Genre story · Metal
Nu Metal
Heavy guitar music remade around groove, alternative culture and vocal styles that metal had rarely put together before.
Nu metal emerged in the American alternative-metal underground of the early-to-mid-1990s. Korn became a major early reference through their 1994 debut, making low guitar tunings, heavily syncopated rhythms and exposed, volatile vocals central to a new sound. Deftones, Limp Bizkit and Slipknot developed very different versions as the decade progressed. The genre became a commercial force in the late 1990s, although its origins were tied to bands experimenting across metal, funk, Hip-Hop and alternative rock before the label became widely familiar.
The riff as a rhythm
Low guitars frequently lock to bass and drums, repeating clipped patterns that leave space for striking accents and breakdowns. Vocals may be rapped, shouted, sung or screamed. Samples and turntables appear on some records, but are not mandatory. A song might use a direct pop chorus and still return to heavy, almost percussive guitar parts. That range is why a single description cannot stand in for every important nu-metal band.
The border with alternative metal
Nu Metal developed within part of the wider alternative-metal environment and overlaps with Rap Metal. Neither term is a synonym for the other. A shared release era or an occasional hip-hop rhythm does not automatically classify a metal band as nu metal.
Essential recordings
- 1994KornKornGroove, low tunings and an unusually raw vocal approach.
- 1997DeftonesAround the FurContrasting aggression and melody from the same wider scene.
- 1999SlipknotSlipknotA denser, more extreme version built around layers of percussion and harsh voices.