The difference, in figures
Black metal is clearly less melodic (−4), clearly heavier (+3) and slightly faster (+1) than Neoclassical metal. It emerged in 1982, 2 years before Neoclassical metal in 1984. Both branch directly off Heavy metal. Both trace to Sweden.
Neoclassical metal
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Neoclassical metal
In short
Bach and Paganini transposed onto a distorted guitar: harmonic minor scales, sweep arpeggios and three-minute solos.
How it sounds
- Harmonic minor and Phrygian dominant scales with diminished arpeggios.
- Sweep picking and legato technique at extreme speed.
- Structures borrowed from the baroque concerto: theme, variation, cadenza.
Key acts
- Yngwie Malmsteen
- Racer X
- Cacophony
Start here
The pickYngwie Malmsteen - Far Beyond the Sun. Instrumental, six minutes, unplayable.
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.
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