Heavy metal

Heavy metal was Metal's original name, but is now used as a retrospective term to refer to a specific metal subgenre. It is built around elements of Hard Rock like muscular, power-chord based riffs, however, played with greater aggression, distortion and intensity, along with stripping away the Blues influences that hard rock is typically based around. The lyrical themes are generally darker than those of hard rock, featuring themes of war, death, loss, and the occult. Fantasy imagery is also very common. Musically, it is varied, ranging from the virtuosic, highly melodic approaches of Iron Maiden to a rougher and looser style akin to Punk Rock. Although not ubiquitous features, the genre typically employs harmonized lead guitars, high-pitched singing, and flashy soloing.