Heavy Metal

Heavy metal is the bedrock genre from which all other metal subgenres emerged. Rooted in the blues-rock of the late 1960s, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple defined the template that bands across the world would build upon for decades.

Classic heavy metal is defined by its mid-paced riffs, twin guitar harmonies, and anthemic choruses — a formula perfected by Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Accept in the 1980s.