The new wave of traditional heavy metal (N.W.O.T.H.M.) is a musical movement that started in the mid-2000s as a revival of

classic metal Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock and acid rock, heavy metal bands developed a ...

sound from the 1970s and 1980s. The term is used to describe bands that make heavy use of the elements and style of that era of

metal music Heavy metal (or simply metal) is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock and acid rock, heavy metal bands developed a ...

Origin

The N.W.O.T.H.M. initially started in the mid-2000s with a number of bands, such as

Cauldron A cauldron (or caldron) is a large cookware and bakeware, pot (kettle) for cooking or boiling over an open fire, with a lid and frequently with an arc-shaped hanger and/or integral handles or feet. There is a rich history of cauldron lore in r ...

, Skull Fist, and Enforcer, who began to write and record music that reflected the style and sound of classic heavy metal. These bands combined elements of the metal genres from the '70s and '80s, especially those of the N.W.O.B.H.M., although some bands are also influenced from genres such as

speed metal Speed metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that originated in the late 1970s from new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) roots.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' (Berg Publishers, 2007), , p. 31. It is desc ...

power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within a symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in co ...

and

hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...

. While the overall movement's focus was placed on replicating both the sound and success of traditional heavy metal, many of the early N.W.O.T.H.M bands also incorporated noticeable influence from more melodic mainstream rock and alternative genres. However, by the mid-2010s, the movement took a shift in its creative direction, growing into a substantial underground scene with a less commercial, more gritty sound.

Characteristics

Identity and style

The N.W.O.T.H.M. takes on a lot of the culture surrounding traditional metal music, as it does with its sound. Attire and appearance typically associated with heavy metal music, such as long hair, leather jackets/vests, and tattoos, are present in the N.W.O.T.H.M. movement. Gestures, movements, and behaviors such as headbanging are also common at concerts and live performances.

Lyrical themes

The lyrical themes found in the music of N.W.O.T.H.M. bands can vary greatly, but often include themes of fantasy, war, the supernatural, and the occult. These elements take on dark and sometimes aggressive undertones, and are not typically lighthearted in nature; the music often puts emphasis on lyrics that deal with "dark and depressing subject matter to an extent hitherto unprecedented".

Musical elements

In line with its identity as a revival of traditional metal, the N.W.O.T.H.M. combines and incorporates elements of

, and the N.W.O.B.H.M. It makes use of distorted guitars with music largely built around

melodies A melody (), also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combination of pitch and rhythm, while more figuratively, the term ca ...

and guitar

riff A riff is a short, repeated motif or figure in the melody or accompaniment of a musical composition. Riffs are most often found in rock music, punk, heavy metal music, Latin, funk, and jazz, although classical music is also sometimes based ...

Power chord A power chord , also called a fifth chord, is a colloquial name for a chord on guitar, especially on electric guitar, that consists of the root note and the fifth, as well as possibly octaves of those notes. Power chords are commonly pla ...

s see heavy use, and songs usually have instrumental

bridges A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somet ...

and

guitar solo A guitar solo is a melody, melodic passage, instrumental section (music), section, or entire piece of music, pre-written (or improvised) to be played on a classical guitar, classical, electric guitar, electric, or acoustic guitar. In 20th and ...

s. Drumming is typically loud and dense, with fast and steady beats. The vocals are essential to the heavy metal sound; in the case of the N.W.O.T.H.M., vocals are almost exclusively clean, and like in most traditional heavy metal, are loud, intense and powerful. Open display of emotion through the tone of the vocals is considered to be an essential piece of the musical quality, sometimes said to be more important to the music than the lyrics themselves.

Bands

This is a list of NWOTHM bands. *

Black Moor Black Moor may refer to: * Black Moor (musical group), a heavy metal band * Black Moor (Rhön), a wetland habitat in Germany * Black Telescope goldfish, known as black moor, a variant of telescope eye goldfish * "Harap Alb", a 1877 Romanian-languag ...

* Crystal Viper *

Diemonds Diemonds is a Canadian hard rock band formed in 2006 in Toronto and fronted by Priya Panda. History ''In the Rough'' ''Diemonds'' independently released their debut EP ''In the Rough'' in October 2008. Diemonds subsequently toured Canada and the U ...

* Enforcer *

Eternal Champion The Eternal Champion is a fictional character created by British author Michael Moorcock and is a recurrent feature in many of his speculative fiction works. General overview Many of Moorcock's novels and short stories take place in a shared ...

Grand Magus Grand Magus are a three-piece Heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Stockholm, Sweden that draws influence from classic heavy metal bands and elements of doom metal. Career The band was formed in 1996 under the name ''Smack'' by former Ca ...

Haunt Haunt is a synonym for ghost. Haunt may also refer to: __NOTOC__ Film * ''Haunt'' (2013 film), an American supernatural horror film * ''Haunt'' (2019 film), an American slasher film Music * Haunt (band), a heavy metal band from Fresno, Califor ...

* Icarus Witch *

Kryptos ''Kryptos'' is a sculpture by the United States, American artist Jim Sanborn located on the grounds of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) headquarters, the George Bush Center for Intelligence in Langley, Virginia. Since its dedication on Nove ...

* Night Demon * Redshark * Roadwolf * Skull Fist *

Spirit Adrift Spirit Adrift is an American heavy metal band formed in Mesa, Arizona. The project began in 2015 as the solo endeavor of Nate Garrett, and eventually grew into a full touring band. The band is now based in Austin, Texas. Kerrang! ranks Spirit A ...

* Striker *

Tailgunner A tail gunner or rear gunner is a crewman on a military aircraft who functions as a air gunner, gunner defending against enemy fighter aircraft, fighter or interceptor aircraft, interceptor attacks from the rear, or "tail", of the plane. The t ...

* White Wizzard *

Wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a Canis, canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of Canis lupus, subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, includin ...

* Wytch Hazel

References

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