Today we meet for a recognizable and inevitable genre!

I’ll get you in the mood.

Imagine: you go into a club, the lights are dimmed, there’s a pool table in one corner, people are sitting at tables drinking their whiskies, we’re going to avoid the cigarette smoke because it’s disgusting and smells so bad 😂 and in another corner of the room, there is this little scene with a guitarist/singer who plays this beautiful and plaintive melody.

Got it ? We’re obviously going to talk about Blues Rock !

Let’s go !

WHAT IS BLUES ROCK ?

Blues rock, if you don’t already know what it is (let’s be honest, you don’t have to be Sherlock), it’s a very marked mix between rock and blues.

Although these two are intrinsically linked (yes, sometimes I manage to put more complex words in my posts 😁), it became a genre only at the end of the 60s!

BLUES ROCK ORIGINS

Blues Rock, as explained above, is the mix of blues and rock n’ roll (which itself is already influenced by the blues. If you want to know more about it, you can find the history of rock n’ roll creation and origins right here and there!)

So, you could say that the basis of Blues Rock was already present at the beginning of the appearance of Rock n’ Roll with Elvis or Chuck Berry.

Then the British Invasion took place, and with it the development of this genre. It must be said that the majority of these groups were influenced by the blues:

• Many artists have been involved with Alexis Korner and his band the Blues Incorporated. We can name in future members of bands such as Pentangle, Free, Cream, Led Zeppelin, or The Rolling Stones

• With the success of the Rolling Stones, a whole stream of such bands will be brought to light. Among others:
  • the Bluesbreakers (created by John Mayall and where you can find Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood, and John McVie – Fleetwood Mac if ever for the last two),
  • the Yardbirds (or you can find Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck or Jimmy Page)
  • the Animals (House of The Rising Sun it means something to you? Well, the most famous version is them!)

It’s with all those beautiful people that will «really» start the genre.

BLUES ROCK CHARACTERISTICS

Music and instrumentation

We keep the 12-bar base and the three-chord grid of the blues, the guitars play riffs and we leave a strong place for improvisation (for example: solos). We also turn the sound up (mainly using electric guitar) and use distortion.

Singing

We use clean vocals with the growling of the blues (which is not the same as that of metal at all – which, in the theory, is not called growl but nevermind, I digress). It is a kind of rolling part of the throat that produces a rolled sound (as if one were in pain). This is also called epiglottic distortion in the singing jargon.

If you want to know more about singing in rock and metal, it’s here!

Lyrics

The themes covered are the same as blues: society’s problems, love and its problems, spirituality also at times. Everything that can be found in a blues song, is found in a blues rock song.

BLUES ROCK BANDS / ARTISTS

We can mention : The Rolling Stones, The Bluesbreakers, The Yardbirds, The Animals, Free, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Allman Brothers Band, Bad Company, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gov’t Mule, Santana, The Black Keys, The White Stripes, Joe Bonamassa, Canned Heat, Rival Sons, Beth Hart, Robin Trower, John Mayer, Gary Clark Jr., 4 Non Blondes, Aerosmith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, between so many others.

EVOLUTION

Blues Rock has had a colossal impact on ALL genres. Whether it’s the current pop, rock, hard rock or heavy metal (yes, because without hard rock and all that stuff, metal would not exist as it is today). Each style has borrowed something from the latter.

Conclusion

Blues Rock is undeniably a key rock genre! It’s rooted in the very place where it found its inspiration.

It has also been important in the evolution of so many other genres. It’s a must !

So, without further ado, I invite you to listen to the dedicated playlist below.

Feel free to share and like the article if you liked it!

I also remind you that if you want to discover all the caricatures/ drawings of artists on the blog you can access them right here!

See you soon !

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Sources :

Une Histoire musicale du Rock – Christophe Pirenne

Histoire du Rock – Denis Legault – 21/11/21 : https://histoiredurock.com/2021/11/21/le-blues-rock/

Chronique Rock – L’histoire fascinante du blues rock et son influence sur la musique moderne- 5/10/24 : https://chroniquesrock.fr/histoire-du-rock/lhistoire-fascinante-du-blues-rock-et-son-influence-sur-la-musique-moderne/

Medium.com – Exploring The History of Blues Rock: A Journey Through the Genre’s Roots (Part 2) – Ana Speaks – 23/01/23 : https://medium.com/@anaspeaks/exploring-the-history-of-blues-rock-a-journey-through-the-genres-roots-part-2-4797ed177cd1

Claire Abe

The post Blues rock : Back to the roots appeared first on Rock N' Roll World.

Rock, metal and classical music, some might say there is a world between these genres. But is that the case?

In this post, we will see the place that classical music has in rock and metal. And spoiler: it is more present than you think!

So, let’s prepare scores, revive Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Wagner, Vivaldi, etc. and discover together what is happening!

PS: this post (which I find very interesting personally) is a little longer than usual. So get comfy and enjoy your reading!

THE LINK(S) BETWEEN CLASSICAL MUSIC, ROCK AND METAL

If I tell you that there is more than one link between classical music, rock and metal; what is your reaction?

