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)
1Heavy Metal / Traditional Metal
Heavy Metal / Traditional Metal
The core metal sound: big riffs, galloping drums, powerful vocals, guitar solos, dark drama, and the classic metal template.
Metalcore / Modern Core Metal
The modern heavy gateway: hardcore breakdowns, metal riffs, screamed verses, clean choruses, chugs, drops, and high-energy live catharsis.
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.
Thrash Metal
Fast, aggressive, riff-driven metal: palm-muted guitar attacks, shouted vocals, speed, politics, mosh energy, and technical solos.
Death Metal
Extreme metal's brutal core: growled vocals, down-tuned riffs, blast beats, dark themes, technical rhythm, and dense heaviness.
Black Metal
Cold, harsh, atmospheric extreme metal: tremolo picking, blast beats, shrieked vocals, raw production, darkness, nature, myth, ritual, and anti-mainstream aura.
Doom / Stoner / Sludge Metal
Slow, heavy, low-tuned metal: massive riffs, dread, fuzz, Sabbath DNA, despair, psychedelia, and crushing weight.
Power Metal
Heroic, melodic, high-energy metal: soaring vocals, fast drums, fantasy themes, bright guitar leads, major-key drama, and anthem choruses.
Symphonic / Orchestral Metal
Metal with orchestral scale: strings, choirs, opera vocals, cinematic arrangements, gothic grandeur, and theatrical drama.
Progressive / Technical Metal
Musicianly metal: odd meters, extended forms, complex riffs, concept albums, technical skill, jazz/classical influence, and high-complexity arrangements.
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.
Industrial / Electronic Metal
Metal plus machines: programmed drums, synths, samples, EBM pulse, cyberpunk textures, mechanical riffs, and dystopian atmosphere.
Deathcore
Death metal plus metalcore: breakdowns, blast beats, guttural vocals, modern production, low tuning, and extreme live impact.
Melodic Death / Gothenburg Metal
Death metal with melody: harmonized guitar leads, galloping riffs, harsh vocals, Swedish/Gothenburg DNA, and metalcore influence.
Groove Metal / Post-Thrash
Mid-tempo, riff-heavy, body-movement metal: chugging grooves, shouted vocals, southern weight, bounce, and post-thrash heaviness.
Glam / Hair / Sleaze Metal
Metal's pop-star branch: huge choruses, flashy guitar solos, party swagger, big hair, arena polish, and melodic hooks.
Speed Metal / NWOBHM / Proto-Metal
The bridge from classic heavy rock into fast metal: galloping tempos, early metal attitude, twin guitars, proto-extreme energy.
Crossover / Hardcore-Thrash Metal
Where metal and hardcore punk collide: short aggression, mosh riffs, shouted vocals, street energy, political rage, and breakdowns.
Djent / Modern Progressive Metal
Modern precision metal: syncopated low-string riffs, polyrhythms, tight production, extended-range guitars, ambient layers, and progressive structure.
Folk / Viking / Pagan Metal
Metal with traditional instruments, myth, regional identity, folk melodies, ancient themes, and ritual/cultural storytelling.
Gothic / Dark / Occult Metal
Dark romantic metal: gothic vocals, minor-key drama, doom influence, synths, atmosphere, tragic themes, and horror aesthetics.
Post-Metal / Atmospheric / Blackgaze
Cinematic, spacious, texture-heavy metal: long builds, atmosphere, post-rock dynamics, black metal haze, sludge weight, and emotional scale.
Brutal / Slam / Technical Death Metal
The most specialized death-metal branch: precision, guttural vocals, blast beats, slam riffs, surgical changes, and extreme density.
Blackened / War / Extreme Hybrid Metal
Hybrid extreme metal: blackened death, war metal, bestial speed, ugly production, blast-driven chaos, and cross-pollinated extremity.
Grindcore / Extreme Hardcore Metal
Ultra-fast, abrasive metal/hardcore: blast beats, short songs, noise, political rage, gore/horror themes, and punk extremity.
Mathcore / Chaotic Hardcore Metal
Chaotic, jagged metal/hardcore: odd meters, sudden stops, dissonance, breakdowns, screaming, and controlled panic.
Psychedelic / Stoner / Desert Metal
Fuzzed, hypnotic, desert-road metal: riffs, repetition, psych effects, low-end warmth, and trippy heaviness.
Christian / Faith-Based Metal
Faith-centered metal: Christian lyrics, worship themes, spiritual warfare, testimony, redemption, sacred imagery, and genre-crossing heaviness.
Avant-Garde / Experimental Metal
Metal that breaks the mold: unusual structure, strange instrumentation, genre collision, dissonance, noise, theatricality, and art-world ambition.
Instrumental / Shred / Guitar Metal
Metal focused on musicianship and instrumental performance: solos, guitar technique, progressive arrangements, neoclassical runs, and virtuoso playing.
Drone / Ambient / Ritual Metal
Metal as atmosphere: long tones, massive sustain, ritual pacing, minimal movement, dark ambience, and sound-as-weight.
Kawaii / Idol / Anime / Game Metal
Japanese and internet-age pop-metal hybrids: idol vocals, anime/game aesthetics, bright hooks, choreography, chiptune, and extreme contrast.
Global / Regional Metal
Regional scenes and cultural fusions: local languages, folk instruments, regional metal scenes, and global identities.
Political / Protest / Conscious Metal
Metal defined by message: anti-war, environmental, labor, social critique, spiritual conflict, resistance, and political rage.
Theme / Comedy / Character Metal
Metal defined more by persona, theme, humor, fictional world, or lyrical setting than by one specific riff language.
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.