Genre Description - EXTREME METAL

Definitions

"Extreme" can be meant to describe any of the following traits: music (whether it is intended to be faster, more aggressive, abrasive or "heavier" than other metal styles), lyrics (dealing with darker, more sensational topics and themes), vocals (which often use guttural, harsh or abrasive singing), or appearance and stage demeanor (using corpse paint, Satanic or occult imagery). The "extreme" label is most commonly applied to bands whose music is extreme; for example, few would consider Kiss or Alice Cooper to be extreme metal, though they could be considered to employ "extreme" elements in their appearance and stage demeanor for their time.
According to ethnographer Keith Kahn-Harris,^[2] the defining characteristics of extreme metal can all be regarded as clearly transgressive: the "extreme" traits noted above are all intended to violate or transgress given cultural, artistic, social or aesthetic boundaries.
Given the vagueness of existing definitions and considering the limitations such definitions have, there are many artists for whom the usage of the term "extreme metal" is a subject of debate.^[2] However, Kahn-Harris also notes that many musicians and fans see such debates over style and genre as useless and unnecessary, or at least as given undue attention.

 

Characteristics

Structure

Though songs in traditional heavy metal may be louder, harsher or more abrasive than rock music in general, the underlying elements of melody, harmony and rhythm are generally similar to those in rock and pop music. Conventional melodies – one of the key elements of popular music – are often of limited importance in extreme metal, if not absent entirely, although chord progressions are still present and important. Extreme metal songs rarely have the central focus of a melodic "pop hook," and when present, melodic elements more typically provide an instrumental backdrop rather than a central focus.

Vocals

One of the more apparent characteristics of extreme metal is the vocals. Extreme metal singing includes various extended techniques; from harsh, guttural death growls (characteristic of doom and death metal) to high-pitched shrieking (characteristic of black metal). Thrash metal vocalists commonly employ a harsh or shouted vocal style. Extreme metal vocalists can use one or more techniques, and some bands have multiple singers.

Tempo

Extreme metal is also characterized by its unusual tempo, which may range from very fast-paced thrash, death and black metal (and can occasionally approach the extraordinary range of 300 beats per minute)^[2] to the extremely slow, as in funeral doom and drone doom. Drummers often utilize double-kick, double bass and blast beats, though not all make use of these techniques. Kahn-Harris notes that many extreme metal drummers take great pride in creating and playing drum patterns that are complex and demanding.

Guitars

Guitars in extreme metal are commonly distorted to create a thick or abrasive tone. Guitars are frequently tuned below the standard E: thrash metal and black metal guitarists usually tune a half or a whole-step down, while death metal and doom metal often tune even lower. Seven-string guitars (rather than the more common six-string guitars) are not unusual in extreme metal, particularly in death and doom metal. Drop tunings are common and sometimes open tunings are used as well. Kahn-Harris notes that extreme metal tends to defy the "riff-guitar solo" paradigm of heavy metal: Guitar solos are often of less importance in extreme metal than in other metal styles, and the chord progressions (or "riffs") in extreme metal are often unusual and sometimes complex and demanding.