If you have been reading this blog for a long time, you will tell me that it does not surprise you. But if you have just discovered me, then know that I am not crazy… well it remains to be proven, but it is a completely different subject 😜

The links between rock/metal and classical music include:

The power and tension of music 

For me, there are only two categories where you can feel the music deep in your guts and with which you can imagine yourself going on an epic ride: classical music and rock/metal.

Virtuosity

And this in every sense of the word.

Musicians

It started with the guitarists who were inspired by classical works for their songs. The first to do so was Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow and others). Subsequently, other big names followed, such as Angus Young (AC/DC) who uses classical music as inspiration for his solos or Yngwie Malmsteen who is considered the inventor of neo-classical metal.

But also a virtuosity of all other instruments. As Florent Duployer (drummer in Kakothanasy and Anachronism) said, metal materials quickly abandoned the traditional verse-chorus form. Songs have a freer form. They are often composed of blocks that overlap with each other. This way requires a very good technique from each musician.

Singers

Although the two singing styles are totally different, it can be said that in both cases:

• The voice is powerful and dramatic.

• It takes a lot of work and training for both techniques. I talk a little more here!

Also, for the anecdote, some classical music tunes are used for the entrance on stage of rock and metal bands. Strauss’ Thus Spoke Zarathustra has been exploited on numerous occasions by artists such as Dream Theater, Green Day or Elvis Presley.

Moreover, for some time now, we can see (and listen) that some metal artists use a classic influence title in intro of their albums!

SINCE WHEN IS THE LINK BETWEEN CLASSICAL MUSIC AND ROCK/METAL PRESENT?

It is from the late 1960s that we can see the link. Precisely, with Ritchie Blackmore and those who will follow him. But, you will see in the rest of the article that it has been for longer that rock and metal artists and musicians are influenced by classical music.

Also, the first time a rock/metal band went on stage with an orchestra was in 1969 with Deep Purple. Since then, the process is often done.

However, this is fine when the orchestra adds something to the music. Another dimension. If it’s to make the same chords as guitars, it loses all its interest.

THE FUSION OF CLASSICAL MUSIC AND ROCK/METAL

We can’t talk about rock, metal and classical music without mentioning the obvious examples of this mix.

Symphonic metal and Neo-classical metal

But it’s not funny, because there’s obviously a link between the two…

No, I want to be a little more vicious than that!

So let’s move on. Where I’ll tell you about the influence and use of classical music in rock and metal works that are NOT symphonic metal (or in part, we accept death and symphonic black metal. I’m generous about that)

INFLUENCE AND USE OF CLASSICAL MUSIC IN ROCK AND METAL

The most interesting part of this post!

I’ll also begin by citing groups known for their love and influence of classical music. To finish with the “lesser” known.

Also, in this part, I will note the similarity between two works. Some are completely verified, others a little less.

Muse

There are dozens of titles of classical influence. Matthew Bellamy never hid his love of classical music. His influences include Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Lizt, Beethoven and Rachmaninov.  

We can mention :

• A Reference to the song Mon Cœur s’Ouvre à Ta Voix of the opera Samson and Dalila of Saint-Saëns in their title I Belong To You.

• A great influence of the composer Sergey Rachmaninov that inspires most of Bellamy’s piano solos including Rachmaninov’s Piano Concert n°2 op 18 which is widely exploited in songs such as: Space Dementia, Megalomania, Ruled by Secrecy or the piano part of Butterflies and Hurricanes.

• Reference to Nocturne n°2 op.9 by Chopin is present in Collateral Damage and Etude op.10 n°1 inspired the first notes of Bliss.

• The 1st movement of Tchaikovsky’s Concerto for Piano n°1 op.23 is used in Hoodoo

• They were inspired by Edward Elgar’s Nimrod theme for The Globalist

• The band even created a 3-part track called Exogenesis Symphony. It’s a reference to a 3-movement symphony whose introduction of the latter recalls Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.

Children of Bodom

We go from prog rock/ alt rock of Muse to death metal with Children of Bodom!
You’ll see us go through many different genres of rock and metal. A real musical rollercoaster !

Back to the band. First, the former frontman of Children of Bodom, Alexi Laino (RIP) was a big fan of Vivaldi. But this is not the only influence!

We can hear :

• Bach’s Invention n°13 in A Minor in Red Light In My Eyes pt.1

• Mozart’s Piano Concerto n°20 in D Minor in Black Widow

• Mozart’ Symphony n°25 and Confutatis in Red Light In My Eyes pt. 2

• Mozart’s Queen of the Night aria from the opera The Enchanted Flute (one of the most famous classical arias) in Hatebreeder

• Or Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor in The Nail

Symphony X

Progressive metal band, there is also a lot of classical influence in their compositions. Like:

Bach’s Prelude and Fugue n°2 in C Minor in Out Of The Ashes

• Bach’s Harpsichord Concerto n°1 in D Minor and Verdi’s Dies Irae in Fool’s Paradise

• Bach’s Kyrie Eleison in Smoke and Mirrors

Or Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra in Fallen

Queen

This is no surprise to anyone (or nearly anyone). Freddie Mercury is a classical music lover. And its influence can be found in:

• Bohemian Rhapsody (Of course!). One cannot miss such a classic (lol) influence of the classical world in rock. With these lyrical parts and its melody, there is no doubt about this fact.

