Metal

Heavy/traditional, metalcore, nu metal/rap metal, thrash, death metal, black metal, doom/stoner/sludge, power metal, symphonic/orchestral, progressive/technical, alternative/modern, industrial/electronic, deathcore, melodic death/Gothenburg, groove/post-thrash, glam/hair/sleaze, speed/NWOBHM, crossover/hardcore-thrash, djent, folk/viking/pagan, gothic/dark/occult, post-metal/blackgaze, brutal/slam/tech death, blackened/war hybrid, grindcore, mathcore, psychedelic/stoner/desert, Christian/faith-based, avant-garde, instrumental/shred, drone/ambient/ritual, kawaii/idol/anime/game, global/regional, political/protest, theme/comedy/character. (tree: MUS-128)

36 families543 sub-genres

Click a family to fan out its sub-genres · dashed = cross-listed

1Heavy Metal / Traditional Metal

The core metal sound: big riffs, galloping drums, powerful vocals, guitar solos, dark drama, and the classic metal template.

Heavy Metal ↗

Traditional Heavy Metal ↗

Classic Metal

Old-School Heavy Metal

NWOBHM — New Wave of British Heavy Metal

Christian Heavy Metal ↗

Occult Heavy Metal ↗

Heavy Metal / Traditional Metal

The core metal sound: big riffs, galloping drums, powerful vocals, guitar solos, dark drama, and the classic metal template.

Heavy Metal Traditional Heavy Metal Classic Metal Old-School Heavy Metal NWOBHM — New Wave of British Heavy Metal Proto-Metal 70s Heavy Metal 80s Heavy Metal Epic Heavy Metal Melodic Heavy Metal True Metal Guitar Hero Metal Christian Heavy Metal Occult Heavy Metal

Metalcore / Modern Core Metal

The modern heavy gateway: hardcore breakdowns, metal riffs, screamed verses, clean choruses, chugs, drops, and high-energy live catharsis.

Metalcore Modern Metalcore Melodic Metalcore Progressive Metalcore Djentcore Electronicore Nu-Metalcore Deathcore Mathcore Easycore Post-Hardcore Metalcore Symphonic Metalcore Christian Metalcore Arena Metalcore MySpace-Era Metalcore

Nu Metal / Rap Metal / Alternative Metal

Metal's mainstream crossover branch: down-tuned riffs, groove, hip-hop cadence, DJ/sampler textures, angst, bounce, and alternative-rock hooks.

Nu Metal Rap Metal Alternative Metal Rapcore Funk Metal Industrial Nu Metal Groove Nu Metal Nu-Metalcore Trap Metal Alt-Groove Metal Radio Nu Metal Post-Nu Metal Christian Nu Metal

Thrash Metal

Fast, aggressive, riff-driven metal: palm-muted guitar attacks, shouted vocals, speed, politics, mosh energy, and technical solos.

Thrash Metal Classic Thrash Bay Area Thrash Teutonic Thrash East Coast Thrash Speed Thrash Crossover Thrash Technical Thrash Death-Thrash Blackened Thrash Groove Thrash Progressive Thrash Christian Thrash Old-School Thrash Thrash Revival

Death Metal

Extreme metal's brutal core: growled vocals, down-tuned riffs, blast beats, dark themes, technical rhythm, and dense heaviness.

Death Metal Old-School Death Metal OSDM Florida Death Metal Swedish Death Metal HM-2 Death Metal Brutal Death Metal Technical Death Metal Melodic Death Metal Death-Doom Blackened Death Metal Deathgrind Slam Death Metal Progressive Death Metal Christian Death Metal

Black Metal

Cold, harsh, atmospheric extreme metal: tremolo picking, blast beats, shrieked vocals, raw production, darkness, nature, myth, ritual, and anti-mainstream aura.

Black Metal Second-Wave Black Metal Norwegian Black Metal Raw Black Metal Atmospheric Black Metal Symphonic Black Metal Melodic Black Metal Depressive Black Metal DSBM — Depressive Suicidal Black Metal Pagan Black Metal Blackgaze War Metal Blackened Death Metal Blackened Thrash Unblack Metal First-Wave Black Metal

Doom / Stoner / Sludge Metal

Slow, heavy, low-tuned metal: massive riffs, dread, fuzz, Sabbath DNA, despair, psychedelia, and crushing weight.

