having influenced many notable thrash metal groups, including Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth.
Accept is a German heavy metal band which played an important role in the development of speed and thrash metal, being part of the German heavy metal scene, which emerged in the early to mid-1980s. Of particular importance was their 1982 track "Fast as a Shark".
Speed metal eventually evolved into
Regional differences
Speed metal's sound varied between various regional scenes. European bands leaned towards the sound of bands like Venom and Motörhead. Japanese bands had a more melodic sound that resembled power metal. North American bands had a faster, more aggressive sound that would later influence the thrash metal movement.[2]
The Speed Metal Swirl
Banzai Records printed the Speed Metal Swirl on the cover of 18 of their releases. It was a marketing idea by label founder Michel Meese and put together by Gunther Woschank, likely made from an existing design which has been found on a 1976 Shediac, New Brunswick phone book, with the words Speed Metal added.[9]
See also
References
- ISBN 1-84520-399-2, p. 31.
- ^ All Media Network. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
- ^ "The Best Speed Metal Albums". Heavy Metal Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 13 April 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
- All Media Network. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
- ^ Jones, Chris (7 June 2007). "Queen: Sheer Heart Attack Review". BBC Music. Retrieved 28 March 2009.
- ^ "Anvil On Deep Purple's "Highway Star"". VH1. 16 March 2009. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
- )
- ^ Christe 2004, p. 138.
- ^ "Speed Metal Swirl". Banzai Records. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
External links
- Media related to Speed metal at Wikimedia Commons