• The intro of It’s a Hard Life is also influenced by the classic with the influence of Vesti La Giubba by Leoncavallo

The Beatles

Hey, after metal and rock, we go to the British Invasion, YAY!

And this may come as a surprise to you, but some of the Beatles’ well-known songs have been influenced by classical music. Like:

• Bach’s Bouree in E Minor is used as the basis for writing BlackBird by Paul McCartney. He “reversed” the chord to arrive at the arpeggio present in the song.

• John Lennon was inspired by Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata (see above) for Because

• George Martin was inspired by Invention n°12 in A Major for the piano solo in the song In My Life.

Bach’s Brandenburg n°2 in F Major inspired the title Penny Lane with the melody of the Piccolo trumpet.

Elvis Presley

Yes, it goes back to that!

First, Elvis covered Caruso’s O Sole Mio. That’s the most obvious link. But did you know that:

• Can’t Help Falling In Love with you is a “cover” of Jean-Paul-Égide Martini’s song Plaisir d’Amour

• And Surrender is inspired by Ernesto de Curtis Torna a Surriento

Now, you know the truth !

Other cases

And that is just an overview. We can also mention:

• Mars, The Bringer of War influenced Led Zeppelin for Friends and Black Sabbath’s Black Sabbath with its melody composed of tritons,
• The synth solo of the intro of Light My Fire of the Doors was influenced by Invention n°8 in Bach’s F Major,
• Genesis’ Horizons is inspired by the Suite for Cello #1 in D Minor,
• Radiohead’s Exit Music was inspired by Chopin’s E Minor Prelude,
• A Whiter Shade Of Pale by Procol Harum is influenced by Air On Bach’s String,
• Lacrymosa d’Evanescence is totally based on Mozart’s Lacrimosa,
• Accept’s Metal Heart is influenced by Tchaikovsky’s Slavic March and Beethoven’s Letter to Elise,
• Kamelot’s Forever is inspired by Grieg’s Song of Solveig,
• Last Rites by Megadeth is influenced by Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Bach,
• Rush 2112 is inspired by 1812 Tchaikovsky’s Overture,
• The band Savatage released an album entitled Hail Of the Mountain King (Dans l’Antre du Roi de la Montagne in French) inspired by the work of the same name of Grieg.
  PS: Afterwards, the band members formed the rock orchestra Trans-Siberian Orchestra
• The Wizard’s Last Rhymes by Rhapsody On Fire is influenced by Dvorak’s 4th Movement New World Symphony.
• Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor was also used by Van Halen

We can also talk about the classical training of artists (whether singing, instruments) such as Cliff Burton (Metallica), David Draiman (Disturbed) or Ardek (Carach Angren)!

And I still pass many other obvious ones like Tarja Turunen (Tarja, ex Nightwish), Dianne Van den Giersbergen (Dianne, Ex Libris, ex Xandria), Floor Jansen (Nightwish, After Forever), Simone Simons (Epica), Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen), Amanda Somerville, Elton John, etc.

Also, how not to mention one of the most obvious links between classical and metal: Apocalyptica! Who is a metal band composed of 99% classical instruments (and particularly cellos).

BUT WHAT ABOUT COPYRIGHTS?

Most of the classical pieces were composed centuries ago. And by law, a piece enters the public domain 70 years after the author’s death.

Knowing this, the majority of classical pieces of music are in the public domain and are free of rights. And this also explains the influence of classical music in rock and metal (and other genres as well).

Classical music has a relatively important place in rock and metal.

For me, it is two categories of music that are closest in the current music. They also each have their specificities but are similar in many approaches.

Moreover many metalheads love classical music and there are probably some fans of classical music who love rock/ metal!

That concludes this post (a bit long)!

Feel free to like and share it.

See you soon!

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La musique classique et le métal, des univers musicaux pas si éloignés – RTS – 5 octobre 2018 : https://www.rts.ch/info/culture/musiques/9893117-la-musique-classique-et-le-metal-des-univers-musicaux-pas-si-eloignes.html

Opéra National de Bordeaux – les grands airs classiques et lyriques dans le rock – 19/05/2020 : https://www.opera-bordeaux.com/episode-4-les-grands-airs-classiques-et-lyriques-dans-le-rock-16439

Music’s Shoot – Le Metal et la musique classique – Mai 7, 2018 par Thomas Gall : https://musicsshoot.wordpress.com/2018/05/07/le-metal-et-la-musique-classique/

Metalliquoi ? – Episode 14 : Le Metal et la Musique Classique [REUPLOAD] : https://youtu.be/oIUNn55RHAM?si=L85VHcD5XntaSjRv

The 30 SICKEST Uses Of Classical Music In METAL Ever – Bradley Hall : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n8FBQmVOGw

28 Songs That Are Based On Classical Music – David Bennett Piano : https://youtu.be/qA-tkCRwNVM?si=CyCwCGfy9824Iugz

14 Songs That ‘Rip Off’ Classical Music – David Bennett Piano : https://youtu.be/yknBXOSlFQs?si=EBKfz1mRGSlPysXQ

Claire Abe

The post Classical music in rock and metal music appeared first on Rock N' Roll World.

