The difference, in figures
Black metal is clearly less melodic (−4), clearly faster (+3) and slightly heavier (+1) than Viking metal. It emerged in 1982, 8 years before Viking metal in 1990. The two split from Heavy metal.
Viking metal
Where it sits
Heavy metal › Folk metal › Viking metal
In short
Norse themes, male choirs and marching tempos. It sounds like a longship, not a tavern.
How it sounds
- Massive male choirs singing in unison, for the effect of an army.
- Marching tempos, heavy drums and broad keyboards underneath.
- Lyrics about Norse mythology, battle and the sea.
Key acts
- Bathory
- Enslaved
- Amon Amarth
- Týr
Start here
The pickBathory - Twilight of the Gods. The title track is fourteen minutes of solemnity.
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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