Black Metal

The casual listener might not hear it at first, but there are differences between black metal and death metal. Musically, there is a little more variety in black metal with mood and melody being emphasised more than its decomposing cousin. The sound is attuned more to the upper registers rather than subterranean roars, with vocals often utilising screaming. The lyrics exploit anti-Christian ideas, exploring paganism and demonic themes. They tend to be somewhat less explicitly violent than those of death metal, favouring a more symbolic approach.

Bands include Venom, Darkthrone, and Cradle Of Filth.