First, I wish you a happy and wonderful New Year (I write this at the end of January 2024. Normally, we can wish it all of January, so logically, I’m not late).

Today, we meet for a special post.

In this one, I will be transparent and explain the topics related to rock or metal that I will not discuss on the blog (or in a very distant future because you should never say ever).

Because although I am open-minded, some subjects are, from my point of view, very complicated to talk about.

So let’s get started!

POLITICS and everything related to it

Yes, it’s a very complicated subject from my point of view. Let me explain why:

It’s a very personal subject. It’s directly related to a person’s values. And, we are billions on this planet to have values either similar or different. I have my vision of things, it doesn’t mean you have the same vision as mine. And I respect that. But if I write a post on this subject, that I remain as neutral as possible, I can be criticized for not having an opinion.

And in the objectives of this blog, I wish to gather around rock and metal music, to create a safe space where everyone can have the opinions they want and be respected as much as their neighbor. Because all that matters here is music.

RELIGION

This is the logical continuation and for similar reasons to the previous point.

Then you can tell me «Yes, but you did a post on satanism, blah blah blah».

Yes, I did. Because this is one of the most frequent topics concerning rock and metal. But everyone has the religion he wants (or does not have any, always at choice).

And although there are genres with a religion in it (I think of Christian rock and metal), after reflection, I do not know if I will write on it or if I do, I will remain very superficial.

And at last,

ALBUMS AND SONGS REVIEWS

We can see on different blogs, etc., many reviews of albums and songs of recent artists (or not). I don’t see myself doing that. For several reasons:

1. I did not study music (apart from guitar lessons and singing lessons). When I speak of musical studies, I speak of conservatory or musicology studies. And for this, I cannot properly analyze a musical work, if I don’t have a certain base of deep knowledge of music.

2. The complexity of analyzing pieces with neutrality. Because the goal is still to be as impartial as possible (well, that’s my opinion). But if you don’t like what you’re listening to, it’s harder to find positive things and vice versa. If you love the band you need to analyze, you may lack objectivity about what could be improved.

3. It releases a lot of new songs/albums at every moment, and I have parallel projects that are close to my heart as well. So I don’t want to prioritize listening to musical works over things I’m passionate about… like singing.

I leave that part to qualified people in that area.

Here is the list of topics that will not appear on this blog (or maybe in 50 years lol).

Hoping that you have understood that here respect for everyone and sharing are key. As well as a minimum of quality on what I make you discover. And that it is these reasons that make me avoid these subjects.

I wish you a beautiful day (or night, or evening – I don’t know when you’ll read this).

See you soon !

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Claire Abe

The post Subjects that I won’t talk about on this blog appeared first on Rock N' Roll World.

Hello !

If I say goth rock, what’s your first thought?

If you have no idea, I’ll take you with me to discover this dark and gloomy universe.

Let’s go!

WHAT IS GOTH ROCK ?

It is a subgenre of post-punk that appeared «officially» in the 1970s in England and the USA. Its universe is dark and morbid. You could call it depressive music, even if it’s not necessarily true.

Do you see the Addams Family? Well, that’s about it, but in music.

ORIGINS OF GOTH ROCK

There are two genres that have a major influence on gothic rock: punk and glam rock.

Punk will influence aesthetically of course, but also with the energy, what the music feels like. Notably with bands like Suicide and The Cramps.

Glam rock will influence the stage performance (theatricality), with some sonorities (often an organ with a haunting sound) that can be found at Roxy Music and in the music of Brian Eno and David Bowie. Finally, it will influence aesthetics too.

But we can also mention in the influences that impacted Gothic rock (proto-goth):

• Screamin’ Jay Hawkins with I Put A Spell On You (la seconde version),
• The Doors with The End
• Velvet Underground with Venus In Furs and All Tomorrow’s Parties,
• Nico with her solo album The Marble Index,
• Alice Cooper with Dead Babies,

GOTH ROCK CHARACTERISTICS

The very first important thing in Goth rock is the atmosphere that reigns in the songs. This dark, melancholic, evil, uncomfortable, oppressive atmosphere.

It’s the opposite of electro-pop.

Music and instrumentation

The music is slow. The melodies are simple, usually with semitone progressions, and the use of minor tones.

The bass is tuned lower to sound deep, to contribute to this climate.

At the battery level, we prefer playing on tom.

On guitar, distortion is required with the use of reverb and delay.

Singing

Mostly, the singing is slow, impassive, and with a deep voice. With often a ton of reverb on it.

Bands formation

In most cases, the band has :

• drummer,
• guitarist(s)
• bass player,
• singer,
• and sometimes a keyboard player.

Lyrics

The texts are influenced by monsters and other creatures, madness, love (not the happiest way), death, and all other taboo/horrific/marginal subjects.

The genre itself is influenced by fantasy romanticism, horror films, pseudo-secret societies and funerary art.