Doom Metal Traditional Doom Epic Doom Funeral Doom Death-Doom Gothic Doom Drone Doom Stoner Metal Stoner Doom Sludge Metal Southern Sludge Psychedelic Doom Desert Metal Occult Doom Doomgaze

Power Metal

Heroic, melodic, high-energy metal: soaring vocals, fast drums, fantasy themes, bright guitar leads, major-key drama, and anthem choruses.

Power Metal European Power Metal US Power Metal Symphonic Power Metal Speed Power Metal Epic Power Metal Fantasy Metal Dragon Metal Pirate Power Metal Progressive Power Metal Folk Power Metal Neoclassical Power Metal Christian Power Metal Melodic Power Metal Arena Power Metal

Symphonic / Orchestral Metal

Metal with orchestral scale: strings, choirs, opera vocals, cinematic arrangements, gothic grandeur, and theatrical drama.

Symphonic Metal Orchestral Metal Opera Metal Symphonic Power Metal Symphonic Black Metal Symphonic Death Metal Symphonic Gothic Metal Cinematic Metal Choir Metal Epic Metal Neoclassical Metal Trailer Metal Fantasy Symphonic Metal Christian Symphonic Metal Orchestral Deathcore

Progressive / Technical Metal

Musicianly metal: odd meters, extended forms, complex riffs, concept albums, technical skill, jazz/classical influence, and high-complexity arrangements.

Progressive Metal Technical Metal Technical Death Metal Progressive Death Metal Progressive Thrash Progressive Power Metal Progressive Metalcore Djent Math Metal Avant-Prog Metal Jazz Metal Neoclassical Progressive Metal Concept Metal Instrumental Prog Metal

Alternative Metal / Modern Hard Metal

The wide modern metal bridge: heavy but accessible, often connected to alt-rock, post-grunge, groove, radio rock, and modern production.

Alternative Metal Modern Metal Modern Hard Metal Radio Metal Post-Grunge Metal Grunge Metal Alt-Groove Metal Melodic Alternative Metal Dark Alternative Metal Progressive Alternative Metal Industrial Alternative Metal Christian Alternative Metal Arena Alternative Metal Modern Heavy Rock Metal Post-Nu Alternative Metal

Industrial / Electronic Metal

Metal plus machines: programmed drums, synths, samples, EBM pulse, cyberpunk textures, mechanical riffs, and dystopian atmosphere.

Industrial Metal Electronic Metal Cyber Metal Digital Metal EBM Metal Electro-Industrial Metal Synth Metal Dance Metal Industrial Nu Metal Industrial Death Metal Industrial Black Metal Cybergrind Electronicore Aggrotech Metal AI / Machine Metal

Deathcore

Death metal plus metalcore: breakdowns, blast beats, guttural vocals, modern production, low tuning, and extreme live impact.

Deathcore Modern Deathcore Melodic Deathcore Symphonic Deathcore Blackened Deathcore Technical Deathcore Brutal Deathcore Slam Deathcore Downtempo Deathcore Progressive Deathcore Nu-Deathcore Aliencore Beatdown Deathcore Christian Deathcore MySpace Deathcore

Melodic Death / Gothenburg Metal

Death metal with melody: harmonized guitar leads, galloping riffs, harsh vocals, Swedish/Gothenburg DNA, and metalcore influence.

Melodic Death Metal Gothenburg Metal Swedish Melodic Death Metal Finnish Melodic Death Metal Melodic Blackened Death Melodic Death-Doom Melodic Deathcore Melodic Metalcore Folk Melodeath Symphonic Melodeath Progressive Melodeath Modern Melodeath Extreme Power-Melodeath Christian Melodeath

Groove Metal / Post-Thrash

Mid-tempo, riff-heavy, body-movement metal: chugging grooves, shouted vocals, southern weight, bounce, and post-thrash heaviness.

Groove Metal Post-Thrash Modern Groove Metal Southern Groove Metal Thrash-Groove Death-Groove Nu-Groove Industrial Groove Metal Hardcore Groove Metal Sludge-Groove Metalcore Groove Alt-Groove Metal Arena Groove Metal Modern Chug Metal Christian Groove Metal

Glam / Hair / Sleaze Metal

Metal's pop-star branch: huge choruses, flashy guitar solos, party swagger, big hair, arena polish, and melodic hooks.

Glam Metal Hair Metal Pop Metal Sleaze Metal Arena Glam Metal 80s Glam Metal Melodic Metal AOR Metal Hard Rock Metal Party Metal Shock Glam Metal Christian Glam Metal Modern Glam Revival Sleaze Rock-Metal

Speed Metal / NWOBHM / Proto-Metal

The bridge from classic heavy rock into fast metal: galloping tempos, early metal attitude, twin guitars, proto-extreme energy.

