Heavy metal songs are often fast, driving and have an aggressive feel to them. Heavy metal is usually compromised of thick, heavily distorted guitar, intense vocals and fast, pounding drumming. Like other rock forms, the guitar plays a prominent role in establishing the overall sound and style of the music. Lyrics usually discuss life, death, anger and other emotional subjects. As well, attitude plays a big part in metal, as exemplified by bands like Judas Priest who played with an intense menace on stage.
Metal's roots began in the 1960s when British blues bands played with less swing and more squared-off rhythms. As well, guitar distortion was more regularly used. Some bands that came out of this 1960s movement include the Kinks, Cream, the Jeff Beck Group and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. In the 70s, heavy metal started to really take shape, especially thanks to bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, who played heavy rock riffs with high-pitched, intense vocals. In particular, Black Sabbath's lyrical content of drugs, the occult and death influenced later metal groups.
Heavy metal songs have a number of common themes, including anger, sex, death and violence. These themes help contribute to the controversy metal has dealt with over the years, especially from groups who have protested the lyrics and common themes, including Parents' Music Resource Center and religious groups. Furthermore, the stage and music video theatrics and imagery of heavy metal groups have often involved sex, excess -- mainly drugs and alcohol -- violence and morbid topics, further adding to the intensity of the music, as well as the controversy related to it.
Heavy metal has spawned a number of subgenres, including thrash, death and black. Thrash metal is known for its fast, low-register guitar parts and shredding leads. Notable bands include Metallica, Slayer, Sepultura and Anthrax. Death metal is known for explosive drum parts -- commonly called blast beats -- growling vocals and tempo changes in its songs. Bands associated with death metal include Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, Immolation and Morbid Angel. Unlike death metal and its low-pitched vocals, black metal often has high, shrieking vocals. In addition, black metal features high-pitched guitar parts and unconventional song structures. Black metal bands include Immortal, Darkthrone, Watain and Satyricon.