The look

The gothic look has its own codes:

• Black clothes
• A mix of Victorian and fetish outfits
• Pronounced makeup (black eyeliner + very pale foundation = winning combo, we love it)
• Hair is mostly dark (black) with a messy hairstyle (the electrified kind).
• Silver jewelry with macabre connotations or alluding to a secret society.

Today, the style has evolved. We can find Gothic with hair of all colors and not necessarily messy. But the basis remains the same: pronounced makeup, black clothes, and references to macabre, etc.

All this requires considerable preparation time. This is why, women have a great role in the diffusion of the aesthetics of the genre.

Now, that doesn’t mean that because you’re dressed in black, etc. you’re gothic. Do we have to talk about stereotypes again?

GOTH ROCK ARTISTS/BANDS

The first bands to be associated with Gothic rock were post-punk bands such as Siouxsie and The Banshees, Joy Division and The Cure.

Then, the first actual Gothic rock bands to appear are Bauhaus, Killing Jokes and The Birthday Party.

Other bands have followed the path like Sisters of Mercy, Dead or Alive, Lords of The New Church, Fields of the Nephilim, All About Eve or the 69 eyes.

EVOLUTION

Goth rock still influences all kinds of music today.

He opened many doors to metal, industrial music, and even folk. It has also influenced pop bands and artists.

Here are some who were influenced in one way or another by Goth rock:

My Chemical Romance, Marilyn Manson, Yungblud, as well as many metal bands whose genre will be born from the latter: gothic metal.

As for the gothic aesthetic, it also influences pop culture in fashion, films, books, and visual arts.

Besides, I think part of the prejudice about the appearance of rockers and metalheads comes from the fact that this aesthetic is very well known.

That concludes this post on Goth rock.

You can find the playlist dedicated to it right below.

Feel free to like and share the post if you enjoyed it.

You can also find all the drawings from the blog right here !

See You soon !

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Posted on April 25, 2025 by Claire Abe

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Posted on January 24, 2025 by Claire Abe

Hey there ! Today we meet for a recognizable and inevitable genre! I’ll get you in the mood. Imagine…

Sources :

Une histoire Musicale du Rock – Christophe Pirenne

What Is Gothic Rock? – Sebastian Wolf : https://www.musicgateway.com/blog/spotify/what-is-gothic-rock

Wikipedia

Claire Abe

The post Goth rock : the love of gloom appeared first on Rock N' Roll World.

Today we’ll talk about a subject that I LOVE and I am PASSIONATE about : SINGING!

We can’t talk about rock and metal music, without talking about the types of singing that accompany them (in general).

So, come with me to the fabulous land of rock and metal singing techniques!

WHAT IS SINGING?

For now, let’s go back to basics. Namely: what does singing mean? And, here… it’s complicated to put a clear and precise definition.

When you search «singing definition» on the internet, you can find dozens of definitions related to forming a sequence of melodious sounds, beautiful notes with the voice.

But several months from now, I was asked what the difference was between talking and singing and the line for me was so blurred that I could not answer that question.

So for this post, we will stay simple and agree with what the different dictionaries can say. Even if it’s worth reflecting! 😄

THE DIFFERENT SINGING TECHNIQUES

Because singing is great (I won’t deny it). But there are so many ways to sing on this earth! May it be:

• throat singing (and there are dozens just in this category),
• traditional singing (again, there are many),
• opera/ lyric,
• musical,
• soul,
• jazz,
• pop,
• rock,
• metal.

All of them have one or more techniques of their own. Although the same technique can be found in several genres.

Here, I will focus only on the types of singing that can be found in rock and metal. That is to say: clear singing, harsh vocals singing, and opera! And, I will even touch a little on the field of musicals.

SINGING TECHNIQUES USED IN ROCK AND METAL MUSIC

Clear singing

Here, I’m not going to go on forever, it’s the sound coming out of your throat, without looking to add anything to it. That’s the type of singing you’re used to hearing. I mean, relatively.

In the clear vocals, I’ll just add the use of the following techniques:

Twang

Twang is a voice that sounds nasal when no. It’s a technique that some Americans naturally have. The sound is also reminiscent of the witch’s laughter or sometimes the cat’s meowing. This technique can be used to facilitate certain sound rendering.

Falsetto

Falsetto, on the other hand, consists of singing with more air than is needed.

Belting

In this category, I will also integrate a technique used a lot: Belting.

Although commonly used today in many other genres, this technique comes directly from musicals.

Again, there are different definitions of what belting is. For some, it’s the equivalent of screaming. For others, it is singing in chest voice with a little head voice above the head /chest voice passage.

The point is that the purpose of belting is to have a powerful voice that projects away.

Opera singing

If you are a newbie, you think: but, what does she tell me?! Opera in rock and metal!

Well YES! More in metal than in rock actually. It even has a genre in which you can hear it relatively often, it is symphonic metal: an alliance of metal and classical music/ opera.

For this technique, which is one of the most complicated to have, we talk about:

• Make room for sound resonance. HYPER important for classical singers. In addition, normally, an opera singer does not have a microphone in performance. Everything happens at the level of body resonators (nose-head-throat, etc.)
• Use of Bel Canto,
• Make beautiful long vowels, with a beautiful vibrato
• The LEGATO is very important, linking the lyrics (or notes)
• VERY GOOD BREATH MANAGEMENT AND VERY GOOD SUPPORT (I put it in capital letters because this is the basis)
• …

It is a non-exhaustive list of the techniques of opera. It is a very complex technique, but so beautiful to listen to! (At least, for me).

