Old Post: Death Metal vs Doom Meta vs Dark Metal vs Goth Metal

This is about metal. It was a one source research and was posted for information purposes, not a news story or a scholastic research paper. If you see any information you feel that is slightly inaccurate or even completely inaccurate, please contact me. Names will be edited out.

Originally Posted on 17 Jul 2007

I wanted to know more about the differences between dark metal and death metal, so I asked two friends who knew more about the genre than I did. They said that death metal has more screaming, and dark metal has more lyrics. According to them, Dark metal is a subjective (broad) term that includes Death Metal,and other types of metal in the subgenre. Also, according to answers.com (wikipedia) death/dark metal is underground music that rose from the post punk era in the 1990's in Germany. It spread to other parts of Europe including Scandinavia and Great Britain, and later it cross the seas to the United States.



I'll list the subgenres of this genre of music in chronological order. This is based on what is stated on answers.com(wikipedia)

To understand and get a clear view of how this unique genre has evolved in the world of rock and metal, here's a chart

Black metal:Underground. It originated from heavy metal in the early 1980's from Scandinavia (Norway). It uses drums, guitars and bass guitars. Also followed by Viking Metal, and unblack metal. artists include: Celtic Frost/HellHammer, Bathory and Venom to name a few.

Death Metal: Recently Mainstream. Originated in United States, England and Sweden in the early to mid 80's. It uses Guitar, Double Bass Guitar and Bass Guitar to compose its music. Subgenres include Technical Death Metal, Melodic Death metal, and Brutal Death Metal to name a few, and followed by progressive death metal. There are regions of this genre in Texas, Florida, New York, Scandinavia and Great Britain. It is fusioned by Deathcore to name one. Artists include: Death, Possessed, and Master.

Possessed- Fallen Angel
Death- Cosmic Sea


Doom Metal: Doom Metal is mainly underground and stays in Europe. It originated in there by the Heavy Metal band Black Sabbath in the Mid 80's. It uses guitars, synthesizers, bass and drums. Its subgenres include Funeral Doom and Epic Doom, and fusions include Gothic Doom and Drone, to name a few. It can be found in United States Scandinavia and Great Britain. Artists and Bands include Solitude Aeturnus, The Obsessed and Electric Wizard.

Solitude Aeturnus- Mirror of Sorrow


Gothic Metal: Originated From Death Metal and Doom Metal in the Early 1990's. Region of origin is Europe. It uses Keyboard, Guitar, Bass and Drums. There are no subgenres for Gothic Metal. It is based mainly in Europe, although there is some popularity in the United states. This genre is unique, because it uses influence from different time periods in Europe such as the New Age and Dark Age. They also have two vocalists. Artists include King Diamond, Moonspell and Paradise Lost to name a few.

King Diamond- Give Me Your Soul

Note: this genre is so broad and subjective that it is debated by old and new fans about what constitutes Death Metal, Dark Metal, Genres within the spectrum, and what is mistaken as metal. Vocals can range from screaming, to gregortian chant. The sound of the music should have a dark, sinister sound to it, and the lyrics are anti-religious, epocalyptic, or deathly. The controversy behind this type of music is that those opposed to it may feel that it has a bad incluence on youth, from Church burinings to suicides, to the sad event of the Columbine shooting. Personally it is just a genre of music, no different from mainstream rock, or rap, although it still remains underground.