Speed Metal

Speed Metal took shape in the early 1980s as musicians accelerated the playing associated with traditional heavy Metal. Fast Judas Priest, Motörhead and NWOBHM performances were important precursors; Canadian band Exciter put this approach at the center of Heavy Metal Maniac in 1983. During those years speed and thrash were often used for overlapping records, so the neat boundaries drawn later should not be imposed backward.

Fast, articulate riffs and tight drumming can still leave room for high singing, solos and recognizably traditional metal melodies. Thrash Metal generally developed a harsher, more rhythm-centered attack with stronger hardcore influence. Thrashcore meanwhile belongs principally to punk, despite its similar name.

IDIOTEQ Explore genre story · last updated 31 October 2026