Now, I don’t know exactly, if symphonic metal singers go so deeply into learning opera singing. But the quality of the singing is present.

I think I heard that to really be considered an opera singer, it takes at least 10 years of regular practice.

After that, all symphonic metal singers have not trained in classical singing and remain on the clear vocals for their composition as well.

Examples of lyrical singers in metal are Tarja Turunen, Floor Jansen, and Simone Simons.

Distorsions and screams

Now we’re getting to the heart of the matter. And, to help you understand the different techniques, I will give of myself. So all the examples you can hear below are made by myself and were not edited afterward. It’s raw! 😜

Rock and metal vocals are full of different distortions and screams that make these genres what they are.

Distorsions

Watch out for stereotypes! Distortions are also used in other genres such as pop, soul, blues, etc. You hear them, without necessarily realizing it when you listen to the radio!

Distortions used are:

Fry

If I had to describe what fry is, I’d say it’s a fried sound equal in pitch to your speaking voice. Fry is produced when your two vocal cords are joined together. To give you an idea, the most famous person who often uses fry is… Britney Spears! And, for those who are already used to the world of rock and metal, we can mention Maria Brink or Marilyn Manson.

This technique is often used at the beginning or end of a sentence attack. But, it can be used for complete sentences.

Example :

Epiglottic distortion and arytenoid distortion

I group these two distortions together, because they are close to each other both anatomically and phonetically speaking.

They produce a rolled sound in the throat, a bit like a bird. The “only” difference is that the sound is darker and lower with the epiglottis than with the arytenoids.

In artists who use these distortions, we can mention Christina Aguilera, Louis Armstrong…. In rock/metal, there is Lzzy Hale!

Epiglottic distortion example

Arytenoid distortion example

False cords (ventricular folds)

Ventricular folds, or commonly called false cords, is a noise that is made not with the vocal cords, but with two membranes just above them, namely the ventricular folds.

The resulting noise sounds like a grunt. They are widely used in rock and metal.

False cords example

Screams

In fact, a scream is the mixture of a distortion (either fry or false cords) and a technique called breath distortion. The latter is to make your throat turn into a giant straw to let more or less air flow according to your need.

After that, there are very few ways to scream, it’s just that there are many names to call the same scream.

The difference is that some vocalists also use several distortions at the same time to make a scream. I think in particular of Will Ramos (vocalist of Lorna Shore) who also uses a throat singing base to make his crazy screams!

Also, I remind you, if you want to learn these techniques, there are specialized teachers who are there to prevent you from ruining your voice 😊

I’ll just talk about the three main techniques, which are:

Fry scream

Update on 11.21.25:

Here, there are two types of fry screams:

• The simple fry scream
• The complex fry scream

Simple Fry scream

For this one, we use creaking (or vocal fry) and we “amplify” it with twang. We only use the vocal cords to emit the sound. The intensity of the sound is comparable to the spoken voice.
I just suggest you listen to the example below.

Artists who used this technique are: Maria Brink, Chester Bennington, or Dani Filth.

Complexe Fry scream

In this case, we use creaking AND the false strings. The layering of the two makes the sound a little louder than in the simple fry scream.
I am currently learning this technique, so I can’t offer you an audio example. However, if you want to have an idea of the sound, you can listen to Emily Armstrong, among others.

False cords scream

The same principle as before, we mix false chords and breath distortion to have this really dirty and really raw effect. In metal, we also call this technique growl!

With false cords screaming, we can measure the amount of air we want to have a cleaner or more «dirty» scream.

This is the type of scream the most used in metal.

FC scream example :

Inhale

It’s a debate technique!

The goal is that instead of producing your sound as you exhale, you produce it while inhaling (hence the name inhale). Only, for some, it is a dangerous technique, because much more chance of getting hurt considering that the vocal cords are quickly dried, etc. But, others use it regularly, (some for several years), and everything is fine.

So if you are interested in this style, you really have to be careful and find a teacher who specializes in this technique to be sure not to hurt you.

Now you can very well make the noises you make with the inhale technique with another one seen above.

Inhale is usually used to make fry scream, as it is easier to find the effect that must be produced with this technique than directly with fry scream.

Because, yes, these are particular and difficult techniques that require practice and experience to achieve them. You don’t get them with a snap of your fingers!

I’m not specialized in inhale screaming, but here’s what it sounds like :

Comments

Now you have rock and metal singers mixing distortions and screams.

Also, it is often that screamers head towards a kind of scream (usually the one they master best). But you can find screamers that use multiple screams.

I want to point out that you can be a screamer and know how to sing super well in clear singing. Although this is obvious to me, it may not be for everyone. Some famous harsh vocalists have a very beautiful clean voice. I’m thinking of Will Ramos (Lorna Shore), Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), or Corey Taylor.