Speed Metal NWOBHM Proto-Metal First-Wave Heavy Metal First-Wave Black Metal Speed Power Metal Speed Thrash Biker Metal Early Epic Metal Traditional Speed Metal Melodic Speed Metal Proto-Thrash Proto-Doom Proto-Glam Metal Christian Speed Metal

Crossover / Hardcore-Thrash Metal

Where metal and hardcore punk collide: short aggression, mosh riffs, shouted vocals, street energy, political rage, and breakdowns.

Crossover Thrash Metallic Hardcore Hardcore Metal Thrashcore Beatdown Metal Beatdown Hardcore Metal Metalpunk Crust Metal D-Beat Metal Sludgecore Mathcore Deathcore Grindcore Christian Hardcore Metal Political Crossover Metal

Djent / Modern Progressive Metal

Modern precision metal: syncopated low-string riffs, polyrhythms, tight production, extended-range guitars, ambient layers, and progressive structure.

Djent Modern Progressive Metal Progressive Metalcore Djentcore Thall Ambient Djent Instrumental Djent Technical Djent Cyber Djent Math-Djent Post-Djent Pop-Djent R&B Djent Christian Djent Modern Low-Tuned Metal

Folk / Viking / Pagan Metal

Metal with traditional instruments, myth, regional identity, folk melodies, ancient themes, and ritual/cultural storytelling.

Folk Metal Viking Metal Pagan Metal Celtic Metal Nordic Folk Metal Medieval Metal Pirate Metal Oriental Metal Middle Eastern Metal Slavic Folk Metal Symphonic Folk Metal Blackened Folk Metal Folk Power Metal Folk Death Metal Christian Folk Metal

Gothic / Dark / Occult Metal

Dark romantic metal: gothic vocals, minor-key drama, doom influence, synths, atmosphere, tragic themes, and horror aesthetics.

Gothic Metal Dark Metal Romantic Metal Doom-Gothic Metal Symphonic Gothic Metal Gothic Death-Doom Gothic Black Metal Gothic Industrial Metal Vampire Metal Horror Metal Occult Metal Darkwave Metal Ethereal Metal Noir Metal Christian Gothic Metal

Post-Metal / Atmospheric / Blackgaze

Cinematic, spacious, texture-heavy metal: long builds, atmosphere, post-rock dynamics, black metal haze, sludge weight, and emotional scale.

Post-Metal Atmospheric Metal Atmospheric Sludge Atmospheric Black Metal Blackgaze Post-Black Metal Shoegaze Metal Doomgaze Ambient Metal Cinematic Post-Metal Instrumental Post-Metal Post-Djent Post-Sludge Cosmic Metal Christian Post-Metal

Brutal / Slam / Technical Death Metal

The most specialized death-metal branch: precision, guttural vocals, blast beats, slam riffs, surgical changes, and extreme density.

Brutal Death Metal Slam Death Metal Technical Death Metal Brutal Technical Death Metal Progressive Technical Death Metal Slamcore Brutal Deathcore Goregrind-Adjacent Death Cavernous Death Metal Dissonant Death Metal Old-School Brutal Death Hyper-Technical Death Christian Brutal Death Metal Alien Death Metal

Blackened / War / Extreme Hybrid Metal

Hybrid extreme metal: blackened death, war metal, bestial speed, ugly production, blast-driven chaos, and cross-pollinated extremity.

Blackened Death Metal War Metal Bestial Black Metal Blackened Thrash Blackened Doom Blackened Sludge Blackened Crust Blackened Grind Blackened Deathcore Blackened Hardcore Wargrind Blackened Speed Metal Blackened Industrial Metal Blackened Folk Metal Unblack Hybrid Metal

Grindcore / Extreme Hardcore Metal

Ultra-fast, abrasive metal/hardcore: blast beats, short songs, noise, political rage, gore/horror themes, and punk extremity.

Grindcore Deathgrind Goregrind Cybergrind Noisegrind Powerviolence Mincecore Crustgrind Blackened Grind Wargrind Mathgrind Grind Metal Political Grindcore Christian Grindcore Experimental Grind

Mathcore / Chaotic Hardcore Metal

Chaotic, jagged metal/hardcore: odd meters, sudden stops, dissonance, breakdowns, screaming, and controlled panic.

