The difference, in figures
Black metal is far heavier (+5), clearly faster (+4) and clearly less melodic (−4) than Alternative rock. It emerged in 1982, 3 years before Alternative rock in 1985. They sit on opposite branches of the tree and share no common ancestor.
Alternative rock
Where it sits
In short
An umbrella for everything that grew outside commercial radio and then conquered it. Defined originally by the college-radio network, not by any one sound.
How it sounds
- No single sound - originally defined by the distribution channel rather than by style.
- What the bands share: less glossy production and less predictable structures than radio rock.
- Quiet-loud dynamics, popularised by the Pixies and copied by everyone after 1991.
Key acts
- R.E.M.
- Pixies
- Nirvana
- Radiohead
Start here
The pickPixies - Doolittle. Cobain admitted he was simply trying to write a Pixies song.
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.
Full page →