And conversely, singers/ singers who use clear singing techniques have very good growls. In this case, I’m thinking of Vessel, the singer of Sleep Token and Floor Jansen who can sing anything you want because she’s so talented. Do I fan girl? A bit. But I’m not the only one who thinks that.

Update on the 11.21.25:

If you’re interested to dive deep into this subject and you either can read french or you got the translation thing on, check https://singandscream.fr/ as it’s info provided by professionals!

Here’s the end of this post on rock and metal singing! I hope you learned something new.

Feel free to share the article if you enjoyed it!

Also, you can find all the caricatures here!

And if you’re interested in listening to me singing, you can do so by visiting my YouTube channel 🙂

See you soon!

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Sources :

Mirowshka – coach vocal : https://mirowshka.ch/

Le Chanteur Moderne – Qu’est-ce que le “Belting” : https://www.chanteurmoderne.com/blog/101-qu-est-ce-que-le-belting

École La Voie Chantée – Marie-Laurence Dubé – Technique vocale : le Belting : https://ecolelavoixchantee.com/2018/06/13/voulez-vous-belter-le-belting/

Claire Abe

The post Rock and metal singing techniques appeared first on Rock N' Roll World.

Today we’re gonna talk about STEREOTYPES!

We’ll see that Rock and Metal are full of them. And all rockers and metalheads are faced with it one day or another (or several in fact).

To do this, I saw the top prejudices/ stereotypes most common on other blogs and websites. Below, I have put them together and give you my opinion on the matter.

So, let’s examine together these clichés a little (a lot?) exasperating and/or funny!

What is a stereotype?

Let’s start with the basics and remember what a stereotype is.

In the Cambridge Dictionary, it’s “a set idea that people have about what someone or something is like, especially an idea that is wrong”

So we agree on what a stereotype is and we can move on. And get ready because there are MANY! But here, I only give you 10.

Rock and Metal stereotypes

1. “Metal is all noise and screaming!”

So, yes there are songs or bands that can be defined this way, but it is a generality. And besides, we can bring this stereotype closer to metal than to rock (except maybe hard rock). I see it that way.

In addition, we find ballads or songs «more soft» or songs with a «clean» vocal technique in most rock and metal genres.

I’ll put a little playlist right here.

Afterward, it’s also a question of what do you mean by noise? Because I can tell you the same thing when I listen to a techno song…

2. «Rockers and metalheads are satanists! Vade retro Satanas!»

I think I’ve heard it all over the place. Whether it’s on TV, in newspapers, or people on the street. To be honest, I don’t know if I should laugh or cry when I hear that.

I will not dwell on this point in this post. If you want to know all about it, I made one about it that you can read by clicking on this link.

3. “Those who listen to this kind of music are depressed!”

According to several surveys, people listening to metal… are less depressed than average.

We can listen to extreme music to empty ourselves of all the aggression and anger that we have in order to be calmer. Also, you can listen to it to express/release feelings you can’t put words on.

The subjects addressed in these genres of music are often heavy, painful, even taboo. They don’t sell you rainbows, sequins, and “all is well in the best of the world”. They tell you, yes, there are situations that are more than shitty, but that you can get away with it, as they did.

So yes, I’m not going to lie to you, people with depression can turn to metal and start liking this genre. We respect them, and we support them in their fight, but not everyone is depressed. And if extreme music does them well, then it’s great!

4. «Rock and metal bands incite to suicide»

We all know the phenomenon where several people in the media have said that, when we play the songs of rock and metal bands backwards, we hear incentives to satanism or suicide. I talked a bit about it during the satanic panic in this post.

But it can’t be any more wrong (except for black metal, but in this case, you don’t even have to hear it backwards). The topics of suicide and even mental illness (depression, bipolar disorder, etc.) are at the heart of some lyrics or the artists talk about it in interviews. In fact, some have faced it themselves.

This subject is even more present in recent years, after the suicides of well known artists such as Chris Cornell (Soundgarden/Audioslave/Temple Of The Dog), Chester Bennington (Linkin Park) and more.

After that, death is definitely a recurring subject in rock and metal.

5.”Rock and metal are macho movements!”

So on that point, I’m going to be more divided than some people who will say, “No, rock and metal is a big community that includes everybody, including women and so on.”

And this for several points:

1. At the beginning of certain genres, very dominated by men, songs had machist lyrics, especially in heavy metal or glam metal. It calmed down with time and the group appearance with women, but I still wanted to note it.
2. Female members of rock/metal bands had to fight to prove that they are as good as men. I think particularly of an interview of Lzzy Hale (singer and guitarist of Halestorm) with Maria Brink (singer of In This Moment) and Ashley Costello (singer of New Years Day) where the first one told that she was taken either for the girlfriend of a member of the band, or for a groupie. Maria Brink, for her part, recounted the time, when in front of hundreds of men began to shout to her «show us your breasts!» Charming, don’t you think!
3. Finally, a few years ago (+/- 5 years), a venue was in controversy because they refused to let a band with a woman on its stage because «women are not as good at rock and metal as men».

So yes, a lot of mentality changed, and for the better! A large proportion of men (I hope) understood that a person’s gender mattered little, compared to his talent. But there will always be people who have a backward, macho, patriarchal way of thinking.

