Genres of Heavy Metal

Here'a list of all the genres associated with heavy metal:

Hair Metal is the style I still like. It was more of hard rock and metal fused with good vocals and bluesy lead solos and rock'n roll riffs.

Speed metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal that spawned in the early 1980s and was the direct musical progenitor of thrash metal.

Thrash metal is more aggressive than speed metal. There is often significant crossover from one metal category to another, and the influence of non-metal genres, including classical music and jazz. Features include fast tempos, complex guitar riffs, and high-register guitar solos. Thrash guitar solos are high speed.

Black metal is an extreme metal subgenre with heavily-distorted guitars, harsh or growled vocals, fast-paced rhythms, and unconventional song structures. Th best example is Venom's songs.

Power metal evokes an "epic" feel, incorporating characteristics of primarily traditional metal along with thrash metal or speed metal, often within symphonic context. Common sources of power metal lyrics are religion, mythology, science fiction and fantasy, especially high fantasy. Power metal lyrics are widely associated with being "upbeat" or "optimistic." Fast and demanding guitar solos, however, are almost guaranteed.

Doom metal is a form of heavy metal that emerged as a recognized metal sub-genre in the early/mid-1980s. Doom metal is heavier and slower than other metal genres. Lyrics play a very important role in this genre, and are traditionally rife with pessimism, evoking an atmosphere of darkness, despair and misery. Musically, doom metal is strongly influenced by the early work of Black Sabbath.

Death metal features abrupt tempo, key, and time signature changes, as well as extremely fast and complex guitar and drumwork. This genre frequently utilize downtuned and distorted guitars, a downtuned, sometimes distorted bass guitar, and a drum kit almost universally using two bass drums or a double bass drum pedal. Although this is the standard setup, bands have been known to incorporate other instruments such as keyboards and saxophone. Death metal lyrics usually address more nihilistic themes. Beginners should not start with genre.

Gothic metal is a genre of heavy metal music that originated during the mid 1990s in Europe as an outgrowth of doom-death, a fusion genre of doom metal and death metal. Gothic metal is commonly characterized lyrically by either one of two distinct characteristics: dual vocalists (growls and female vocals) or a single vocalist with a low, operatic tone. Instrumentation is heavily based on the use of modern keyboards and distorted guitars with varying tempos and rather complex compositions.

Symphonic metal is a term used to describe metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that sound similar to a classical symphony. The genre refers to bands that combine aspects of varying metal genres, with signature female-led voc and operatic/classical themes to give the music a feeling of being a symphony.

Viking metal is a cross-genre reference usually used to describe the lyrical and thematic elements of bands rather than the music itself. The bands associated with Viking metal cover a broad range of musical genres and influences, such as folk metal, thrash metal, death metal, black metal, and power metal.

Folk metal is a diverse collection of music, encompassing a wide variety of different styles and approaches. As the name suggests, the one common ground between folk metal bands is a shared interest in fusing heavy metal music with elements of folk music. At times, I feel there is lot of chaos in this style.

Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music which blends the powerful, guitar-driven sound of metal with the complex compositional structures, odd time signatures, and intricate instrumental playing of progressive rock. Some progressive metal bands are also influenced by jazz fusion music. Like progressive rock songs, progressive metal songs are usually much longer than standard rock songs, and songs are often thematically linked in concept albums.

Funk Metal is practised bands who fused funk and heavy metal styles. These bands, who most often also drew upon hip hop and punk as influences, started cropping up in the mid-80s. The best and the classic one is Faith No More. Check out 'Surprise you are Dead' and Zombie Eaters.

Industrial metal is a musical genre which draws elements from industrial music and heavy metal music. Industrial metal music is usually centered around metal guitar riffs and industrial synthesizer/sequencer lines, heavily distorted, very low pitched guitars, as well as harsh vocals, but in some instances can have clean vocals. I will go for Filter.

Grindcore is characterized by heavily distorted, down-tuned guitars often showing crust punk-influenced riffs, blast beats by drummers, short songs, and a vocal style consisting of growls and higher-pitched vocals, often similar to those found in black metal. Lyrical concepts range from social and political issues to gore and horror to humor. I wonder why such music is made.

Metalcore (also known as hardcore metal) is a fusion genre, mixing elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk.

Sources: Answers.com, Wikipedia