Mathcore Chaotic Hardcore Metal Technical Metalcore Dissonant Metalcore Noise Metalcore Grind-Mathcore Jazzcore Experimental Metalcore Progressive Mathcore Chaotic Deathcore Post-Mathcore Christian Mathcore Spazz Metal Angular Metal

Psychedelic / Stoner / Desert Metal

Fuzzed, hypnotic, desert-road metal: riffs, repetition, psych effects, low-end warmth, and trippy heaviness.

Psychedelic Metal Stoner Metal Desert Metal Heavy Psych Metal Acid Metal Space Metal Cosmic Doom Psych Sludge Fuzz Metal Occult Psych Metal Jam Metal Desert Doom Psychedelic Black Metal Psychedelic Death Metal Instrumental Stoner Metal

Christian / Faith-Based Metal

Faith-centered metal: Christian lyrics, worship themes, spiritual warfare, testimony, redemption, sacred imagery, and genre-crossing heaviness.

Christian Metal White Metal Christian Heavy Metal Christian Metalcore Christian Deathcore Christian Thrash Christian Death Metal Christian Black Metal / Unblack Metal Christian Power Metal Christian Symphonic Metal Christian Doom Christian Progressive Metal Worship Metal Praise Metal Gospel Metal

Avant-Garde / Experimental Metal

Metal that breaks the mold: unusual structure, strange instrumentation, genre collision, dissonance, noise, theatricality, and art-world ambition.

Avant-Garde Metal Experimental Metal Art Metal Dissonant Metal Noise Metal Freeform Metal Avant-Black Metal Avant-Death Metal Avant-Doom Metal Jazz Metal Chamber Metal Circus Metal Deconstructed Metal Industrial Noise Metal Experimental Grind

Instrumental / Shred / Guitar Metal

Metal focused on musicianship and instrumental performance: solos, guitar technique, progressive arrangements, neoclassical runs, and virtuoso playing.

Instrumental Metal Shred Metal Guitar Virtuoso Metal Neoclassical Metal Instrumental Progressive Metal Instrumental Djent Instrumental Post-Metal Instrumental Stoner Metal Guitar Hero Metal Technical Instrumental Metal Symphonic Instrumental Metal Fusion Metal Cinematic Instrumental Metal Solo Guitar Metal Progressive Shred

Drone / Ambient / Ritual Metal

Metal as atmosphere: long tones, massive sustain, ritual pacing, minimal movement, dark ambience, and sound-as-weight.

Drone Metal Drone Doom Ambient Metal Ritual Metal Funeral Drone Ambient Black Metal Dark Ambient Metal Doom Ambient Meditation Doom Noise Drone Metal Industrial Drone Metal Cinematic Drone Metal Cosmic Drone Metal Sacred Ambient Metal Minimalist Metal

Kawaii / Idol / Anime / Game Metal

Japanese and internet-age pop-metal hybrids: idol vocals, anime/game aesthetics, bright hooks, choreography, chiptune, and extreme contrast.

Kawaii Metal Idol Metal J-Metal Anime Metal Game Metal Chiptune Metal Vocaloid Metal J-Rock Metal Visual Kei Metal Kawaii Deathcore Idol Metalcore Anime Power Metal Game Symphonic Metal Otaku Metal Meme Metal

Global / Regional Metal

Regional scenes and cultural fusions: local languages, folk instruments, regional metal scenes, and global identities.

Global Metal Regional Metal Latin Metal Brazilian Metal Mexican Metal Rock en Español Metal Scandinavian Metal Swedish Death Metal Norwegian Black Metal Finnish Melodic Metal Japanese Metal / J-Metal Korean Metal / K-Metal Indian Metal Middle Eastern Metal African Metal Celtic Metal Indigenous Metal Balkan Metal

Political / Protest / Conscious Metal

Metal defined by message: anti-war, environmental, labor, social critique, spiritual conflict, resistance, and political rage.

Political Metal Protest Metal Conscious Metal Anti-War Metal Environmental Metal Labor Metal Anti-Fascist Metal Feminist Metal Queer Metal Anarchist Metal Vegan Straight Edge Metal Indigenous Protest Metal Christian Protest Metal Political Grindcore Hardcore Political Metal

Theme / Comedy / Character Metal

Metal defined more by persona, theme, humor, fictional world, or lyrical setting than by one specific riff language.

Comedy Metal Parody Metal Novelty Metal Pirate Metal Fantasy Metal Dragon Metal Viking Theme Metal Horror Metal Sci-Fi Metal Alien Metal Nerd Metal Video Game Metal Tolkien Metal Medieval Theme Metal Meme Metal

Era / Scene Labels

Era and scene tags for filtering. These should usually attach to the song's main metal family rather than act as the primary sound-home.