6. «Rockers and metalheads are violent»

If you have read the article carefully so far, you already know the answer.

Extreme music actually has the opposite effect. The energy and “violence” of the songs helps to relieve tension, anger or other negative emotions. A study has also shown that those who listen to this kind of music are generally calmer.

So instead of trying to beat up your neighbor because he put music to the max at 7:00 am (yes, I speak from experience), listen to Lorna Shore (or another metal band) and:

• 1, you avoid prison,
• 2, you’ll feel better and
• 3, you can listen to it thoroughly to annoy him in return! 😉

Now, that doesn’t stop us from having assholes and violent people in every community.

7. “Rockers and metalheads all look alike! They wear black, skulls, tattoos, guys have long hair, etc.”

LOL

It ‘s true that some people take their look very seriously and you can see it if you type «rock look», «gothic look», etc. on the internet. And as long as they like it, it’s cool! No judgements here. I even admire the work and the details that some people bring to their appearance.

 But to say that all rockers or metalheads are alike, is to (re)make a generality.

Everyone dresses and adopts the appearance they want! So yes, you can see perfectos, artist merchs, or patch jackets, among others, but it’s not mandatory.

And for guys, long hair is not mandatory either. It’s a matter of preference. Also:

• We find men with long hair out of the rock and metal fields,
• And many male rock/metal artists have short hair. That doesn’t stop them from headbanging 😉

I’ll take my case (because it’s the one I know best lol).

I’ve been told several times that I don’t look like a rocker/metalhead.
And that suits me! Better yet, I like the idea of not conforming to preconceived ideas. I like the saying «not to judge a book on its cover». So yes, I have pieces that look rock/metal, yes, I often dress in black (because I LOVE black) and I have tattoos, but it’s not written on my face either that I like these musical genres. (Unless you meet me and read the blog then, you know 😉)

So be yourself, this is the most important thing. And those who tell you otherwise, throw them away.

By the way, I’m sure you can find CEOs and other people you wouldn’t believe rockers/metalheads about their appearance at this kind of concert.

8.«They have orgies, etc.”

So I saw this point several times, and at first, I didn’t understand why. And then I had the click:

• First, I repeat, a majority of rockers and metal players are not satanists! So no night orgies for any reason.
• Second, the mediatized setbacks of certain celebrities of these genres, do not represent the practices of those who listen to them!

All right, that is said. In addition, people who do not listen at all to these musical genres participate in orgies, so it is more a matter of preferences than anything else.

Everything that has to do with the intimate life of a person, concerns only that person. In no case do we or his musical preferences. So everyone does what they want, whatever they want, but it has nothing to do with music.

Then I see you coming up with “Yes, but what do you do with Sex, Drugs and Rock n’ Roll” or “Yes, but there are videos that can approve this kind of practice”, etc. 

I would say that, since it makes people react, they will necessarily rush into the breach and provoke. Because rock and metal LOVE to provoke, to make people think. So, they will use it as an artistic base.

Then, if you really want to know what artists have in mind for this or that, I suggest you go and ask them directly 😊.

9. «Rockers and metalheads only listen to rock and metal!»

Some yes, some no. As with most things, it depends on the person.

Some people only listen to one style of metal or rock, others only to several or all styles of rock and metal, and others listen to a bit of everything.

Personally, I also listen to jazz, blues, soul, musicals, classical music/opera, variety, pop, folk, indie, and country. But I always come back to rock and metal because they are my favorite genres.

10. “We don’t understand anything they say!”

I have to admit that sometimes I myself don’t understand what some groups are saying (without having the lyrics in front of me). But, it is in relation to the techniques that singers use.

For extreme songs, articulation is key, but distortion plays on the comprehension of words. However, if you listen to rock/metal songs with «clean» vocals, you will understand all the lyrics. I’ll explain to you everything about those singing technics in a next post!

Here we are at the end of this list! Tell me as a comment if you have ever faced these prejudices/stereotypes or if you have faced others.

Feel free to share the post a maximum in order to «educate» a good number of people.

See you soon for a new post!

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Sources :

Larousse – définition préjugé : https://www.larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais/pr%C3%A9jug%C3%A9/63519

Crane Faction – top 20 des clichés sur les metalleux : https://crane-faction.com/blogs/blog-tete-de-mort/cliches-metalleux

Topito – top 8 des idées reçues sur le metal, ils sont tous satanistes les mecs – tomasg : https://www.topito.com/top-idees-recues-metal

Bravo les (contre) clichés : http://rock-metal-luxiferum.over-blog.com/pages/Bravo_les_contre_cliches-7210353.html

France Inter – Quand la science se penche sur la musique metal : https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/podcasts/l-edito-carre/quand-la-science-se-penche-sur-la-musique-metal-4242980

Urbania – Pourquoi écouter du metal améliore ma santé mentale – Sébastien Jean : https://urbania.ca/article/pourquoi-ecouter-du-metal-aide-ma-sante-mentale

La musique métal vous rend plus calme ? – Beth Roar (EN) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPL6SxdgYEs

Claire Abe

The post Rock and Metal stereotypes appeared first on Rock N' Roll World.